Labor shortage in Greece 'terrifying'

What is “frightening” is the workforce shortage in Greece, and the result is that even mature investments, aimed at increasing productivity or digital modernization, are unable to work, because companies cannot find the required employees.

The shortage varies according to the sector of economic activity, relates to all levels of specialization, and increases the farther the region is from the center. Especially in the Thessaloniki region, it is mainly related to the specialized workforce.

The above was indicated today by the President of the Confederation of Greek Industries (SBE), Loukia Sarantis, during a meeting with journalists, pointing out that in some areas of the Greek region, companies offer high wages and yet do not find workers.

In response to journalists' questions, the SBE President also mentioned to the need to continue reducing non-payroll costs for companies (“The state made some reduction in employer contributions, but it was very small.”) But also due to the high cost of energy, It is a perennial problem for Greek industries and their competitiveness, which has been amplified by the crisis in Ukraine.

He added that – according to the model – it is manufactured in Greece Electricity costs about 30%. More expensive than German. In fact, according to Ms. Saranti, farmers are right to complain about the high cost of energy. The businesswoman also made special reference to the effects of the climate crisis, as manifested among others in Evros and Thessaly, with devastating fires and floods. It was estimated that a large percentage of manufacturing companies in the food sector were affected, and many of them have now turned to importing raw materials such as milk and wheat, because local production is no longer sufficient after the disasters.

“Outdated” digital business card

Ms. Saranti also expressed her assessment that the digital labor card, although moving in the right direction as it prevents black and undeclared labour, could be described as “So outdated”Because it creates “a lot of difficulties”, especially in cases of employees with increased mobility and flexible working hours (eg loading and unloading, construction sites, etc.).

The SBE President also said that the procedures of the NSRF Fund, as well as programs such as “Greece 2.0” or the Development Law are not working properly, because some companies cannot benefit from them and others have to wait for a long time. To evaluate and approve their applications. “This is a very serious issue, because most of these programs address the critical goals of green transformation and digital modernization. The good thing is that the programs target today's needs, digital upgrading and green transformation. The bad thing is that they don't “walk” fast, he said.

Asked if she was optimistic that Greek industry would maintain its resilience in a time of labor shortages, expensive energy, and inadequate data and electricity networks, Ms. Sarantis replied: “Logic says I shouldn't be too optimistic. But practice is different. Greek industries survived the severe financial crisis, the coronavirus, and then came the war in Ukraine, yet they exist and function, thanks to the sacrifices of entrepreneurs and workers. So there is flexibility. “The government is moving in the right direction, and has revived a bankrupt country, which now has growth rates well above the EU average. If more starts to be achieved, we will now be able to base optimism more on logic,” he stressed. .

As for companies that achieve huge profits amid inflationary pressures, Saranti said that these are isolated cases, considering that it is unfair to generalize, and stressed the need to control “greedy inflation.”

With information from APE-MPE