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Rio Grande do Sul is facing a serious labor shortage, which is affecting industries and commerce. Sectors such as construction and footwear production suffer from high turnover and difficulty in attracting qualified professionals.
In a scenario that has left businesspeople from various sectors on alert, the lack of qualified labor is beginning to have a critical impact on the economy of Southern Brazil.
The difficulty of finding professionals for essential positions in the industry, construction and trade not only affects production, but also increases operating costs and imposes a slower pace on companies.
Although the problem was already visible in recent years, it has worsened, according to recent data.
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According to the Federation of Industries of the State of Rio Grande do Sul (Fiergs), the third quarter of 2024 brought worrying data: around 27% of industrial entrepreneurs in the state stated that the lack or high cost of qualified workers is one of the main difficulties for the continuity of operations.
This is the highest rate recorded since 2014, reflecting the worsening of the situation and placing the state on alert.
Strategic sectors face crisis
According to Zero Hour newspaper, civil construction is one of the areas most affected by the lack of professionals.
With high turnover and high employability levels, companies have difficulty retaining qualified workers in technical areas, such as finishing and electrical installation, which are essential for the progress of construction projects.
According to the president of the Civil Construction Industry Union of Rio Grande do Sul (Sinduscon-RS), Claudio Teitelbaum, the situation is so tense that many workers end up being fought over between companies in the same industry, leading to an increase in salaries and further encouraging the movement to change jobs in search of better conditions.
Within construction companies, the roles of bricklayers, carpenters and coating specialists have been the most affected, with a significant increase in costs.
Cyrela Goldsztein's engineering director, Gustavo Navarro, highlighted that the salary of a masonry worker, for example, has risen 30% in the last two years, highlighting the weight of this lack for the sector.
Companies like MRV also face similar obstacles, especially in specialized activities, such as painting and plumbing, which are essential for completing projects.
A Chief Economist at Fecomércio-RS, Patrícia Palermo, also points out that commerce also faces challenges with the lack of candidates for temporary positions, especially during times of greater retail activity.
According to Palermo, many workers are not willing to take on temporary commitments or flexible hours, which restricts the possibilities for retail and creates a disconnect between the supply of vacancies and the demand for professionals.
The reasons for the lack of workers
According to experts, the high turnover and the constant search for better salary conditions are factors that contribute to this lack of labor.
Skilled workers, especially younger ones, do not demonstrate the same loyalty to companies that was seen in previous generations.
Today, many prefer to change jobs, areas or even regions in search of new opportunities and challenges, a behavior that business owners and managers say is encouraged by salary competitiveness.
According to economist Maria Carolina Gullo, professor at the University of Caxias do Sul (UCS), the heated job market generates a cycle of turnover that makes “human capital” more expensive in the state.
“These new generations are not afraid to change careers, and they are looking for competitive pay or even personal satisfaction,” explains Gullo, highlighting that the difficulty in retaining young people is one of the sector’s biggest obstacles.
This phenomenon leads many companies to spend even more on salaries and benefits to attract and retain qualified professionals.
Furthermore, the demographic transformations of Rio Grande do Sul also play a crucial role in this process.
According to the president of Fiergs, Claudio Bier, the state's population is aging faster than the national average, which reduces the number of young people available on the market.
According to him, the lack of effective programs to attract young people from other states and the prevalence of social assistance, which discourages formal work, are additional obstacles for the region's productive sector.
Small businesses and the impact of labor shortages
Another relevant factor is that the shortage mainly affects small companies.
Fiergs points out that 36,1% of small businesses face difficulties due to the lack of qualified labor, which leaves them at a disadvantage in the competition for professionals.
In contrast, medium and large companies have fewer retention problems, as they are able to offer better compensation and benefits packages, although they also feel the burden of increased costs to attract workers.
In the footwear sector, the situation is similar. Footwear manufacturing companies report difficulty in filling technical vacancies, especially for sewing positions.
According to the CEO of the Brazilian Footwear Industry Association (Abicalçados), Haroldo Ferreira, the lack of qualified professionals could compromise the production of items intended for next year, putting at risk the sector's ability to meet future demands.
The future of the labor market in the South
To face these challenges, the state government, together with Fiergs and other entities, has discussed the creation of economic development strategies.
Among the proposals are investments in professional training programs and incentives to attract young people to industry and construction, in addition to policies to encourage local workers to remain in the formal market.
The objective is to combat turnover and facilitate entrepreneurs' access to a stable and qualified workforce.
Given this scenario, the question remains: Will Rio Grande do Sul be able to reverse the lack of qualified labor and ensure the competitiveness of strategic sectors?
Well, until the other day, slave labor was recorded in RS, in the wine industry. This was headline news in newspapers across the country.
Hence the question: When will the Rio Grande do Sul business community finally learn that workers need to feed their families, pay rent and school fees for their children, transportation, health care, culture and entertainment?!!? And that to do this they need to have a decent salary. As long as they continue to pay starvation wages in order to pay high dividends to the shareholders of their shares on the stock exchange, they will not have qualified employees.
Good morning, the lack of labor that you are experiencing is because the salary paid is not enough to buy even ****, food prices are sky high due to inflation.
In the south and the rest of Brazil. Young people are not focused on their profession and the workforce is being eliminated with the advent of computing. Other paths.