Belstat published fresh data on hired and dismissed workers in May this year – there is a steady downward trend in employment. In May – minus again. The labour market has lost another 11.5 thousand people, writes "Kosht urada".
For May 2023, 44.5 thousand people were hired, while the number of dismissed was almost 56 thousand. At the same time, the difference between those hired and dismissed in May (11.5 thousand people) is much smaller than the month before.
Nevertheless, since the beginning of the year, the total gap of hiring and dismissals has already exceeded the threshold of 40 thousand people, which repeats the numerical values of the labour market problems of the last year (in January-May 2022 they were 43 thousand people).
The economy is now undergoing seasonal peaks of declining employment in major industries such as health care and education. This is overlaid by persistent unfavourable trends in transport, construction and trade. All this makes the labour market depressed, but also competitive, as businesses are experiencing skills shortages amid emigration problems.
Minsk became the anti-leader in layoffs in May (minus 3.9 thousand people), while Brest and Mahiliou voblasts were the best performers ("only" minus 1 thousand people). In other regions: Gomel region – minus 1.4 thousand, Vitebsk region – minus 1.3 thousand, Minsk region – minus 1.2 thousand, Grodno region – minus 1.5 thousand people.
The Belarusian economy is based on the sphere of industry. In May, the loss of labour force here amounted to 1.8 thousand people. A month earlier, a sharp increase in the excess of dismissals over the number of hires (-5.8 thousand) was recorded here, i.e. the situation in May became better. However, the "negative growth" of employment remains. In the modern economy, employment in industry can painlessly decline along with the growth of labour productivity and personnel transfer to the service sector. However, judging by the situation in other branches of the Belarusian economy, this is not our case.
Source: kuby.site