Problems and Prospects of Employees in the Manufacturing Sector in the Haridwar District of Uttarakhand, India

Abstract

The manufacturing sector serves as a critical driver of economic growth and employment generation in numerous regions worldwide. Haridwar, located in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, has emerged as a vibrant industrial hub, attracting significant investments and witnessing rapid industrialization in recent years. The manufacturing sector in Haridwar encompasses a wide range of industries, including automotive, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, and textiles, among others. The sector’s growth has led to a substantial increase in employment opportunities, attracting a diverse workforce seeking stable livelihoods. While Haridwar’s manufacturing sector development has brought many advantages, it has also produced a number of difficulties for the workers in this fast-paced sector. In order to comprehend the effects on the general well-being, work satisfaction, and future possibilities of the manufacturing sector employees in Haridwar, it is imperative to examine and analyse these difficulties. Every employee is a fortune for their organization, and their skills contribute to its growth. The present research article aims to investigate the problems and prospects faced by manufacturing sector employees in Haridwar. The primary data used in the study was collected from 100 employees (from 20 factories) in the manufacturing sector through a well-structured questionnaire administered by interview. Tools used in the study are Microsoft Office and the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), which are used to interpret the data. Wilcoxon signed-rank test statistics are used to test the hypothesis. The study’s main findings are that male dominance occurred in this sector; most employees graduated and got professional degrees. More than 80% got below 40k as their monthly income, while about 65% were unsatisfied with their current wages. The main problems faced by the employees are poor working conditions, followed by low salaries, a lack of employment security, long working hours, health problems, a lack of social benefit schemes, a lack of medical facilities, a lack of awareness about the government’s welfare schemes, and a lack of transportation to reach their workplace.