Anti-Zoning Recruitment Strategy: Expanding Employment Access for Coastal and Inland Workers in Rembang’s Shoe Manufacturing Industry

Abstract

This study examines the employee recruitment strategy implemented by shoe manufacturing companies in Rembang Regency, Indonesia, through an anti-zoning approach designed to broaden employment opportunities for communities in both coastal and inland areas. In this study, anti-zoning refers to an inclusive recruitment strategy that removes residential proximity as a criterion for employee selection, thereby ensuring more equitable access to employment across geographically dispersed communities. The study is motivated by the increasing labor demand in the labor-intensive footwear industry and the unequal distribution of prospective workers, many of whom reside in rural areas with limited access to employment information, transportation, and formal recruitment networks. A descriptive qualitative research design was employed, using observation, semi-structured interviews, and documentation as the primary data collection methods. The participants included factory managers, human resource personnel, employees, job seekers, village government officials, and community members from coastal and inland villages. The findings reveal that the anti-zoning strategy is operationalized through diversified job information channels, collaboration with village governments, utilization of community-based social networks, improved transportation accessibility, and recruitment procedures that emphasize applicants' potential, motivation, and work readiness rather than geographical location. These practices have expanded employment opportunities, reduced disparities in access to labor market information, and strengthened the participation of rural communities in the industrial workforce. The study concludes that anti-zoning recruitment represents not only an effective strategy for addressing industrial labor shortages but also a mechanism for promoting inclusive regional development and local economic empowerment. The findings contribute to the human resource management literature by introducing a spatially inclusive perspective on recruitment practices within labor-intensive industries in non-metropolitan regions.

Keywords: anti-zoning, employee recruitment, shoe factory, labor, coastal areas, inland areas, Rembang Regency.