The story of labor shortage – Polikarp Arsenovski
Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2025 5:06 am
I often call the current story of labor shortage in Macedonia “Waiting for Godot.” You can guess why. In the uncertain and indefinite wait for a solution, there are endless debates and coffee-table discussions about whether the solution is labor market liberalization and labor import from third countries. And almost every time without a conclusion and with the hope that things will get better . But what until then?
The challenges of the workforce
Let me not be too long in explaining things we all cayman islands number dataset know. In short, the key challenges are:
A. labor shortage in general
B. lack of skilled labor
Simply put, the time has come to pay the bill for 30 years of neglect in all aspects. From the attitude of employers towards people in general, the devastated education, health and justice systems, to party overwork and all the other problems that inevitably affect the expansion of the problem.
Will the liberalization of the labor market change the situation in Macedonia?
Our thoughts are that people are here despite the exodus of continuous emigration. Especially compared to other developed countries, and if you consider the number of employees in the private sector in relation to the number of employees in public administration.
In the private sector (and it seems in the public sector as well), there are growing expectations that liberalization and the import of labor from third countries has the potential to (at least partially) solve the challenge.
I strongly believe in liberalization and support it on every basis, we are still part of the developed world and that is our commitment. But let's be realistic and see what experience says. And that is that liberalization and the import of labor is a long-term project in which multiple stakeholders should be actively involved.
What should we do in the meantime with the people who are part of our organizations?
…Until Godot arrives, there are many things we can do ourselves. And yes, this applies to everyone, regardless of whether we operate in the private or public sector.
I suggest we start from the basics. Let's increase the productivity of operational processes. Let's invest systematically in the development of the behavioral and technical competencies of employees, without forgetting the basic conditions of work - salary and benefits. Let's care more about the motivation and engagement of our employees as much as we care about their performance.…
"The war for talent“War for talents” was first mentioned in 1997 by Steven Hankin from McKinsey. It was presented as a strategic business challenge that is critical for the development of companies in the future. It seems that we understood the message much later. However, I still want to believe that it is never too late. If we really want to find a solution and are ready to invest in it, things can change drastically.
As he wrote Sun Tzu in "The Art of War" – The war will be won by those who have highly motivated and most prepared soldiers. For those who have not leafed through this book for a long time, I will remind you of the direct advice I allude to, in the context of our problem.
While soldiers may be expected to work hard, they are also biological machines that can wear down with too much marching, fighting, and stress. Understand the dynamics of a healthy body and mind while keeping your soldiers in shape and be careful not to overwork them. This way, you can maintain energy for battle, wherever it may arise.
The challenges of the workforce
Let me not be too long in explaining things we all cayman islands number dataset know. In short, the key challenges are:
A. labor shortage in general
B. lack of skilled labor
Simply put, the time has come to pay the bill for 30 years of neglect in all aspects. From the attitude of employers towards people in general, the devastated education, health and justice systems, to party overwork and all the other problems that inevitably affect the expansion of the problem.
Will the liberalization of the labor market change the situation in Macedonia?
Our thoughts are that people are here despite the exodus of continuous emigration. Especially compared to other developed countries, and if you consider the number of employees in the private sector in relation to the number of employees in public administration.
In the private sector (and it seems in the public sector as well), there are growing expectations that liberalization and the import of labor from third countries has the potential to (at least partially) solve the challenge.
I strongly believe in liberalization and support it on every basis, we are still part of the developed world and that is our commitment. But let's be realistic and see what experience says. And that is that liberalization and the import of labor is a long-term project in which multiple stakeholders should be actively involved.
What should we do in the meantime with the people who are part of our organizations?
…Until Godot arrives, there are many things we can do ourselves. And yes, this applies to everyone, regardless of whether we operate in the private or public sector.
I suggest we start from the basics. Let's increase the productivity of operational processes. Let's invest systematically in the development of the behavioral and technical competencies of employees, without forgetting the basic conditions of work - salary and benefits. Let's care more about the motivation and engagement of our employees as much as we care about their performance.…
"The war for talent“War for talents” was first mentioned in 1997 by Steven Hankin from McKinsey. It was presented as a strategic business challenge that is critical for the development of companies in the future. It seems that we understood the message much later. However, I still want to believe that it is never too late. If we really want to find a solution and are ready to invest in it, things can change drastically.
As he wrote Sun Tzu in "The Art of War" – The war will be won by those who have highly motivated and most prepared soldiers. For those who have not leafed through this book for a long time, I will remind you of the direct advice I allude to, in the context of our problem.
While soldiers may be expected to work hard, they are also biological machines that can wear down with too much marching, fighting, and stress. Understand the dynamics of a healthy body and mind while keeping your soldiers in shape and be careful not to overwork them. This way, you can maintain energy for battle, wherever it may arise.