A looming skills drain, global hiring pressures and rapid workplace change have prompted a national conversation on how Barbadian organisations will compete and survive, as the Human Resource Management Association of Barbados (HRMAB) prepares for its October conference.

The October 14 and 15  meeting, themed Workforce 2030: Ready or Not and to be held at the Hilton Barbados Resort, comes as employers face shifting employee expectations, tight labour markets and increased global competition.

The conference aims to equip organisations with practical approaches to integrating new tools and developing their workforce, and calls on business leaders to treat technological upskilling as an immediate priority rather than a future consideration.