NHO CEO emphasizes labor inclusion at Tromsø conference

At the Arbeid & Inkludering conference in Tromsø, NHO CEO Ole Erik Almlid emphasized that labor and inclusion services are vital to Norway's competitiveness. He noted that 60 percent of NHO member companies struggle to find necessary expertise, and approximately 700,000 people remain outside the workforce, including 100,000 individuals aged 20 to 29.

Almlid advocated for lowering the threshold for employers, particularly for small businesses, and suggested that NAV should utilize specialized local services more effectively rather than handling all processes internally. He highlighted that inclusion provides a triple benefit for the individual, the company, and society.

In Tromsø, local initiatives are addressing labor shortages through specialized recruitment models. For example, Clarion Hotel The Edge has partnered with Ressurs Tromsø to recruit individuals from outside the traditional workforce. This model focuses on mapping specific individual skills to hotel tasks and providing continuous follow-up for both employees and employers to ensure long-term success.