LABOUR ISSUES IN AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS OF THE SOUTH TRANSDANUBIAN REGION IN THE SHADOW OF COVID-19

KŐMÜVES ZSOLT – BORBÉLY CSABA – SZABÓ-SZENTGRÓTI GÁBOR

Keywords: Keywords: South Transdanubia Region, Agriculture, HR, Labor Shortages, Workforce Retention JEL-code: Q12

Teljes cikk
The Covid-19 pandemic and the concurrent global economic crisis have transformed the operational processes of the Hungarian economy, including the situation of workers and the relationship between capital and labour. Existing research estimates the degree of transformation in global economic processes to varying extents and evaluates differently the opportunities and leeway for worker-side interventions in these changes (Czirfusz, 2021). It is generally accepted that human resources (HR), or in other words, the workforce, is a key factor in the operation of companies and businesses. Acquiring and retaining them is of paramount importance for the continuous and smooth operation of enterprises. This study reviews the labour market situation in agriculture, with a particular focus on the changes that occurred during and after the pandemic period. Using an online survey, we examined 144 agricultural enterprises operating in the South Transdanubian region to gain insight into the changes in HR strategies prompted by the pandemic, including handling labour shortages and applying workforce retention strategies. The results of the statistical analysis confirmed that businesses use different tools and programs to address labour shortages and retention, depending on their organizational size. It was established that ensuring the operation of farms necessitates the preparation of a crisis management plan, which should integrate HRM strategies. The research highlighted the role and importance of dual training programs and leadership development initiatives
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53079/GAZDALKODAS.69.2.t.pp_89-105