L&T group facing shortage of over 45K labourers and engineers: Chairman

This is not the first time that the company is going public with the challenges on manpower. Subrahmanyan had last year also said that it is facing challenges despite wanting to hire over 30K labour

L&T Group chairman S N Subrahmanyan said it is facing a manpower shortage of over 45,000 labourers and engineers across its businesses.  The flagship engineering, procurement and construction business is grappling with a labour shortage of 25-30,000 labourers, while the information technology and IT enabled services business is facing a shortage of 20,000 engineers, he told reporters.
 

Subrahmanyan had last year also said that it was facing challenges despite wanting to hire over 30,000 labourers. Subrahmanyan attributed the labour shortage to issues like demand for certain skill sets where there might not be hands available, a push from clients to execute projects faster, certain events like elections and changes in weather patterns.

He said the adverse weather events have led to changes in working hours in some projects wherein no work is happening during the afternoons except essential or critical works.

The company is also taking care of its employees by offering them transport facilities, health drinks and food at the projects, he said.

Subrahmanyan also said that the company has skill centres and other initiatives which can act as a mitigating factor.

At any point of time, the company engages over 4 lakh labourers possessing specific skills like carpentry, masonry etc across its projects, he said.

On the engineering talent side, he said an attrition of over 10 per cent makes it more challenging and this ensures that there is a shortage of over 14,000 engineers at any point of time.