Belgian-Macedonian Business Club

A new report titled “The Human Capital Challenge – How to Source, Reward, Retain, and Develop a Qualified Workforce” has been presented at the 16^th International HR Conference of the Macedonian HR Association today. It offers critical insights and actionable strategies to address the shortage of qualified employees. With 70 % of companies reporting difficulties in finding qualified staff, the report highlights 88 solutions used by the remaining 30 % of companies that manage to overcome these challenges.

Key Findings from the Report:

– No Shortage, But Misallocation: Contrary to popular belief, there is no shortage of people in North Macedonia. The problem lies in a mismatch between skillsets and available jobs, and in a lack of mobility to join the formal labor market. The mismatch between education offer and industry demand has widened the gap.

– Modern Recruitment Tactics: The report shows that successful companies have moved beyond traditional methods like job ads. Instead, they are approaching candidates via social media platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram and collaborate with schools and universities. Companies are encouraged to proactively reach out to candidates, using internships, job fairs, and university collaborations.

– Modern rewarding systems do not only rely on the sole base salary. They comprise a set of variable pay focusing on quality and team results, as well as non-cash benefits ranging from private health insurance to counseling and childcare.

– Corporate Culture is Key: The report stresses that employees don’t leave companies—they leave bad work environments. To retain talent, companies need to invest in a positive corporate culture, offering activities beyond competitive salaries, such as flexible working conditions, team buildings, and good communication with their employees. Employee satisfaction needs to be monitored and compared to competitors.

– Investing in Development: Many candidates do not possess all required skills when hired. The report highlights methods for employee training, from microlearning to learning circles.

This report shows that the companies succeeding in today’s competitive market are those that are forward-thinking in how they attract and retain their workforce. With the right combination of direct recruitment, employee development, and a strong corporate culture, businesses can build a qualified and loyal workforce.

Darko Petrovski, President of the Macedonian Human Resources Association

This report was initiated and designed in the form of a HU-CA-Thon and developed by a group of over 50 human resources professionals in cooperation with Darko Petrovski, Founder of the Talent Business Incubator StepUp, the Macedonian Human Resources Association, the Belgian-Macedonian Business Club, the bilateral chambers of commerce of Austria, Bulgaria, UK and the Netherlands, the OEMVP Northwest Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister. It is the first time that a large group of different chambers cooperated to explore effective methods of sourcing and retaining talent in a rapidly changing job market. The HU-CA-Thon is a new way to find solutions by collecting best practices from a wide range of participants and sharing them to a wide range of concerned companies. It has been offered and remains with each company to select the most appropriate methods for their individual problems.