Who could have imagined that Brazil, a country historically marked by high unemployment rates, would face a reality where the lack of qualified workers would become one of the biggest challenges for the market?
The scenario that emerged in the last Employment Mutirão, held in the heart of São Paulo, surprised even the most experienced market analysts. What was supposed to be an event to help fill thousands of job vacancies ended up revealing a problem that, until recently, seemed unimaginable: the “full employment effort”, where there are plenty of vacancies, but there is a shortage of candidates.
According to journalist Márcia de Chiara, from Estadão, The National Employment Task Force, held in Vale do Anhangabaú last week, was a clear demonstration that the Brazilian job market is undergoing a significant transformation.
Traditionally, the event attracted crowds of unemployed people, but this year the reality was very different. The fences, which used to organize kilometer-long queues, were left abandoned, and the empty sidewalks illustrated the drastic change in the employment scenario in the country.
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The main evidence of this change was the number of candidates who attended the event. According to data provided by the General Union of Workers (UGT) and the Trade Union of São Paulo, only 3,58 thousand people participated in this year's collective effort, less than half of the 7,4 thousand registered in the first edition of 2018.
On the other hand, the number of vacancies offered broke a record, with 25.046 positions open, of which only 200 were filled, representing less than 1% of the total.
What's behind this discrepancy? The answer seems to lie in the combination of historically low unemployment and the shortage of qualified labor, which already affects almost half of the professions that employ the most in Brazil.
According to the National Household Sample Survey (Pnad), carried out by Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), unemployment fell to 6,9% in the quarter ended in June, the lowest rate in ten years.
This data, which at first glance may seem positive, hides a structural problem: the increasing difficulty for companies in finding qualified professionals to fill available vacancies.
Professions most affected by the lack of qualified workers
The shortage of qualified labor already affects 40% of the professions that employ the most in Brazil, according to a study carried out by the National Confederation of Goods, Services and Tourism (CNC), at the request of Estadão.
The survey, conducted by economist Fabio Bentes, identified that, in June 2024, 92 of the 231 professions analyzed showed clear signs of scarcity. This group of professions is responsible for 80% of formal employment in the country, which amplifies the impact of the lack of qualified workers.
The most affected sectors include services and construction, where the increase in salaries above the nominal market average (5,8% between June 2023 and June 2024) was not enough to attract candidates in sufficient numbers.
According to Bentes, We are at the highest point of signs of shortages in the labor market, comparable only to the post-pandemic period in 2021, when the replacement of workers was necessary to resume economic activity.
Sectors on alert: the impact of labor shortages
Other studies corroborate these findings. According to a survey by Banco Daycoval's Economic Research Department, until June this year, six of the ten sectors of the economy analyzed had been facing high demand for workers for more than six months.
This includes industries, commerce, transport, technology, finance and public administration, sectors where both wages and the number of employed people have grown above the historical average. The situation is even more critical in segments such as food and accommodation, where salaries are increasing, but the number of hires is not following this trend.
According to Rafael Cardoso, chief economist at Daycoval, This scenario reveals a severe shortage of workers, especially in sectors that saw an accelerated recovery after the pandemic.
The survey carried out by the Bank shows that 36,6% of accommodation, restaurant and food companies in July 2024 indicated the lack of qualified labor as a significant obstacle to the growth of activities.
Companies looking for workers: a challenging job market
This reality has forced companies to reevaluate their hiring strategies. As pointed out by Fabiana Amorim, training analyst at a large retail chain, the difficulty of finding qualified candidates has become a daily challenge.
In the last joint effort, the company offered 300 vacancies, but managed to fill only 15 by the Wednesday of the event, after interviewing 18 candidates. “I expected to arrive on Wednesday with 100 hires,” Amorim told the newspaper cited, highlighting the frustration in finding suitable professionals.
The scenario also brought changes in the profile of candidates who are still looking for a job. During the joint effort, the Estadão report claims to have found people with diverse profiles, such as retirees, young people looking for a second job and even those who recently left their positions, believing in better opportunities.
Cases such as that of Emily de Melo, aged 20, who left a job as a home office marketing operator due to unfavorable working hours, illustrate this change. “I resigned to look for a better position, help around the house, but with more flexible hours”, explained Emily.
Finally, just as the CPG has been publishing, The shortage of qualified labor in civil construction proved to be the main problem for companies in this sector. According to a survey by Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV), more than a quarter of companies in the sector (26,7%) identified the lack of workers as an obstacle, the highest level recorded for the months of July since 2014.
In your view, what are the main factors behind this lack of qualified labor? Leave your answer in the comments and join the discussion.