Is it viable to grow by hiring more? Digital efficiency is gaining ground over physical workforce expansion
The Colombian labor market recorded an unemployment rate of 9.2% in February 2026, the lowest figure for this period since 2001, according to the latest data reported by the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE). This indicator, which represents a 1.1 percentage point decrease compared to the 10.3% recorded in the same month of 2025, points to a high-employment environment that, combined with increases in the minimum wage, is putting pressure on corporate boards to seek operational efficiency strategies.
The current landscape has sparked a debate over whether organizations should continue expanding their workforce in a linear way, or whether the optimal path toward economic sustainability lies in technological transformation and process automation.
According to statistics from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 20.2% of companies in the country report incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into their operating structures. However, the data reveals a clear asymmetry between employee adoption and formal implementation by organizations.











