Why labor can’t meet demand

Over half a million unemployed fail to match the requirements of Greek businesses, so the unemployment rate, although decreasing, remains at significantly high levels (10.9% in March according to ELSTAT) and almost nine out of 10 businesses declare they are searching - in vain - for workers.

The lack of talented human resources, the mismatch of supply and demand in the labor market, and the many vacant positions alongside high unemployment are the forms of the same extremely complex problem, which has been observed at a global level for at least a decade, and over the last two years has made its appearance very strongly in Greece as well.

That is the result of many trends and distortions in labor markets - i.e. in the different sectors and professions, in the economy, the education system and in society.

As Christos Goulas, general director at the Labor...