A study in the International Journal of Business and Globalisation has looked at the various factors contributing to job satisfaction among manual workers in Vietnam’s garment manufacturing sector. While much research on employee satisfaction has traditionally focused on white-collar workers, this study focuses on blue-collar labour, a crucial demographic in a rapidly developing economy such as that of Vietnam.
Hanh Vu Thi and Huong Pham Thu of the Foreign Trade University, Lan Anh Nguyen Thi of Fujifilm Business Innovation Co., Ltd in Hanoi, Vietnam, and Tra Ly Thu of NextWave Partners, Singapore, found that among the most important factors associated with job satisfaction were the quality of an employee’s relationships with supervisors, workplace benefits, and occupational safety. Perhaps surprisingly, the level of pay, which is typically thought of as being central to job satisfaction, was found to be minor factor. The researchers suggest that for workers in jobs requiring a lower educational level, job security and a positive work environment may outweigh financial incentives.
Leadership styles in Vietnamese companies appears to play a crucial role in shaping job satisfaction, the team found. Their results highlight the prevalence of autocratic leadership and family-based management models in many businesses. These models, while offering powerful authority structures, can sometimes hinder open communication and democratic participation in the workplace. The research thus calls for a reassessment of leadership strategies in order to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for blue-collar workers.
The work is important in the light of Vietnam’s socio-economic context. Since the 1980s, Vietnam has been developing rapidly and its economy growing, partly driven by foreign direct investment (FDI) in various sectors, including manufacturing, and in particular garment manufacturing.
Thi, H.V., Thu, H.P., Thi, L.A.N. and Thu, T.L. (2025) ‘Analysis of factors affecting job satisfaction of manual workers: a case study from a garment factory in Northern Vietnam’, Int. J. Business and Globalisation, Vol. 39, No. 5, pp.1–16.