The lack of labor is hindering the productivity of small and medium-sized Spanish companies, especially in depopulated areas and in companies with more than 50 workers. This was reported this Monday by the Cepyme employers’ association in the presentation of the study ‘The challenge of vacancies in Spain’ with which they seek to provide data to the debate that has confronted the Ministry of Labor and social agents in recent months. The representation of the employers points out that the lack of generational change in manual sectors has led to reducing the opening hours of some services, having machines stopped and competing with high salaries to avoid the flight of candidates to larger companies.
“Spain cannot allow companies that can grow not to do so because they cannot find workers to do so,” Cuerva reproached at the beginning of the day. Currently, 7 out of every 10 SMEs that are looking for workers claim to have problems finding candidates, according to the barometer prepared by Cepyme. Not a minor fact, since 44% of the total companies consulted say they want to expand their workforce, while small companies – 0 to 50 workers – represent 99% of the business fabric in Spain.
Part of this problem in finding suitable profiles is explained by the methods used by these companies in this search for new employees, given that more than half (55%) go to personal contacts and less than 30% use internet portals. . and social networks. In this sense, it is striking that less than 10% use the State Public Employment Service (SEPE) or its regional equivalents. Cepyme identifies that the lack of response from this public support is one of the main factors that have led to this situation.
However, the group of experts who participated in the conference have placed emphasis on demographic change, which seems to be what explains most of this problem. The director of the study, Diego Barceló, has highlighted the loss of 38,000 young people per year during the last two decades recorded by the National Institute of Statistics, which adds up to a cut of more than 700,000 people of working age. A phenomenon that translates into the practical impossibility of generational change for several sectors, the expert points out, especially in manuals that in general terms are less attractive for these profiles.
“One of the most important issues for vacancies is mobility,” explained the Secretary of Strategic Transitions and Territorial Development of CCOO, Vicente Sánchez, which are given by expectations of professional development or by other economic reasons, such as uncertainty. about the future of that activity. “There is a problem between supply and demand in the labor market in some very specific professions and sectors. There is a youth who acts very differently when faced with an indeterminate breeding ground (housing, children, place of residence) and they are guided by their tastes” , the workers’ representative agreed.
