The Talent Shortage and the Need for Skilled Workers
In forums for implementing the 40-hour workweek, convened by Mexico’s Secretariat of Labor and Social Prevision (STPS), various proposals were discussed, including training, which both companies and unions agreed was essential for reducing the workweek.
Training programs have become a crucial part of proposals due to the challenges companies face in finding talent with the right skills, leading to labor shortages in certain sectors. According to ManpowerGroup’s 2025 Talent Shortage Report, 70% of employers in Mexico struggle to find suitable candidates for job openings, placing the country fifth in Latin America with the highest proportion of businesses facing this issue.
- Transportation, logistics, and automotive sectors face an 80% difficulty in finding skilled workers.
- Information technology has a 77% difficulty rate.
- Finance and real estate sectors struggle with a 75% difficulty rate.
The Importance of Addressing the Talent Shortage in Mexico
Erika Quevedo, Director of the Global Companies Council (CEG), told El Economista that Mexico has a significant challenge regarding talent shortage that needs immediate attention.
“It’s not that we lack skilled individuals; we do have them, but it’s insufficient. We need to emphasize training. If the reform’s goal is to elevate job quality, we must ensure that reducing work hours strengthens formal employment, promotes efficiency, and fosters a more competitive environment.”
Training’s Relevance in Reducing Work Hours
Quevedo further explains that training’s relevance extends beyond addressing the skilled labor shortage. As work hours decrease, having well-trained personnel becomes crucial for maintaining efficiency in fewer hours.
Without a proper strategy, reducing work hours may present challenges in terms of productivity, efficiency, competitiveness, and operational costs.
Professionalizing employees and providing continuous training, she asserts, will enable businesses to optimize work hours, compensating for reduced hours through more agile and efficient processes.
Shared Responsibility for Worker Training
Quevedo emphasizes that worker training should be a collaborative and sector-specific effort, as each area’s needs are unique.
The issue isn’t large corporations; it’s micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (mipymes) that will require substantial investment. Many mipymes are barely surviving, so assistance is crucial—investment and training are needed, and the public sector must actively participate.
Quevedo highlights the benefits of training employees, including increased well-being and commitment, reduced absenteeism and turnover, enhanced productivity, and a positive impression on investors and society.
“A well-planned strategy is needed, with training as a fundamental pillar in this 40-hour workweek framework if the reform advances.”
Global Companies’ Role in Reform Implementation
Quevedo suggests that global companies can contribute to the reform’s implementation by sharing their experiences from other countries that have successfully reduced work hours, such as Colombia and Chile.
Ecuador is a regional pioneer in the 40-hour workweek, having implemented this limit since 1980. Brazil has had a weekly 44-hour workweek since 1988.