Faced with the sudden change that the new normal generated in companies, employees are challenged to increase their skills to work remotely, adapt to more flexible contracts and refine their technological skills and cognitive qualities.
Telecommuting has become an everyday occurrence among companies in the region, which have had to adjust to the restrictions imposed by governments due to the outbreak of covid-19.
Although working from home is considered a non-wage incentive because of the flexibility and benefits it provides to the employee, this mode of work is not yet a trend for companies in Guatemala.
Implementing work from home or home office, is a modality increasingly popular among executives and professionals who see the benefits that telecommuting provides.
Although new jobs will emerge, technological changes will have a strong impact in the Central American region, where there is a high proportion of jobs with a high risk of automation.
According to forecasts made by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in 2018 it was estimated that 75% of workers in Guatemala and El Salvador are in high-risk automation jobs.
During the third month of 2018, the affiliation of 896,869 social security workers was registered, 1.5% less than was reported in March 2017.
The Central Bank of Nicaragua (BCN) reported that according to the administrative records of the INSS, in March the number of insured people was 896,869 workers, which is equivalent to a 1% drop compared to February 2018.
Local authorities reported that during the first month of 2018 there were 911,104 workers affiliated in the social security scheme, 2.4% more than was reported in January 2017.
The Central Bank of Nicaragua (BCN) reported that the "... administrative records of the INSS, indicate that in January the number of insured people amounted to 911,104 workers, 2.4 percent higher than the figure registered in the same month of the previous year."
During the last five years the number of workers affiliated to the social insurance scheme increased by 35%, rising from 673 thousand in 2013 to 914 thousand in 2017.
According to figures from the Central Bank of Nicaragua, in the five-year period between 2013 and 2017, the affiliation of workers to the Nicaraguan Institute of Social Security (INSS) registered sustained growth, reporting an average annual increase of 8%.
In Costa Rica a law iniatiative pretends to force companies to have 25% of their workforce composed by young people aged between 17 and 24 years old.
EDITORIAL
The problem of unemployment that affects thousands of young people in Costa Rica and the Central American countries will not be solved simply by forcing private companies to hire a certain proportion of young employees, regardless of their qualifications and skills, or even worse, without considering whether there is an actual need for hiring or not.
Nicaraguan companies are having difficulty finding employees who are 24 years old or younger with the required socio-emotional and academic skills.
From the executive summary of a document entitled "Skills required by companies in Nicaragua" prepared by Funides:
Studies have been done at the international level that have found no relationship between years of education and economic growth, which has led to the discussion turning from schooling to the quality of education as a key element for economic growth.