Foreign craftsmen contribute to the construction industry.
We know that opinions are divided on the use of foreign workers. There are many unreasonable prejudices, many considerations that may not be so much about the foreign temporary workers and employees as about the fear of what the company's own employees will say. What customers will say, and how it feels in the pit of your stomach to be unsure of how you will do in the collaboration. The uncertainty is real. The prejudices are probably not. After many years in the industry, we know that the processes that are planned sensibly can almost always be described as a success afterwards.
Regardless of opinions, the fact is that we simply cannot do without the many foreigners who live and work in Denmark, or who choose to work as temporary workers, give it a go and move on when the contract is over.
Imagine how much value we would miss out on if we don't take a helping hand from the outside. Imagine how much production 215,00 full-time employees can contribute in a quarter. That's the number of foreigners employed in Denmark in the first quarter of 2019. Imagine also that one out of every three working hours invested in Odense's Light Rail during these months is provided by foreign workers.
When we're short on labor
For a number of years, it has been a problem for the Danish economy that we lack the manpower to solve the many tasks in the construction industry, the metal industry and other places where, for various reasons, we actually lack manpower.
Politically, we have put the shortage of skilled labor on the agenda. Our young people should once again think it's fine to get oil or paint on their fingers. Or get splinters while building new houses, energy optimizing or modernizing residential, institutional and commercial properties. It's a long-term plan, of course.
Right now, the construction industry in particular is struggling with labor shortages. But for completely different reasons than what is usually talked about. The last few months have been dominated by the coronavirus, and on top of concerns about whether there are enough orders in the order books, it's proving to be a significant challenge to complete the jobs that are already underway.
The many foreign employees who have been repatriated or rushed home to their families at the outbreak of the corona virus. As a result, the sound of hammers and the smell of paint are missing from many construction sites. And this can have major consequences for companies that have a contract to deliver a construction project on time.
It's tempting to imagine what will happen in the not-so-distant future when our foreign blacksmiths, CNC operators, carpenters, painters, etc. no longer want to lend us a hand. Because it's no longer attractive. Unemployment in several eastern countries is on par or even lower than in Denmark. Living standards are rising and the desire to create welfare societies "at home" is becoming more and more widespread.
However, that's not the reality yet. But several industries are already facing major challenges. And considering how much production is created - also - thanks to the manpower that is brought in from abroad. 219,000 employees create a lot of value. Not only in the workplace where they are employed, but also in the service sector that benefits from their efforts.
There are benefits to using foreign craftsmen as well
- Foreign temporary workers are also qualified, skilled craftsmen
- Temporary workers as a flexible solution
- Temporary workers come to work - even extra hours
- Temporary workers have low sickness absence
- Temporary staffing gives you access to the people you need
- Temporary workers can save you money on out-of-pocket expenses - labor is where you need it
- The temp agency takes care of much of the administration.
