Beyond Salary: The Reinvention of Companies to Attract Generation Z

In Spain, the shortage of qualified personnel in 2025, especially in sectors like transport and logistics, is recognized as a structural problem that hinders company growth. The solution is heading towards a combination of strategies that include improving working conditions, a commitment to training, and the attraction of international talent.

The talent shortage is particularly acute in Spain, where around 80% of companies report difficulties in finding the qualified staff they need.

This deficit impacts key sectors such as logistics and transport, industry, technology, and construction. In the logistics sector alone, which employs more than 886,000 people in Spain, 75% of companies are directly suffering the effects of this shortage. A figure that illustrates the seriousness of the situation is that last year, 150,000 vacancies remained unfilled nationwide.

This shortage does not have a single origin but is the result of several factors that feed back into each other. The aging population and an insufficient generational replacement are crucial, as it is estimated that 80% of future vacancies will be to cover retirements. Furthermore, there is a gap between academic training and the real needs of the labor market. At the same time, working conditions perceived as unattractive, with rigid schedules and high pressure, make it difficult to retain talent, reflected in the fact that three million people voluntarily left their jobs last year.

To alleviate this situation, companies are reinventing their value proposition to be attractive to new generations. The strategies focus on:

• Labor Flexibility: Generation Z highly values work-life balance, so flexible schedules and hybrid models are being introduced for administrative profiles.
• Commitment to Sustainability: Young people prefer to work for companies with strong values. The logistics sector finds an opportunity here to create “green jobs” linked to the electrification of fleets or route optimization to reduce emissions.
• Continuous Training and Development: Offering upskilling programs in technologies like Big Data or robotics, along with clear career paths, is a powerful motivator for professionals seeking to progress.

Collaboration with the educational world is essential to ensure a talent pipeline. Companies are establishing alliances with Vocational Training centers and universities to create internship programs that allow them to attract young talent trained with the most current skills.

There is an offer of free logistics and transport courses financed by the Public Employment Service, aimed at both employed and unemployed workers, to improve the qualifications of the existing workforce.

Another direct solution to cover critical vacancies is the importation of talent. Companies and consultancies are hiring foreign professionals to meet the need not covered locally. To facilitate this process, the Spanish administration has streamlined the procedures for the Highly Qualified Professional Visa, a key tool for technology companies, for example, to bring in specialized talent in areas such as cybersecurity or artificial intelligence from outside the EU.

The transport sector faces particular challenges, such as the shortage of drivers and the lack of safe rest areas in Europe. To make the profession more attractive, conditions are being improved with more competitive salaries and contractual stability. Furthermore, geographical mobility is being promoted, as 35.7% of drivers are willing to relocate for work, a figure that is higher among foreign professionals (40.8%).

In short, the solution to the shortage of qualified personnel in Spain for 2025 involves a multi-pronged approach that combines the modernization of working conditions, training aligned with market demand, and openness to international talent. The future competitiveness of the Spanish economy depends largely on the successful implementation of these strategies.