BEC: Benefits, flexibility, career prospects also shape retention

Barbados urgently needs a national vacancy survey to establish the scale of labour shortages, employers said on Monday, as construction and hospitality businesses struggle to fill jobs and a lack of comprehensive data hampers assessment of the problem.

The Barbados Employers Confederation (BEC) warned of significant skills shortages across industries, retention challenges, and mismatched skills, prompting the appeal for the survey.

BEC President Gail-Ann King told Barbados TODAY that a complex but real labour shortage requires government intervention, in collaboration with educational and training institutions and workers.

She said: “It is a shortage of people with the right skills, available at the right time, in the right occupations, under conditions that are attractive and sustainable for both employers and employees.

“The challenge is real and is being experienced across several sectors, but it is not uniform across the economy. Employers are dealing with a combination of labour availability constraints, the alignment between available skills and job requirements [skills mismatches], retention challenges, and the attractiveness of certain occupations. The nature and intensity of these challenges vary considerably by sector and occupation.”

King outlined apparent vacancies, particularly in construction, hospitality and retail. “The greatest pressure appears to be in skilled and technical occupations, particularly within the construction trades, where demand continues to outpace supply. Hospitality employers are also reporting recruitment challenges across a range of positions, particularly those requiring specialised skills and experience.”

There was no comprehensive national vacancy figure at present, and the confederation would not want to put forward a number unsupported by current employer data, she said.

“What we can say is that demand is clearly evident in construction and hospitality in particular, and our members in those sectors consistently report difficulty filling roles. A dedicated national vacancy survey would provide a clearer understanding of the scale and nature of these labour market challenges, and it is an initiative that BEC would support.”

King also said vacancy duration and compensation levels varied significantly across industries, occupations and individual employers. But no single, comprehensive source tracked in real time how long vacancies remained open or the remuneration attached to every position.

The Job Registry introduced in 2025 was expected to improve labour market transparency by providing more robust data on job opportunities, hiring trends and vacancy patterns over time, the BEC president said. 

As participation and reporting increased, she said, it should offer employers, jobseekers and policymakers a clearer picture of labour market dynamics.

“While compensation decisions remain the responsibility of individual employers, access to more comprehensive labour market data will help all stakeholders make more informed decisions about workforce planning, training needs, recruitment trends, and career opportunities across the economy.”

Skills alignment was a significant part of the challenge of ensuring appropriate skills were available, said King.

“Employers need people with the technical, practical, and professional skills to perform effectively in today’s workplace, while workers need access to training that reflects current industry needs. One of the key challenges is ensuring that the skills being developed through education and training align with evolving industry needs. 

“Addressing this requires strong collaboration among employers, educational institutions, training providers, and policymakers to ensure that programmes remain relevant and responsive to labour market demands. By strengthening these partnerships, we can better equip individuals for available opportunities while helping businesses access the talent they need to grow and compete.”

For the BEC leader, the challenge was a combination of skills availability, training alignment, retention and the attractiveness of certain occupations: “Solving it requires collaboration among employers, workers, educators, and government.”

She also outlined the BEC’s position on whether pay was a factor, drawing on feedback from workers and prospective workers.

“Pay is undoubtedly an important factor, but it is not the only one. Feedback from workers and jobseekers suggests that people also consider the overall employment value proposition, including compensation, benefits such as medical insurance and pensions, work schedules, flexibility, workplace culture, opportunities for career growth, job security, and working conditions when seeking employment.

“As a result, employers are increasingly focused on offering a competitive and well-rounded employee package. At the same time, jobseekers tend to assess the total package when determining whether a role aligns with their personal and professional goals.”

King continued: “People do not just evaluate pay,” she said, “they consider the overall opportunity. While some employers compete by offering clear career progression and advancement opportunities, others attract talent through stable employment, flexible working arrangements, training, a positive work environment, and the chance to gain valuable experience.”

This was particularly important in industries relying heavily on entry-level roles, she said.

“These positions are critical to the economy and often serve as an important entry point into the workforce. They become more attractive when individuals can see opportunities to develop skills, build experience, and improve their prospects over time. Ultimately, employers who can clearly communicate the value of their employment offering are generally better positioned to attract and retain talent.”

Turning to qualifications as a recruitment factor, King described a shift in employers’ focus on credentials.

“Qualifications remain important, but employers are increasingly looking beyond credentials alone. They also assess practical skills, relevant experience, technical competence, problem-solving ability, and readiness to perform effectively in a role.

“Many organisations are therefore placing greater emphasis on practical evaluations, competency-based assessments, and other evaluation methods to complement traditional qualification requirements. The objective is not simply to identify what an individual has studied, but how effectively they can apply their knowledge and skills in the workplace.”

On the question of work ethic among Barbadians, the BEC president cautioned against characterising the issue “simply” in that way, suggesting that employers continued to benefit from a capable, productive and committed workforce.

King said: “Where employers experience challenges, they are generally linked to a broader mix of factors such as skills availability, attendance, job readiness, retention, career aspirations, compensation, and working conditions”

“It is a shared challenge that requires the involvement of employers, workers, educational and training institutions, and government. The focus should be on creating an environment that supports productivity, competitiveness, and sustainable employment opportunities for all.”

(EM)