Larsen and Toubro, the home-grown infrastructure and IT conglomerate, has managed to retain about 70 per cent of its 2.45 lakh contract labours at the project site even as the second wave of Covid pandemic continue to rattle economic activity.
Unlike the mass workforce exodus during first round of Covid disruption, L&T managed to convince labours to stay put this time around by extending unmatched care and right communication.
Apart from educating the workmen on the ills of the pandemic and precautions to be taken, the company organised vaccinations for workmen by tying up with local hospitals and seeking local authorities help. As a result, a high percentage of L&T’s workmen across sites have received their first jab.
SN Subrahmanyan, Managing Director, L&T, said though some people have gone back home despite the best efforts this time the company has managed to bring them back.
“We have intensified campaigns at all our sites, especially the labour camps to tell them that they are safe with L&T,” he added.
When the communication comes from the top management, it percolates well to the bottom. An SMS campaign on health advisories was developed in various languages and reached out to about 4 lakh workmen.
The Human Resources team used WhatsApp, a favourite among workmen, to spread positive messaging. “Our effort is to spread positivity among the workmen to quell their fear and anxiety,” said a company official incharge of a sensitive Defence project.
This apart, recorded video messages of the company’s Chief Medical Officer, Divyang Shah, was played across sites and facilities to small group of 20-25 highlighting the safety precautions, symptoms of viral infection and steps to be taken if infected, he added.
Staggered work timings
The company staggered work timings by starting fresh shifts and introduced more bus trips to carry less workmen to ensure that less people at work place.
C Jayakumar, Chief Human Resource Officer, L&T, said labour habitats were provided medical facilities with a doctor on call 24x7 besides skill training institutes, staff quarters and few hotel rooms were booked to quarantine patients with mild Covid symptoms.
“The message that L&T cares and workforce are safe at the campus was loud and clear with an emphasis to practice Covid precautions,” he added.