Work scarcity: L&T CMD Subrahmanyan highlights the high drop -out rate between works due to well -being schemes

The strong decrease in labor migration throughout the country has become a great concern for industries, says Sn Subrahmanyan, president and managing director of Larsen & Toubro. Speaking at the Mystic South Global Linkages Summit 2025 of CII in Chennai on Tuesday, Subrahmanyan warned that the reluctance of workers to relocate with jobs raises a significant challenge for companies and the growth of the nation.

“As an organization, we use about 2,50,000 employees and 4.00,000 workers at any given time. While the wear between the staff bothers me, I am more concerned with the availability of workers today, ”said Subrahmanyan.

He developed the L&T approach for labor mobilization, which includes a dedicated human resources team closely involved in recruitment and deployment. Despite these efforts, the challenges remain. “The work is not willing to move by opportunities … perhaps its local economy is fine, it may be due to the various governmental and DBT schemes available for them, but they are not willing to move,” he explained.

The problem is not limited to blue neck workers. Subrahmanyan pointed out a similar reluctance among white collar professionals, including engineers. Reflecting on his own career, he commented: “When I joined L&T as a graduate engineer, my boss said that if you are from Chennai, you go to Delhi and work. But today, if I ask a person from Chennai who works in Delhi, says goodbye. Today is a different world of work, and we have to see how to make human resources policies flexible. “

He described this trend as an obstacle not only for L&T but also for the construction efforts of the nation of industry in general.

L&T is addressing this issue through skill training institutes and technology adoption. Subrahmanyan highlighted the use of artificial intelligence, with about 100 algorithms developed in its infrastructure business to optimize operations.

The company is also exploring futuristic solutions to labor challenges. “3D printed buildings are still expensive when they are seen at a rhythm per square foot, but if the labor work becomes difficult, perhaps at some point in the future, we have to live with this,” he said, which indicates A change towards innovation as a potential response to the workforce crunch.