Almost 7 out of 10 companies consulted will maintain their workforce and a quarter will even increase it. Furthermore, more than half of the companies say they will raise workers’ wages.
Euskaraz irakurri: Bizkaiko enpresen % 40k you dute susperraldian daudela, eta hala egongo direla 2023ko ekainera art
40% of Biscayan companies consider that their markets are now in “reactivation”, and that this situation will continue in the coming months. Given these good economic prospects, almost 7 out of 10 companies plan to maintain their workforce, and 25% even announce that they will increase it.
These are some of the conclusions of the survey on the Economic and Business Situation of Bizkaia and the Basque Country in 2022, prepared by the Biscayan employers’ association Cebek, and which has been presented by its president, Carolina Pérez Toledo and its general secretary, Francisco Javier Azpiazu.
The survey, carried out in January to almost 500 companies in the territory, shows that it has improved “a little general perception” on the current economic situation, since 44% of the companies consulted have described it as “good” compared to 34% five months ago.
In addition, 62% of the companies consulted have insured will raise wages workforce in 2023, a substantial part of them (59%) through a general increase in the corresponding salary tables.
Almost half of the companies are going to increase the prices of their products or services below the increase in their costs, which is going to mean a reduction in their profitability.
Pérez Toledo recalled that the Basque economy closed 2022 with a growth of 4.2% of GDP but indicated that all analysts forecast a smaller increase this year, of around 1.5%. Likewise, he recalled that in the last quarter of 2022 there were “a series of circumstances that made it possible to avoid the ghost of recession”, among which he cited inflation control, a certain normalization of supply chains and some minor raw material prices.
Finally, asked about the basque tax reform, whose negotiations will begin with the PNV and PSE-EE, the president of Cebek has assured that she must seek “the balance” between social policies and the maintenance of business competitiveness. “We are the companies that generate the resources and employment to contribute to making these social policies effective”, stressed Pérez Toledo.
Source: Eitb
Alia is a professional author and journalist, working at 247 news agency. She writes on various topics from economy news to general interest pieces, providing readers with relevant and informative content. With years of experience, she brings a unique perspective and in-depth analysis to her work.
