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With Unemployment At Historically Low Levels, Brazilian Companies Face An Inverse Crisis: Shortage Of Skilled Labor. Sectors Like Construction And Technology Are The Most Affected, Challenging Economic Growth.
Brazil is experiencing a curious and concerning moment in its labor market.
While unemployment reaches historic lows, many companies are facing an inverse problem: the difficulty of finding and retaining qualified labor.
According to the newspaper O Globo, a groundbreaking survey by the Brazilian Institute of Economics at the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV IBRE) reveals that six out of ten companies are struggling against the shortage of skilled workers, questioning the growth capacity of various economic sectors.
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Most Affected Sectors And Impacts
The survey, conducted in October 2024, interviewed 3,707 companies from the industry, commerce, services, and construction sectors.
The survey showed that 58.7% of companies face difficulties in hiring or retaining professionals, and this percentage rises to an impressive 60.4% in the construction sector.
According to economist Rodolpho Tobler, coordinator of business surveys at FGV IBRE, the shortage of labor directly impacts companies’ costs.
He explains that often, when companies finally find available professionals, they need to offer higher salaries, which can lead to consumer price increases and, consequently, inflationary pressures.
In the construction sector, eight out of ten companies report challenges in hiring new employees.
This scenario has been exacerbated by the recent economic recovery, stimulated by programs like Minha Casa Minha Vida, which increased demand for professionals without a proportional growth in supply.
Main Bottlenecks
Among the difficulties faced, the search for skilled labor leads (64.9%).
This is the case for engineers, specialized technicians, and information technology professionals, whose skills are essential for sectors like construction and industry.
The survey also revealed that 18.5% of companies seek unskilled professionals, a more frequent challenge in the services and industry sectors.
Additionally, 9.4% of companies mention challenges in paying higher salaries, particularly in the technology sector, where competition for talent and the possibility of remote work increase salary expectations.
Tobler highlights that, in the technology field, the pressure for higher salaries directly impacts the prices charged to the final consumer, contributing to service inflation, one of the most challenging issues for the Central Bank to control.
Solutions Adopted By Companies Due To The Lack Of Labor
The survey also indicated that companies are seeking alternative ways to deal with the problem.
Investing in internal training (44%) and offering additional benefits (32%) are the most adopted strategies.
In the industrial sector, more than half (56.2%) of companies are betting on the qualification of their professionals as a solution to fill the gaps in the market.
These actions, although positive, are still not sufficient to solve the problem in its entirety.
On the other hand, 21.5% of companies have increased employee working hours, while 17% reported delivery delays.
In the construction sector, this situation is even more severe, with 21.1% of companies reporting delays and 18% operating below capacity or rejecting new contracts.
Productivity And Competitiveness At Risk
According to O Globo, Tobler warns that the low qualification of the workforce undermines the country’s productivity.
He states that Brazil’s economic growth could be significantly higher if the supply of qualified workers met demand.
Although the education level of the population has increased in recent years, often, the qualification does not correspond to market demands.
This reinforces structural problems that compromise productivity gains and limit the potential for economic growth.
Reflections On The Consumer And The Economy
The impact of this labor shortage goes beyond companies.
The increase in operational costs and the need to offer higher salaries create a ripple effect that directly hits consumers’ pockets.
Products and services become more expensive, intensifying inflation in strategic sectors.
In the specific case of the construction sector, which relies on large volumes of workers, the lack of labor can delay important projects and compromise public and private investments, amplifying the negative economic impact.
What To Expect From The Future Of Labor?
The survey concludes that, although 47.7% of companies are not yet facing direct difficulties in their deliveries, the situation serves as a warning sign.
The number of companies affected by the labor shortage is growing, and the consequences may be even more significant in the coming months.
This reality highlights the need for public and private policies that prioritize professional training and align the skills of the workforce with market demands.
Will Brazil be able to overcome this bottleneck and increase its productivity before the impact becomes irreversible? Share your opinion in the comments!
Tem várias questões envolvidas, além da questão da qualificação profissional, mas um ponto importante é que os salários no Brasil são muito baixos. Um exemplo é ver um montador aeronáutico especializado no Brasil ganhar por hora até 6 vezes menos do que um mesmo profissional nos Estados Unidos ou na França, apesar de ter o mesmo nível de experiência ou até mais e ter as mesmas qualificações.
No Brasil faltam mais profissionais de nível técnico do que profissionais de nível superior. Porém, não há muito estímulo na formação de mão de obra técnica e sequer há um piso salárial para técnicos no Brasil. E os salários estão cada vez mais achatados. Verdade que as empresas querem bons profissionais, mas não querem pagar adequadamente para isso.
Muitas dessas dificuldades poderiam ser contornadas se houvesse mais foco na qualificação interna dos empregados. O problema é que a maioria dos gestores brasileiros enxerga treinamento interno como gasto, ao invés de investimento. Dedicamos ridículas 30 horas/ano de média de treinamento interno no Brasil. Nos EUA, por exemplo, essa média é 150 horas/ano. Assim fica difícil
As faculdades estão cheios de alunos com capacidade eas escolas profimalizantes da empresa escolhe demais a desculpa e vc não tem experiência no cargo pó contrata e ensina este e um aviso para os donos das empresas mudar a mentalidade gente tem e só dá oportunidade noro aqui em bruxellas vejo o tanto que o Brasil tem potencial os belgas batem palmas prá nós
Querem profissionais de alto nível e pagam mixaria.
Uma seleção na vale, pois, olha os requisitos para concorrer as vagas, e depois vê quanto eles oferecem como salário…ai é melhor trabalhar como mei ou avulso….