Staff retention is a crucial task for employers in the context of the global crisis - expert

October 29, Vitebsk / Sergei Kochetov - BELTA /. Staff retention is a critical task for domestic employers in the face of the global crisis. This opinion was expressed in a conversation with a BELTA correspondent by Valentina Simkhovich, Dean of the Faculty of Management of the Belarusian State Economic University, Doctor of Sociological Sciences, Professor. She took part in the international scientific and practical conference "Socio-economic development of organizations and regions: innovation, social guidelines, globalization," which concluded today at the Vitebsk State Technological University. "Today, one can resort to layoffs or salary cuts, but this is not a way out of the situation," she noted. If companies apply the principles of corporate social responsibility, then staff will appreciate it and reciprocate with high labor productivity and loyalty to the company. In turn, this will lead to reduced costs, increased sales, and ultimately to enhanced competitiveness. At the same time, corporate social responsibility also has an external dimension: a company must make decisions and be managed taking into account public expectations and dominant societal values. That is, to behave responsibly towards socially vulnerable areas of society (culture, sports, education, etc.) and socially unprotected segments of the population, explained Valentina Simkhovich. "Unfortunately, we have identified a trend: the larger the enterprise, the less it is willing to pay attention to these issues; in times of crisis, everything is reduced to fulfilling basic obligations only to employees," she noted. As a result, concepts such as corporate philanthropy and charity may disappear altogether. In addition, in surveys, Belarusian employers note the need to create institutions that protect socially responsible business. The state should play its role here by creating mechanisms to stimulate corporate social responsibility, Valentina Simkhovich added. The issue of social responsibility should be constantly in the focus of society's attention, especially in the context of the global crisis. "This is very necessary, as social investments should be directed primarily to those segments of society that truly need them," believes Valentina Simkhovich. -0-