Covid-19 has created an unprecedented demand for our services. The rise of Covid-19 has forced organisations into the Fourth Industrial revolution. As
the pandemic and the job crisis evolves, the need to protect the most vulnerable becomes even more urgent. The continued acute decline in working hours globally due to the Covid-19 pandemic means a billion workforce in the informal economy – that is nearly half of the global workforce – stand in immediate danger of having their livelihoods destroyed as a drop in working hours in this pandemic has a catastrophic effect on earnings and employment security.
The Covid-19 crisis has a greater impact on some workers. Young people and women are among those at greater risk of joblessness and poverty. They generally have less secure, unskilled jobs and are highly represented among workers in industries most affected by the crisis – such as tourism and
restaurants.
Most of the businesses closed down as a result of Covid-19 since they cannot purvey to secure the employment of its workforce. Moreover, affected families are struggling to make end meets. The 2020 year focuses on workforce security and the Covid-19 crisis, which provides an assessment of the labour market; consequences of the Covid-19 outbreak and the emanate in economic crisis. The government of the Republic of Namibia needs to discuss the directions for further policy adaptation as countries move out of lockdown and present an overview of the emergency labour market and social policy measures to be implemented to resuscitate the economy.
Unemployment adversely affects worker’s health and it is a major source of psychological stress that leads to more Covid-related deaths. Economic stimulation and security are associated with homelessness that can both exacerbate health and the ability to seek treatment. Despite the economic stimulus
effort by the Social Security Commission and the Ministry of Finance by providing the once-off payment to most affected citizens, more everlasting effort needs to be re-engineered to ensure the government and other entities on boards are strategically and positively redefined to intensify the living conditions of every Namibian.
A one-time, the emergency income grant of N$750 was provided to all formal and informal workers who have lost their jobs countrywide. Moreover, businesses, borders and productive activities have been reopened to allow the stimulation of the economy to thrive as the country welcomes investors and tourist to enter the country under Covid-19 protocols.
Many industrial sectors are affected adversely by the pandemic most especially the fishing industry where thousands of sea workers lose their jobs aggravated by the low supply of fishing quotas allocations and business operations restrictions which will have deep and lasting economic effects. The fish supply chains are strongly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Government and industry responses are needed to address the matter. The impact on employment in the shipping sector struggling with an abrupt and widespread stoppage in economic activity, as workers are told to stay at home, supply chains grind to a halt and
factories close in Erongo region.
Multiple pandemic-related changes affecting worker economic security are taking place simultaneously, expeditiously, and on a global scale. This makes it hard to fully assess the long-term effects of these changes for workers, their families and communities, and their employers. While the economic security is
a determinant of worker wellbeing regardless of overall economic conditions, the current pandemic provides an opportunity to design strategies both at the policy and the organisational levels that improve both the level and distribution of economic security for all workers, including through adequate income and benefits.
* Hamutenya Hafeni Hainghumbi is an HR Business Partner at the International University of Management (IUM). The opinions expressed in this publication are
those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the IUM.