Labour Dept. disappointed with poor response from private sector for e-survey

•  Survey to assess private sector labour demand for 2022 receives less than 1,000 submissions 
•  Initiative to help identify labour demand and meet expected targets

By Charumini de Silva

Labour Department Commissioner General Prabath Chandrakeerthi

The Department of Labour said it was disappointed with the response received from the private sector for the e-

survey to identify worker demand requirements in 2022. 

“The response received from the private sector companies was very poor and disappointing,” Labour Department Commissioner General Prabath Chandrakeerthi told the Daily FT. 

The objective of the initiative was to re-strengthen the economy severely affected by the COVID pandemic by increasing the productivity of the private sector.  Despite extending the deadline for submission of the e-survey twice, last being on 31 August, he said less than 1,000 companies responded.  At present, there are over 86,000 companies employing 2.6 million under the Department of Labour. 

Chandrakeerthi said the data collected through the survey was also to understand the labour demand in the private sector to meet their expected targets for the next year. 

In spite of the poor response, the Commissioner General said the Department has commenced evaluating the data submitted by the companies, which will be helpful to assist the policymakers to take appropriate and sustainable decisions regarding employment within the evolving labour market conditions.  

“The responses will lead to identifying trends and changes in the nature of employment. Such identification will have the ability to provide insights into current and future labour law reforms too,” he added. 

Chandrakeerthi also said the evaluation of data will assist in making sector specific strategies to stimulate, protect and promote private sector employment in the country.

According to the Labour Department, the economically active population in Sri Lanka was at 8.6 million, with 64.5% males and 35.5% females. The private sector employs almost 3.5 million people whilst own account workers amount to 2.7 million. Non-agricultural sector employs 81.3% of the private sector employees and 57.3% of its own account workers.

The Department of Labour has assured the confidentiality of data submitted by the private sector.