Column: Marico Thomas On Workforce & More

[Opinion column written by Marico Thomas]

My statement about hospitality earlier this week caused a range of public reactions and also revealed something deeper… that there is confusion about what is actually happening in Bermuda’s labour market, and many reactions are based on older assumptions about how Bermuda used to work.

Comments have included:

• “Bermudians are not going to be able to get a job in Bermuda.”
• “Hundreds apply for government jobs, so how can we have a shortage?”
• “There should be zero unemployment.”
• “Why can’t Bermudians find jobs?”
• “People left Bermuda for better lives elsewhere.”
• “Bermuda yesterday is not Bermuda today, and tomorrow will be different still.”

These comments point to a larger truth: we cannot address today’s challenges if we are still thinking in yesterday’s terms. We may need a mindset reset because the world we are living in today doesn’t operate the way it used to.

There was a time in Bermuda when frontline hospitality roles were the foundation of prosperity:

• A bartender could buy two homes, put three kids through college and retire with a taxi.

• A housekeeper could afford a stable life raising a family with grandkids.

• We all could reliably expect to be served by Bermudian wait staff who could tell us what was going on with people, places, events…, including all the community gossip!

But Bermuda has changed. The world has changed. And our expectations must change too.

• Hospitality is no longer the economic engine it once was.
• International business now represents roughly half the economy.
• AI is expanding globally and will change some roles, but will not replace the people shortage we are facing.
• Young Bermudians are choosing different pathways, different hours, different environments. Many are training for different industries with different aspirations.

And perhaps the clearest indicator of long-term change is that the percentage of Bermudians in hospitality [hotels + restaurants] has declined from 70% in 2000 to just 56% in 2024. This is not a sudden shift. It has been unfolding for almost 25 years.

Government’s 2025 Employment Briefs provide additional context:

• Jobs grew by 1.8%
• 94% of that growth went to non-Bermudians
• Bermudians gained only 18 total jobs
• Wage gaps continue
• Certain sectors depend heavily on guest workers

Some ask: “If hundreds apply for a government job, how can we have a worker shortage?” The answer: the jobs people apply for in government are not the same jobs that go unfilled in hospitality, healthcare, construction, or essential services. These are different job markets with different requirements, expectations, and realities. And it should be noted that “hundreds of applicants” can easily point to people wishing to change their job — not hundreds of unemployed persons applying. This distinction matters.

Let’s discuss Cause vs Effect. Our situation is not caused by one issue. It is the result of several intersecting forces:

• Many Bermudians have moved off island
• Some roles no longer provide the financial security they once did
• The cost of living has changed career calculations
• Long hours, night shifts, weekend work, and customer-facing pressure deter many
• Some behaviour and reliability concerns create hiring challenges
• Young Bermudians have different expectations about work and lifestyle
• Global wages make certain professions more attractive abroad

There has also been years of societal shaping, grooming, and influencing of how we think, what we expect, and which types of work are seen as acceptable or “beneath us.”

Much of the world outside Bermuda has moved on socially, technologically, and economically. That has already impacted our lifestyles. It should also impact our expectations, and fundamentally how we think about our prosperity, equality, and humanity.

So What Now? The question we must all ask ourselves is this: “Are we still preparing for the Bermuda we used to be or, are we preparing for the Bermuda we have become?” Because success today will come from a different mix of industries, skills, and career paths than in the past.

• Schools and training programmes must prepare people for realistic opportunities
• Businesses must invest in standards, management, and professional development
• Individuals must pursue long-term growth, not just short-term survival
• Immigration and workforce systems must reflect new sectors and new needs

This is a shared responsibility. Employers must improve training, structure, and support. But workers, families, and communities also shape the behaviours and reliability that show up in the workplace.

Looking forward, for Bermuda to succeed, we need:

• Clear and updated expectations
• Systems aligned to today’s economy, not yesterday’s
• Training and education that match actual opportunity
• Honest conversation about behaviours, responsibilities, and standards
• A shared understanding of what success looks like

This is not about blaming or finger pointing. It is about facing what is real and getting on the same page together.

Bermuda of yesterday is not Bermuda of today. And Bermuda of tomorrow will depend on the choices we all make right now. Choose to be open.

Choose to think about it.

Choose to be part of the solution.

Finally, the Chamber appreciates the Government’s acknowledgement of the issue and their ongoing work through the National Workforce Advisory Board and the Hospitality Sub-Committee. Their response shows that we are all working to address the same challenge. My goal here is to expand on what Government is doing, broadening the conversation so the public fully understands the scale, urgency, and interconnected nature of what Bermuda is facing. The work already underway is important and so is the wider national reality we must all prepare for.

- Mr. Marico Thomas, President of The Bermuda Chamber of Commerce

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