Labor disengagement persists despite low turnover
- Employers report lower staff turnover in Tijuana while many employees remain disengaged from their jobs. - The trend shows workers stay for stability rather than motivation, affecting productivity and morale. - Analysts warn retention without engagement could hinder long-term business growth and competitiveness (elimparcial.com).
Employers in Tijuana say staff turnover has fallen, but many workers are staying out of caution rather than commitment. (elimparcial.com) Human-resources specialist Héctor Guerrero said on April 22 that lower churn has not translated into stronger talent retention because disengagement still shows up in weaker commitment and performance inside companies. He said employees are remaining in their jobs for stability, not for motivation or a sense of belonging. (elimparcial.com) The shift is visible in Tijuana’s maquiladora sector, where the Asociación de Recursos Humanos de la Industria de Tijuana, or Arhitac, reported monthly turnover of about 4% to 5% with no spikes in the first quarter of 2026. Arhitac president Fernando Becerra said companies have largely avoided layoffs and kept last year’s staffing levels to maintain production. (elimparcial.com) Becerra also said the softer labor market is limiting movement between employers. He told El Sol de Tijuana that some companies are seeing resignations of up to 5% and that workers are “cuidando más su trabajo,” or holding onto jobs more carefully, because there are fewer openings in the city. (oem.com.mx) That backdrop has sharpened pressure on employers to get more output from existing teams instead of replacing them. Guerrero said disengagement can hold down innovation, productivity and participation even when headcount looks stable on paper. (elimparcial.com) The local numbers sit inside a weaker state job market. Baja California lost 18,532 formal jobs in January 2026 from a year earlier, according to reporting based on Mexican Social Security Institute data, with manufacturing alone down 9,273 positions. (afntijuana.info) Tijuana’s economy still depends heavily on export manufacturing, which raises the stakes for any drop in morale or output. Federal Data México figures show Tijuana recorded US$40 billion in international sales in 2024, led by monitors and projectors, medical-science instruments, and trailers and semi-trailers. (economia.gob.mx) Guerrero said the causes of disengagement are mixed: workers’ emotional strain, workplace climate, leadership style and pay and benefits all play a role. He said the warning signs include lower participation, less involvement in company activities and a gradual decline in individual performance. (elimparcial.com) National research points to the same mismatch between staying and being invested. A 2026 Computrabajo and Pandapé study cited by Mexico Business News found 56% of Mexican professionals prioritize working conditions over salary when considering a move, while employers still tend to blame turnover mainly on pay. (mexicobusiness.news) In Tijuana, that leaves companies with a narrower problem than turnover and a harder one to fix. Guerrero said closer contact between managers and teams, better leadership, salary reviews and measures that support personal balance can help rebuild commitment before low turnover turns into low performance. (elimparcial.com)
