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Social Security for Workers: The Foundation  for Enterprise Development

Workers are the direct source of value creation and determining an enterprise’s productivity and competitiveness. Therefore, ensuring entitlements under social insurance (SI), health insurance (HI), and unemployment insurance (UI) is not merely a matter of fulfilling financial obligations, but also an investment in human resources and the enterprise’s own future development

Through social security policies, workers have a safety net  agaisnst risks related to health, employment, and income; their entitlements are protected in cases of sickness, maternity, unemployment,  workplace accidents, occupational diseases, and upon reaching the statutory retirement age, in accordance with regulations. When these entitlements are fully provided, workers gain greater confidence and peace of mind in remaining with their employers, contributing to the development of harmonious, stable, and progressive labour relations.

This significance became even more evident when the Prime Minister issues  Decision No. 1157/QD-TTg dated 26 June 2026 on the Framework of Ethical and Business Culture standards Associated with National Identity and Drawing on the Finest Elements of Global Business Culture. The framework identifies 6 core values: Humanity, Integrity, Transparency, Responsibility, Creativity, and Integration. It emphasizes respect for people, the protection of workers’  legitimate rights and interests, compliance with the law, and the promotion of social responsibility.

From that perspective, the proper implementation of SI, HI & UI policies is a concrete expression of responsible business culture. Commitments to sustainable development can only have real meaning when translated into practical actions, beginning with the protection of the rights and interests of those who directly create value for enterprises.

However, along with many enterprises that strictly comply with the law, there are still cases of late payment, evasion of contributions, and outstanding SI, HI & UI  contributions; inaccurate declarations of salaries used as the basis for contributions; or employment contracts that do not comply with regulations. These practices not only directly affect workers’ rights and interests but also pose potential risks of disputes, undermining trust and damaging enterprises’ reputations. As partners and markets increasingly focus on labour standards and social responsibility, compliance with social security policies also helps strengthen competitiveness and enhance enterprises’ standing in the process of international integration.

VSS  provides support through practical solutions

For social security policies  to be effective, the role of social security agencies in implementation, guidance, and support is as crucial as the responsibilities held by enterprises. ,  Supporting enterprises means more than requiring them to fulfil their obligations; it also means creating favourable conditions for them to understand policies correctly, comply with regulations, promptly resolve difficulties, and safeguard workers’ rights and interests.

Firstly, VSS continues to take a proactive role in developing and improving policies and legislation on SI, HI & UI; providing timely professional guidance; and ensuring consistent implementation throughout the system.  Currently, VSS is actively engaged in drafting amendments of the Law on SI, while also contributing to the refinement of HI policies and mechanisms.   They are also contributing to the improvement of HI mechanisms and policies and issuing professional guidance documents to ensure that participants’ entitlements are addressed fully and promptly.

Proactively participation in policy improvement brings practical benefits to both workers and enterprises. Issues arising in practice are compiled and assessed to support recommendations for appropriate adjustments. Regulations must be clearly and consistently explained, making implementation easier for enterprises, reducing errors, and enhancing compliance.

In addition, administrative procedure reform and digital transformation remain important priorities for improving service quality. The expansion of online public services, data connectivity and utilisation, and support for the use of digital platforms such as VssID and VNeID help reduce paperwork, processing time, and procedural costs.

Digital transformation is not merely a change in service delivery methods; it also aims to establish a transparent and convenient policy implementation environment while eliminating unnecessary intermediary steps. To achieve tangible results, social security offices need to continue combining online support with in-person consultation, strengthening dialogue and addressing enterprises’ outstanding concerns, particularly those of small and medium-sized enterprises with limited  administrative resources.

In particular, support must go hand in hand with stronger discipline and the protection of workers’ lawful rights and interests. In September 2026, VSS issued Official Letter No. 3654/BHXH-QLT dated 17 September 2026 on implementing an intensive campaign to review and standardise data on late payment and evasion of SI, HI & UI contributions. The document assigns responsibilities for classifying and addressing each group of employers with cases of late payment or contribution evasion.

This approach demonstrates the need to combine support with oversight: providing timely guidance to help enterprises rectify errors and resolve difficulties within the legal framework, while resolutely addressing deliberate violations. The objective is not only to meet collection targets and reduce outstanding contributions, but, more importantly, to ensure that workers’ participation in and receipt of benefits under these policies are not interrupted or adversely affected.

Working together to build a culture of social security in enterprises

For SI, HI & UI policies to truly become a foundation for sustainable development, close coordination is required among social security offices, enterprises, workers, trade unions, business associations, and other relevant authorities.

On the part of social security office, communication, consultation, and dialogue activities should continue to be renewed to make them practical, easy to understand, and responsive to the needs of different groups of enterprises. Communication should go beyond simply disseminating regulations and help enterprises clearly understand their responsibilities, entitlements, deadlines, and implementation procedures. At the same time, the receipt of feedback should be strengthened to ensure that emerging difficulties are addressed promptly. Cooperation with organisations representing enterprises and workers is also an important measure for bringing policies closer to the realities of production and business operations.

For businesses, it is essential to shift their perspective: rather than viewing the payment of Si, HI, UI merely as a mandatory obligation, they should proactively regard it as an integral part of their human resources management strategy and corporate social responsibility. Fulfilling all obligations  accurately  and on time; ensuring the accuracy of information on workers and salaries used as the basis for contributions; maintaining openness and transparency in policy implementation; and coordinating promptly in the settlement of workers’ benefits are practical measures for building trust.

Enterprises also need to link the implementation of social security policies with the development of a safe, respectful, and fair work environment; care for workers’ material and spiritual well-being; and the creation of opportunities for workers to enhance their professional capabilities. These measures not only translate the values of humanity and responsibility in business culture into practice, but also help retain talent, improve productivity, and strengthen long-term competitiveness.

Regulatory authorities, trade unions, professional associations, and local authorities should continue to fulfill their roles in coordination, support, and supervision; encourage and recognise enterprises that implement policies effectively; and strengthen the identification and handling of violations. These efforts will help foster a business environment in which respect for the law and protection of workers’ rights and interests become the standard, practiced consistently and substantively. 

Sustainable social security cannot be built through the efforts of a single agency or stakeholder alone. It requires joint action and shared responsibility among the State, social security organization, enterprises, and society as a whole. In this relationship, VSS continues to innovate its implementation approaches, improve service quality, and strengthen support and transparent oversight, while enterprises proactively comply with the law and place workers at the centre of their development strategies.

When policies are fully implemented, workers’ rights and interests are safeguarded, and social responsibility becomes an integral part of corporate culture, social security will serve not only as a safety net for individual workers but also as a foundation for harmonious labour relations, sustainable enterprise development, and inclusive economic growth./.