The President Institute family business (IEF) has a clear focus on how to secure the workforce in a tight labor market. This Monday, during a speech at the opening of the 26th annual congress of the employer lobby in Bilbao, the IEF president, Andrés Sendagorta, stressed the importance of reviewing salaries to prevent the difficulty of finding workers. He urged a tone of moderation and dialogue, arguing that wages should be adjusted with one simple goal in mind: maintain competitiveness while avoiding polarization in the job market.
At the official opening ceremony attended by King Felipe VI, Sendagorta underscored a key idea about compensation. He said that the net salary that ends up in workers’ pockets should closely reflect the gross costs shouldered by companies. He reminded attendees that unemployment remains a major source of macroeconomic imbalance and social inequality within the country. In his view, subsidies can help, but taxation alone does not appear to be the best route to reduce these disparities. A practical approach would be to encourage work and expand opportunities without overreliance on tax measures.
Sendagorta also spoke about the need to reinforce the constitutional framework and to strengthen institutional understanding. He called for better alignment between work and family life, noting that a family business cannot afford to ignore the benefits of reconciling personal responsibilities with professional duties. He argued that it would be inconsistent for family firms not to prioritize this balance and to seek practical paths to support workers in managing home and work commitments.
The discussion touched on attracting talent earlier in the career path. Companies should incorporate strategies to address gaps in professional profiles, such as engineers, computer scientists, and roles across the hospitality and industrial sectors. The president emphasized the urgency of addressing these skills shortages and urged authorities to act quickly. He pointed to the need for improvements in the education system and highlighted the value of education in shaping work loyalty and company culture.
employment creation
During the same event, José Luis Escriva, the Minister of Social Security, highlighted the role that family businesses have played in weathering crises such as the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. He stated that these firms collectively created 900,000 net jobs over three years through a combination of higher wages, stronger employment opportunities, self-financing, and expansion beyond borders, all while reducing debt. The event also featured Lehendakari Iñigo Urkullu, who emphasized the regional government’s leadership in distributing European funds for strategic projects under programs like PERTE. He highlighted the importance of coordinated action between national and regional authorities to support job growth and economic resilience.