One example is the Karavela fish processing company, which has been importing workers as the company has had employee shortages for the past two years.
"Before, we sought employees from Ukraine and started projects to attract Vietnamese workers. But it all has changed now," said Karavela board member Andris Bite.
Demand for Karavela products – namely, canned fish – has increased 50% in the domestic and export markets, said Bite. This has prompted the company to up production.
Demand for jobs is high. The company hopes to fill 80 vacancies but is now receiving 300 to 400 calls a day from people seeking for work.
The Lithuanian retail chain Maxima is likewise seeking more employees. "We offer employees at companies experiencing difficulties to come work for us for a time, until the emergency situation ends or normalizes. They don't have to terminate the contract with their current employer. Of course we still have regular vacancies with contracts for an indefinite time," said Gunita Ķiesnere, head of the HR department at Maxima.
"People are interested. The number of calls has grown six to eight times," said Ķiesnere.
Elīna Novada, the head of the Svaigi.lv digital market, says increased demand for local products has made the company seek more employees.
"We've solved this very quickly using our network of friends, relatives and acquaintances. We have acquaintances at catering companies who are out of work as demand has all but died out completely. They suggest their best employees to us, so that they wouldn't lose their skills and have an opportunity to work. [..] We've hired ten new employees since last week," said Novada.
She says the company had to move to larger premises in response to growing demand – and did so within a day's time.
