This week’s featured development as Newsmaker of the Week just concluded is the revelation that major businesses in Jamaica are scrambling to fill job vacancies.
This is largely due to the unwillingness of workers to return to the jobs they lost at the start of the coronavirus pandemic for the same levels of compensation.
The issue of Jamaica’s labor shortage was highlighted in April this year when Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced that Jamaica may be forced to import skilled workers as the country faces a shortage of such workers, particularly in the construction and tourism sectors.
A heated debate ensued for weeks, with various stakeholders criticizing Holness’s position suggesting that there is no need to import manpower, but instead that training be enhanced by institutions such as the HEART NSTA/Trust.
On the other hand, however, the coronavirus pandemic has affected the local labor market, with many choosing to pursue entrepreneurship, seeking employment in other lucrative industries such as the business processing outsourcing (BPO) sector, or turned to overseas work programs.
However, the BPO sector, despite poaching some employees from traditional sectors, including tourism and quick service restaurants (QSRs), is still facing staff shortages in several areas of operation.
This week, both Thalia Lyn, head of Island Grill, and Phillip Ramson, Managing Director of Chas E Ramson, said they are adjusting their pay packages to attract and retain employees.
“We have a problem trying to find people to fill all the restaurants, and you could say all the QSRs (quick-service restaurants) have that problem,” Lyn revealed Tuesday.
Thalia Lyn, manager of Island Grill
Lyn, who was speaking during the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce’s business confidence webinar for the second quarter, said her company’s staff dropped from 900 when COVID-19 hit in March 2020 to “600-plus” at its peak. pandemic.
“We’re probably up to 90 percent at the end, but we still need people now. We understand that it’s really hard to find people who really want to work,” shared Lyn.
According to her, Island Grill offers “good benefits” and is committed to paying living wages.
Admitting that it is difficult to keep up with rising inflation, Lyn said the company has always helped with meals and kept track of staff transport costs.
“We make it (pay) performance-based, so if you come to work on time and you’re not sick or absent all the time, and we have benefit levels (for the worker),” she shared.
According to its website, there are 15 Island Grill restaurants in the country.
Ramson agreed with Lyn, stating that “finding skilled work is a challenge.”
Ramson attributed the labor shortage, in part, to growth in the tourism and business process outsourcing industries.
“Also, I think people are demanding more because the cost of living has gone up significantly and people are not willing to work for what they were working for before the pandemic. As business owners, we need to adjust our packages to reflect the needs of employees,” Ramson said.
“Just getting to and from work and getting lunch for the day, those are things we have to look at and that’s something we’re going to struggle with for the foreseeable future,” he added.
Chas E Ramson, established 100 years ago, is one of Jamaica’s oldest food delivery companies. But the phenomenon of absenteeism is also being experienced in some countries, including the United States.
This discovery was made by Don Anderson, CEO of Market Research Services.
Marketing Research Services Managing Director Don Anderson
He pointed out that in the international scenario, workers who lost their jobs during the pandemic have been reluctant to return to those jobs for the same pay.
“A lot of those workers are trying something entrepreneurial, rather than going back to those jobs,” Anderson said.
Two weeks ago, Holness again weighed in on the discussion on labor issues in the country.
While indicating that Jamaica is moving closer to full employment, he said this achievement will have implications for several local industries.
“We are now at 6 percent unemployment and that is getting closer and closer to full employment, but full employment in the Jamaican context has many other implications and I already know that the tourism sector is feeling the effects,” Holness. stated.
He was speaking at the official opening of the ROK Hotel during a visit to the downtown Kingston facility at the time.
According to Holness, various sectors are currently looking for employees and the government is aware of this reality.
However, he explained that in the context of Jamaica, many of its citizens are not yet part of the workforce.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness
“It is not the case that every able-bodied and able-bodied Jamaican is employed. It’s not like that. What is the case is that only six percent of Jamaicans who have been offered in the labor market are unemployed,” he reasoned.
“…But there are still significant numbers who are not formally in the labor force. “Some of them are not properly trained, and some of them have just decided they are not participating,” added Holness.
To address this ongoing issue, the Prime Minister said the Government will continue its efforts to attract more people into the formal workforce.
“We need them (people) to support the growth that is happening and to support the continued growth of the construction sector, the continued growth in the tourism and hospitality sector, the continued growth in the BPO sector, on which we will other sectors grow and are added. to our diversity,” Holness said at the time.
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Adding to this point, he noted the latest description from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) that the island’s economy grew by 6.4 percent in the first quarter of this year.
Holness said it is an indication that despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the implications of the war in Ukraine, the local economy continues to perform well and more local investment is required.
Amid the island’s economic growth, historically low unemployment rate and calls for greater investment, Jamaican business owners are wondering where the workers will come from to fill the ever-growing list of vacancies.
Social media users also added their own perspectives to the heated discussion, arguing, in part, that business owners are to blame for not raising wages for their employees, especially in the context of rising inflation and rising food costs. .
“These people (business owners) expect workers to work long hours for little money and minimal benefits. Sigh, this is the result,” wrote Annmarie Hunter, a Facebook user.
Sheldon Reid shared, “Well after two years of lockdowns and restrictions, people found other ways to earn.”
Another user of the platform, Sophia Johnson, wrote: “Glad to see this day.
“This is because of the way some of these employers treat workers. From evil must come good. Thank God for COVID. You employers have to take money, cook and serve and then clean up… These current business owners just want to make money for themselves.
“Those workers who have found better alternatives, please remember to set aside for rainy days, (and) pay your taxes because the school and the hospital cannot function without money and other priorities in the country require money, Johnson said.
Another social media user, Phyllis Sutherland, said that based on her assessment, many industries, including construction, BPO and tourism, are struggling to recruit workers such as restaurants and food delivery companies.
According to her, there are several “job boards all over the country” as well as many jobs posted on websites such as Caribbean Jobs.
“(It) shows that some people who are unemployed are either very lazy or just love giving. It is better to go and work your little money than to get up every day begging and waiting to rob those who work for their honest bread,” thought Sutherland.
Alvin Reid added his view on labor matters.
“Blame the internet and social media. All the youth have these days is being a social media influencer. Everyone syncs journalists and can even pass language arts on the GSAT!” he commented.
To businesses complaining about their difficulty filling vacancies, Allison Johnson advised, “No one is going to work to not pay people and have people work ridiculous hours.
“Tweak the package and make it more attractive,” she urged.
Sonya LadyLee Allen also advised, “Give workers better pay for long hours and some benefits…Slavery days!”
