Socio-economic constraints in re-entering the labour market during COVID-19 and the resilience of female informal workers living in urban informal settlements

During COVID-19, female informal workers living in urban informal settlements in Bangladesh have faced greater challenges in re-entering the labour market than their male counterparts. This paper presents the findings of a qualitative study, which has explored how the pre-existing socio-economic constraints around gender norms, gender roles, occupational sex-segregation, lack of education and skills, informality and restricted mobility have made the re-entry process extremely difficult for these workers during COVID-19 in Dhaka city. The paper also illustrates that these workers have adopted strategies catered for short-lasting crises to cope with the challenges arisen from their struggle to secure livelihoods. © 2023 Department of Social Work, National University of Singapore, Singapore.

Remote Work and Changes in Organizational HR Practices During Corona Pandemic: A Study from Bangladesh

This study aims to offer insightful knowledge on organizational members’ real-life experience of working in a ‘new normal’ environment and explores changes in organizational HR practices and the future of work culture during this pandemic. Applying the qualitative methodology through implementing an in-depth interview technique, this study revealed subjective insights on pandemic impacts within diverse organizations and their coping strategies, that is, remote work practices and technological adaptations. The study found out that HR functionalities powered by different online tools and remote work or flexible roster duties are ensuring employee betterment and organizational productivity at the same time. Pandemic countermeasure oriented or transformed HR practices like online training and e-recruitment are keeping the workforce steady in this distressing time, but the ‘new normal’ lifestyle and evolved work environment, practices are putting much stress on and changing the dimension of work policies like employee well-being, compensation, leave, and so on, through isolation, quarantine and strict health guideline type issues. © 2022 Management Development Institute.

The transformation of education during the corona pandemic: exploring the perspective of the private university students in Bangladesh

PurposeIn 2020, the education system was preliminary halted by the COVID-19 crisis and went through radical improvisation, and online-based distance learning was the only plausible initiative to continue educational activities ensuring health guidelines properly. However, in reality, such desperate measure in case of a lower-middle-income developing nation lacking proper structural capabilities raised some issues and concerns for both pupils and mentors, and this study aims to explore the practice of online-based distance learning in private universities of Bangladesh and the challenges associated with it.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory research is qualitative in nature. A total number of 89 undergraduate level university students from different private universities were divided into two main clusters and interviewed in depth.FindingsThe findings of this paper revealed that common developing country syndromes like improper technological infrastructure development, limitation to devices or internet accessibility and financial hindrances can disrupt the harmony of the online learning experience. Also, the lack of tech literacy has created a huge tension and psychological inertia among both the teachers and the students.Social implicationsThe coronavirus pandemic event, with its dreadful influence, is creating immense mental pressures for students to cope well with the online learning system. Comprehending the underlying challenges affiliated with online-based distance learning and enabling faculties or respected personnel with training and development programs to handle impediments better way, this learning initiative can ensure the best outcomes.Originality/valueThe significance of this study lies in comprehending the feasibility of online-based education regarding lower-middle-income developing nation context and the realism of such learning process's acceptability considering its actual effectiveness.