Bangladeshi work culture varies in leadership style, organizational hierarchy, communication styles, and treatment of freshers. Corporate offices enforce formality, dress codes, punctuality, and structured meetings, while SMEs follow traditional systems.
Overwork culture can drive employees to work more hours, and companies may create competitive incentives to inspire workers. Work-life balance is crucial for Bangladeshi businesses.The Bangladesh Labor Act 2006 allows overtime, but overwork can cause burnout.
Employee leave policies are governed by the Labor Act and company regulations, with public holidays and religious celebrations often paid time off. Job security in Bangladesh is less stable than in government offices. And women face workplace safety challenges. Salaries vary across industries, skill levels, and regions. But steady increases have been seen in skilled sectors.
What Is The General Work Culture Like In Bangladesh?
The Bangladeshi work culture in different organizations varies in leadership style and organizational hierarchy. The communication styles also differ across corporate and traditional work cultures. In addition to these, how managers treat freshers also varies.
Workplace Hierarchy & Leadership Style
Some organizations have very strict traditional organizational hierarchies. Here, senior authorities make all the decisions and communication flows top-down, centralized.
Modern companies, especially in the IT and software industries, have a more relaxed hierarchy. Communication flows both ways and line managers make ground-level decisions.
Corporate vs. Traditional Work Culture
Large corporations and multinational corporations have formalized and systematic cultures. Employees must maintain numerous processes to work in these cultures. For instance, when looking for approval for leave, employees must first get the signature of their immediate supervisor. And then, the application is sent to the HoD and/or HR.
MNCs try to incorporate global practices. They offer a decentralized leadership approach and encourage innovation. However, some large conglomerates tend to follow strict organizational hierarchy and traditional cultures.
SME’s, in contrast, follow traditional systems of top-down reporting and communication. Usually, all decisions are approved by the owner of the company. People working in SMEs are often close relatives, friends, or acquaintances of the owner.
Government jobs have traditional, top-down communication and hierarchy. Senior management makes the decisions. And those are communicated to the subordinates for execution. The culture in private sectors can be relaxed or hectic, depending on the firm. Private companies try to follow global practices, work using digitized processes, and follow decentralized approaches to making decisions. Decisions are made from the top, but opinions across the hierarchy are welcomed and considered through team and company meetings.
Communication Styles in Bangladeshi Workplaces
Corporations, banks, large conglomerates, and government offices expect employees to communicate, maintaining formality. Agencies, startups, and SMEs usually have a more informal style of communication.
Also, corporate offices usually enforce dress codes, punctuality, and structured meetings. Even when you are writing an email to any colleague, you are expected to use a formal tone of writing. Whereas traditional businesses might have a more relaxed approach to time and protocol.
Work Culture for Freshers in Bangladesh
For new graduates, it can be hard to get their first job. Many companies are afraid that the new hires will quit soon after getting some experience. Fresh graduates generally switch jobs between five to six months. They usually migrate to larger companies once training or internship is over. This inhibits smaller businesses from funding entry-level training.
Fresh graduates can find it difficult to adjust to the company culture once hired. Some business teams might have an “overwork culture,” which drives individuals to prove themselves. Though the statutory workday is 8 hours, young employees sometimes feel driven to put in 10 to 12-hour days. Companies might create competitive incentives like “Performer of the Month,” for example. Which inspires freshers to work even through lunch breaks to surpass colleagues. Also, companies provide career development programs to freshers.
Freshers also battle with skill gaps and a lack of mentoring. Since academic courses sometimes do not entirely match industrial needs, companies want to equip recent graduates with practical knowledge. Sometimes companies provide career development programs to freshers for skill-building and motivate them to stay engaged. Cultural differences might also make new hires uncomfortable when speaking out. This can prevent them from asking questions or clarifying assignments with superiors.
How Do Companies In Bangladesh Support Work-Life Balance And Employee Well-Being?
Businesses in Bangladesh understand how employee welfare affects output. They are realizing the need for work-life balance. Employers are focusing on proper working hours by abiding by the Bangladesh Labor Act 2006. Which allows overtime up to 10 hours per day or 60 per week. The usual work schedule is 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week. Many private sector and corporate offices have a six-day workweek. Therefore, extended hours are normal. The epidemic highlighted the need for rest and personal life. Thus, some innovative companies have discouraged excessive overtime.
In Bangladesh, employee leave policies are governed by the Labor Act and company regulations. Full-time workers can take various types of leave, including annual, casual, and sick leave. Most organizations allow up to 14 days of sick leave, as per law. Public holidays, such as national days and religious celebrations, are often paid time off for workers.
Maternity leave is required for women, with 6 months of paid leave. Paternity leave is recommended for new dads. Some private companies offer about five days of paid leave for this. Many workplaces also offer earned leave encashment, leave donation, or sabbaticals for permanent employees.
Many employers now offer workplace well-being programs for employees. This helps them stay more motivated and engaged. Another focus is on employee rights. Employers try to ensure employee rights, as per BLA, to avoid possible conflicts and cases.
Is It Safe to Work in Bangladesh?
It is safe to work in Bangladesh. Following the tragic Rana Plaza factory collapse in 2012, the Government amended the BLA 2006 in 2013 to ensure better safety across all industries. Employers are required to adhere to safety codes regarding fire exits, electrical wiring, building structure, and provision of protective equipment for workers.
How Stable Is Job Security In Bangladesh Across Different Industries?
In the private sector, job security is less than in government offices. The position of government employees is pretty much secure until retirement. But in private or corporate jobs, releases happen quite often.
Especially if you are working in sales or marketing. Here, meeting KPIs is a must to hold on to your job. Failing to meet KPIs can lead to losing your position. Plus, in the startups or SME industries, mass layoffs occur if investment or funding is insufficient. The same can be said about companies not making a profit.
There is also a rising trend in contractual jobs. These jobs do not demand the benefits of full-time, permanent employment. For instance, employers are not bound to offer provident funds or bonuses for contractual workers. However, the contract must outline favorable terms and conditions for the contracted employees. This is regardless of the tenure of the position.
Also, some agencies or employers prefer remote or freelance workers. With remote employees, you don’t face costs for their workplace setup. With freelance workers, you need to pay only on a per-piece rate or per-project basis. And you do not have to lay out strict terms or conditions of employment.
What Challenges Do Women Face In Workplace Safety In Bangladesh?
The Daily Observer reports that the garment industry in Bangladesh alone employs nearly 4 million people, with 80% of these workers being women. However, the safety of female employees is still a pressing issue among many employers.
Over the years, improvements have been noticed in legal provisions for women. For instance, they are getting guaranteed maternity leave and restrictions on assigning night shifts.
Some big companies also provide safe transport for women working late. However, sexual harassment and gender discrimination remain widespread challenges.
Some organizations now incorporate policies against any form of harassment and discrimination. However, the implementation is often weak due to the BLA not having a concrete clause on sexual harassment or gender discrimination.
How is conflict resolution and feedback culture in Bangladesh's workplaces?
Bangladesh’s workplace culture has leaned towards a hierarchical approach to conflict resolution. Employees expect top management, their managers, or HR personnel to step in and mediate disputes.Family-owned or smaller businesses usually witness owners or top-level executives personally arbitrate conflicts, reflecting a paternalistic style.
Corporations, though, ask HR teams to follow an internal grievance procedure. This includes filing complaints, investigating disputes, holding mediation meetings, and providing resolutions through a structured approach.
Bangladeshis put extra value in respecting the elders. Thus, directly criticizing a senior officer is considered disrespectful. Companies with a formal system utilize performance appraisal and performance review sessions. This is to tell employees where improvements are needed.
MNCs and large corporations adopt global practices of constructive criticism. But many local companies still lag in this regard. This leads to demotivation among many employees.
What are the different types of employment in Bangladesh?
Chapter 2, Clause 4 of BLA 2006 lays out the classification of different types of workers and their probation periods, as per employment.
- Permanent Employee: A permanent employee is someone who has completed at least 3-6 months of probation and now can avail of different benefits of the company with a full-time salary.
- Contractual or temporary employees: These types of employees receive monthly salaries for a limited tenure of work (1-2 years of contract). But they do not receive statutory benefits. However, some employers may provide benefits to them.
- Hourly or daily-rated workers: Here, the workers get paid on an hourly or daily basis for their work only.
- Part-time or seasonal workers: These employees do not work the stipulated 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week. They get paid monthly but do not receive any benefits.
- Interns or apprentices: Internships or apprenticeships include freshers who work to learn for a limited period of time. They may receive allowances for their work but not any salary.
What are the major industries in Bangladesh?
The major industries in Bangladesh include:
- Garments
- Pharmaceuticals
- Agriculture
- Banking
- IT & Software
- FMCG
- Food services
- Healthcare
- Education
- NGOs
What Are The Average Salaries Across Different Industries In Bangladesh?
Salaries in Bangladesh vary across industries, skill levels, and regions. The cost of living and wages/salaries are lower here than in Western countries. However, there have been steady increases in recent years, especially in skilled sectors.
For the major industries, the average salary structures are:
- Pharmaceutical & FMCG: BDT 20,000 to BDT 2 or 3 lacs per month.
- RMG Industry: The minimum wage currently, as per law, is BDT 12,500/- for a garment worker.
- Agriculture: BDT 15,000 to around BDT 1 lac monthly.
- Banking: BDT 35,000/month for officers to BDT 5 lacs/month for top executives.
- IT & Software: BDT 30,000 per month to BDT 1.5 lacs per month.
- Healthcare & Education: BDT 15,000 from junior positions to BDT 2 lacs per month to higher positions.
- NGOs: BDT 40,000 per month to BDT 7 lacs per month.
How Is Digital Transformation Shaping Workplaces In Bangladesh?
The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 forced many Bangladeshi organizations to experiment with remote work for the first time. Before that, remote work was relatively rare except in the IT industry and freelancing communities.
Bangladeshi professionals now work for international companies from home. Dhaka-based companies hire talent from other cities who contribute remotely. Freelance work on platforms (Upwork, Fiverr, etc.) was already popular and got a further boost as more people got comfortable with the concept of working online.
Digital infrastructure, though improving, is still a limitation for enhancing the industries. Metro areas have decent internet connectivity, but most rural or suburban areas are less reliable. Power outages (load-shedding) can also disrupt remote workers who may not have sufficient backup power (UPS or generators) at home.
How are AI and automation impacting traditional jobs in Bangladesh?
Bangladesh is now in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, a time when AI and robotics are changing the way jobs are done. AI and robotics can make things more efficient and create new tech-related jobs. They can also be a replacement for some manual or routine jobs.
A PwC study says that AI and automation could put 20–30% of jobs in Bangladesh in danger over the next 20 years. The most at-risk jobs are those that require people to do the same things over and over again. This includes data entry, simple accounting, customer service, or assembly line manufacturing. But as some jobs are lost, new ones are being created in fields like AI engineering, robotics, smart manufacturing, and software development.
Automation is helping complete daily tasks more accurately and faster in industries like Banking, Healthcare, Garments, and other major industries. For example, as the Daily Star reports, AI technologies, such as image recognition systems, can inspect RMG products with precision, detecting flaws in stitching, color, or patterns. Even in the banking sector, AI-based credit scoring systems, like those developed by bKash and ShopUp analyze phone usage, transaction behavior, and social media activity.
When it comes to business processes, AI is expediting how marketing or accounting tasks are executed. Also, automating HR processes through HR software solutions can boost work processes in organizations. For instance, automating daily operational HR tasks and employee tracking helps HR personnel to focus on other more advanced and strategic works. Daily tasks may include attendance management, payroll calculations, employee task reporting, asset movement reporting, etc.
Final Words
Bangladesh’s work culture is a mix bag of corporate cultures and casual local organization practices. The BLA 2006 lays out the legal framework for running the private sector, while government offices operate as per government regulations. The work safety and employment conditions are set by BLA 2006 as well as the organizations’ internal policies.
Among the major industries, salary structures vary as per positions and company policies. Also, digital transformation is impacting the majority of job sectors in Bangladesh, both positively and negatively. With proper planning and focus on new roles, the challenges can be mitigated.
