Introduction
In March 2025, the countrywide doctors strike prompted by the rape of one of the female doctors at a state hospital highlighted a significant vulnerability in the health sector in Sri Lanka and that is the security of employees (Arab News, 2025). The event not only revealed the shortcomings of physical security but also, the underlying issues about organizational culture, gender sensitivity and the role of Human Resource Management (HRM) in ensuring trust. When health workers took to the streets all over the country, the episode turned into a case study on how the inability of HR to predict and handle safety issues may turn into organizational and national catastrophes.
The safety of employees is a core HR issue, and it is directly associated with motivation, productivity, and psychological comfort (Dessler, 2023). But the public hospitals in Sri Lanka usually consider HR as a clerical task and urgent matters such as sexual harassment response or safety training are not provided with enough resources. Although the Occupational Safety, Health and Welfare Regulations (2021) mandate institutions to provide safe environments, compliance mechanisms are poor (Department of Labour Sri Lanka, 2021).
The HR culture has been reactive because of the lack of specific safety committees, non-anonymous reporting mechanisms and the lack of employee counselling. Here, HR teams were responding to the outcry and negative publicity instead of averting harm. Research shows that workplace violence in health sectors can be greatly minimized by proactive HRM policies, including risk audits, gender-sensitive leadership development, gender-sensitive awareness training, etc. (Dessler, 2023).
Also, gender-based violence in the workplace not only affects victims but also performance in the organization. It demoralizes, raises absenteeism and tarnishes the image of the employer eventually touching on service delivery. In order to restore confidence, HR has to work with medical trade unions, law enforcement, and ministries to make accountability and transparency institutional.
Conclusion
The 2025 strike in the health sector shows that the safety of its employees cannot be divided out of effective HRM. In the future, the hospitals of Sri Lanka need to integrate the notion of safety, equality, and psychological well-being into the HR strategy. It is at that point that the HR can be a guardian of the employee trust and dignity rather than being just a crisis responder.
References
Arab News (2025) Sri Lankan doctors strike over safety concerns after colleague’s rape. [Online] Available at: https://www.arabnews.com/ [Accessed 29 Oct 2025].
Department of Labour Sri Lanka (2021) Occupational Safety, Health and Welfare Regulations. Colombo: Government Press.
Dessler, G. (2023) Human Resource Management. 17th edn. Harlow: Pearson Education.
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ReplyDeleteThis blog is very eye-opening. It clearly shows how important employee safety is and how HR plays a key role in protecting staff and maintaining trust. I liked how it emphasized proactive measures, like safety committees, training, and gender-sensitive policies, rather than only reacting to crises. It made me realize that HR isn’t just about paperwork—it can make a real difference in creating safe, respectful, and supportive workplaces.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your thoughts! I'm delighted the article made you realize how much of a difference HR can make by shifting focus to proactive measures like training and safety committees, rather than just reacting to crises. Creating that safe, supportive, and respectful workplace culture is exactly what modern HR needs to prioritize.
DeleteThis is such an important perspective—employee safety isn’t just a physical or operational concern; it directly intersects with HR responsibilities. Strikes and unrest in critical sectors like healthcare highlight how HR must balance workforce protection, morale, and continuity of services. It’s a reminder that proactive safety policies and clear communication are essential to support both employees and organizational resilience
ReplyDeleteDilmini, you precisely captured the interconnected nature of this issue. Safety is indeed more than just a physical concern; it's a vital component of organizational resilience. As you noted, clear communication and proactive policies are absolutely essential for HR, especially in critical sectors where service continuity is non-negotiable.
DeleteThis post highlights how strikes in Sri Lanka’s health sector affect both service delivery and employee relations. It also reminds me of similar HR challenges we face in my state-owned bank, where maintaining staff satisfaction is key to uninterrupted public service.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kalani. That’s a very relevant parallel. Your experience in a state-owned bank highlights that the challenge of maintaining staff satisfaction and well-being to ensure uninterrupted public service is universal across critical institutions in Sri Lanka. It underscores why HR’s role in preventing unrest through proactive measures is so crucial.
DeleteThis is an insightful and powerful blog that highlights a deeply sensitive and urgent HR issue — employee safety and gender-based violence in the workplace, using the 2025 doctors’ strike in Sri Lanka as a real and relevant case study. The analysis is both socially impactful and academically grounded, connecting real-world events to HR theory and practice. You successfully bring out how employee safety extends beyond physical protection to include trust, culture, and proactive HR governance. This makes the piece not only informative but also thought-provoking for HR practitioners and policy makers.
ReplyDeleteNilanka, I truly appreciate your thoughtful analysis. Your feedback that the piece is "thought-provoking for HR practitioners and policy makers" is high praise. I aimed to show that employee safety is a comprehensive topic that extends beyond physical protection to include the crucial elements of trust, culture, and proactive governance. Thank you for acknowledging the focus on gender-based violence as well.
DeleteThis is a very important blog that highlights how employee safety is a key HR responsibility. It clearly shows that proactive HR measures, including safety policies and gender-sensitive practices, are essential to protect staff, maintain motivation, and ensure organizational effectiveness.
ReplyDeleteNiroshani, that's a perfect summary of the article’s core message! When HR prioritizes staff protection and utilizes gender-sensitive practices, it directly boosts motivation and organizational effectiveness. The focus must be on these proactive measures to build a resilient and fair organization.
DeleteThis is a very thoughtful write-up highlighting how employee safety is central to HR’s role, especially in high-risk sectors like healthcare. I really liked how you connected safety with organizational culture and trust. It could be even stronger if you included a few practical examples of proactive HR measures that hospitals could adopt to prevent such crises.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Himesha. I'm glad you found the connection between safety, organizational culture, and trust impactful. That's excellent feedback about including more practical, real-world examples for hospitals—I will certainly consider that for future posts or a follow-up piece! It’s vital to translate theory into tangible actions.
Delete"Employee safety is a fundamental concern, especially in critical sectors like healthcare. This situation highlights the growing responsibility of HR to not only manage people but also ensure their well-being, even during complex challenges like strikes."
ReplyDeleteNishadi, even though the comment is partially cut off, your point about ensuring staff well-being during complex challenges (like strikes) is absolutely fundamental. It is HR's primary responsibility to look after employees, especially when the organization is under pressure. Thank you for reading and contributing!
DeleteVery interesting write-up — it shows how strikes affect not only employees but also patients and the whole health system in Sri Lanka.
ReplyDeleteKalani, that's a crucial observation. The purpose of the post was to show how quickly an internal HR challenge can escalate to affect service delivery, patients, and the entire national system. When staff trust and safety erode, the ripple effect on the public service is immediate and severe. Thank you for pointing that out.
DeleteAs someone working in hospitality, this article struck a deep chord. The tragedy in Sri Lanka’s health sector reminds us that safety is not just a compliance issue—it is the foundation of trust. In hotels, we often talk about guest safety, but the truth is that employee safety is just as critical. When staff feel vulnerable or unheard, it erodes morale, service quality, and ultimately the reputation of the entire organization. What happened in the hospitals shows how quickly a lack of proactive HR measures can escalate into a national crisis. In our industry too, HR must move beyond paperwork and become a guardian of dignity—creating safe spaces, anonymous reporting channels, and genuine counselling support. Whether in a hospital ward or a hotel lobby, people cannot deliver care or hospitality if they themselves feel unsafe. This is a wake‑up call: safety, equality, and wellbeing must be woven into HR strategy, not treated as afterthoughts. Only then can we build workplaces where trust thrives and service excellence follows naturally
ReplyDeleteRukshan, this is a profoundly insightful contribution from the hospitality sector. Your distinction that safety is the foundation of trust, not merely a compliance point, applies universally. The way you link staff vulnerability to the erosion of service quality and organizational reputation is spot-on. Moving beyond mere "paperwork" to becoming a guardian of dignity—creating safe spaces and genuine counselling—is precisely the proactive cultural shift HR must champion. Thank you for enriching the discussion with this essential perspective.
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