Due to the precariousness of the English language, in recent years’ companies in the Contact Center & BPO sector have decided to close thousands of jobs in the region and relocate their investments to other markets where they have no difficulty in recruiting qualified personnel.
Reports at a global level show that the command of English is one of the weaknesses at a Central American level.
The difficulties in identifying staff training needs and the lack of a clear relationship between new employee skills and incentives diminishes the possibility of achieving company goals.
According to the Deloitte 2019 Global Study of Human Capital Trends, in which more than 9,400 business leaders from around the world participated, including 261 from Costa Rica, the learning of business staff is the most relevant trend.
Companies recognize how important managing a growing international and mobile workforce is for the future of their businesses, but they do not know how to do it.
Companies do not have an appropriate strategy to deal with the transformation that is happening the way of working in the world -from the convergence of five generations to operations spread across the planet- which will lead to a crisis in management, attraction and retention of talent, concludes the Workforce 2020 study, prepared by Oxford Economics and SAP.
The education of children and young people must be the appropriate in order to fit into a labor market that gets more competitive dayby day or to start their own businesses.
From a statement by the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP):
CONTINUING MODERNIZATION OF EDUCATION IS TASK FOR EVERYONE
In a few days thousands of children and young people will enter classrooms to prepare to be the future of our country.
Although improvements have been noted, the region's human resources are still far from achieving the level necessary to sustain competitive economies at the global level.
The Human Capital Index, constructed by the World Economic Forum, provides a long-term focus on how nations are developing their human capital and establishing workforces prepared for the demands of the increasingly competitive global economy.
There are plenty of applicants for the posts, but there are few who are really qualified to meet the demands of each job.
A study entitled 'Lack of Talent 2011' by the firm Manpower Group shows that 30% of companies in Costa Rica say they have trouble finding certain types of staff such as technicians, salesmen and secretaries with the required skills.
"If a person with 20 years of education emigrates and another person, with 12 years of education immigrates, the country has suffered a net loss of 8 years of investment in training."
The retention of human capital and recruitment of highly qualified human resources from other countries is of vital importance to nations.
Human resource mobility is increasing, and although this increases the productivity of the global economy it also means significant gains or losses in particular countries, according to the direction of migratory flow.
The main productivity issue in Latin America is that countries spend too many resources in small, underproductive companies.
In the 1960s, Latin America had a per capita income of 25% of that of the United States, but it has dropped to 16%. On the contrary, several Asian nations that had in 1960 much lower incomes than the region are now joining the ranks of high income countries.
Will the “satisfaction equation” or the desire for development and ambition during good times change to a greater appreciation of stability and relationships in the long term?
Paula T. Leñero, Human Capital Manager at Deloitte Costa Rica, analyzed the possible changes in the definition of job satisfaction in times of crisis.
"During normal times, it is usual for job security perception, as an element of satisfaction, to be overcome by other needs such as professional development or fair compensation. However, in times like those that lie ahead, stability will be an element of high valuation, more so than other needs. It is important to explore whether this regression of the satisfaction equation" that has occurred in previous generations will affect current and future generations, and in the same manner. That is: Will we have more young people who value stability and long-term relationships over other aspects of satisfaction?"
FedEx Express is first, Kimberly Clark second, followed by Oracle Caribbean, SC Johnson, Diageo, McDonalds and Agrisal Group.
In the rankings elaborated by the Great Place to Work Institute of Central America and the Caribbean, FedEx repeated as the best company to work for within Central America and the Caribbean.
In an article in Elperiodico.com.gt, Jorge Ferrari, president of Great Place to Work Institute of Central America and the Caribbean, stated that "it is no coincidence that these companies provide excellent operating results. Their human resource development has become their secret weapon for competing in the markets."
The Great Place to Work Institute (GPTW) has cited 22 firms from Central America and the Caribbean as being the best places to be employed.
"We are dedicated to making a better society, helping companies transform themselves into excellent work places," says Institute official José Tolovi.
The GPTW researched 54 cvompanies in the region and surveyed 35,961 employees.