We've been trying to hire trained and motivated, proactive, staff almost since I started working at PKMMH. One would think in this area, in which a number of family members have gone overseas due to unemployment being very high, this wouldn't be very difficult. We offer reasonable salaries and benefits, medical care is covered, for some we offer accommodation, the infrastructure is modern and village environment is relaxed. However, the reality is very different. We've hired people and they didn't report to work; we've been flexible in trying to understand and work with staff and their needs. We try and we try and we try, but yet jobs remain unfilled; people say the salaries are too low or we don't like the work, only want to do some parts, but not others.
Recently I tried to hire someone to work in our restaurant, small operation, but never-the-less we provide a variety of foods and employment for up to six people. When I first started working at PKMMH the restaurant staff were working seven days/week, however we've cut that back to six with fairly reasonable hours. The priority for the position which I was trying to hire is that of cash counter but also cooking and doing some cleaning when there aren't any customers. A young woman filled out an employment application, however, upon interviewing we found that she hadn't passed her SLC and she couldn't do basic math, didn't know how to use a calculator. We interviewed another person who has good math skills, passed his SLC with some overseas experience as a waiter. Although this person has been unemployed for quite some time, when I told him that I wanted him to do some cleaning, he immediately "took a step back" and said I can't do that. We finally agreed on only a certain type of cleaning, cash counter and cooking.
The next day I expected to see this potential employee at 9 AM, which time came and went. I walked to this person's home and he wasn't there. I talked to this person on the phone and his explanation was that his father said he couldn't clean or cook and only had to work at the cash counter. Accompanied by some of my colleagues, I went to talk to the guy's father and asked him if this was the case. He replied that no he wants his son to work. We called the employee back and asked him to come to PKMMH to talk further. In other words we bent over backwards to try to get this employee to work at the PKMMH restaurant, although on a trial basis.
I realize that there are huge social factors which would "force" an unemployed person to not become gainfully employed. After all, depending on one's caste or job there is a huge amount of stigma; it's better not to contribute towards your family's well-being, sit at home, do nothing, let life pass one by. (However as one colleage said, "the person would gladly clean toilets as long as it is not in this area").
It's difficult for me to wrap my head around this type of thinking, perception of life, letting others determine what one will do. When I was unemployed I took a variety of jobs and I wouldn't say "no", if a job was offered. But, what causes a person to think that they are better off unemployed?
Societal pressure seems to play a huge role; I'd rather be seen doing nothing and drinking tea or playing caroms then, e.g. cleaning a toilet. If my neighbors see this I will be doomed, maybe I won't be able to marry or people will shun me. If I have children, I also have to think about them and how they might be treated.
It seems that it takes a great deal of courage to stay in Nepal and work, to not pay attention to social (and caste) pressures, no matter what type of job this might be. And then if one has a certain type of job, one has to behave a certain way, at times, not treating those perceived as "below" them in a very respectful manner.
I don't envy youngsters living in a village, who would like to do anything to help out their families but are deterred due to, "what will the neighbors think?" I feel bad for those youngsters who have totally integrated their parent's ways of thinking and also feel that certain jobs are beneath them, at least when they are in their native place. When thinking about all of this I feel a great range of "grey", as if there really are no solutions or that I'm living in a kind of topsy-turvy Alice in Wonderland, where I can only throw my arms to the air and ask, "what can I do"?
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