A shorter working week and automation of production can help optimize the labour market, indicates a report by Colliers International, analyzing the labour markets in six countries of Central and Eastern Europe (Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria).

The analysis points out that the low level of unemployment, emigration and the advancement of services have created serious staff shortages.

Having highly qualified specialists is the most important factor for companies in setting down their business plans and in the development of the region. Unless the problem of staff shortages is addressed, in the long term we can expect a slowdown of economic development and a drop in private investments in the region.

In June unemployment in Bulgaria plummeted to a record low – 5.7 percent. One of the reasons for this is that every year the country’s population shrinks by around 50,000, and the shortage of staff is the biggest problem businesses in Bulgaria face. Introducing a shorter working week is not a novel idea, it is something world economic analysts and entrepreneurs have been advocating more and more often.