[Vocabulary] Less of

[Kazuo]

Hello!

(an excerpt from Older and wiser, The Economist, Mar 11th 2010)

Germany may not need another abrupt shake-up. It no longer suffers from an arthritic labour market, an obese state or a suffocating tax burden. As the labour force shrinks, the number of jobs is likely to become less of a worry than the number and quality of people available to fill them.

As for the part beginning with “the number of jobs…”, am I right in rewriting as follows?

The number of jobs is likely to become less worried than the number and quality of people available to fill them.

Thanks in advance

 

[emsr2d2]

Hello!

(an excerpt from Older and wiser, The Economist, Mar 11th 2010)

Germany may not need another abrupt shake-up. It no longer suffers from an arthritic labour market, an obese state or a suffocating tax burden. As the labour force shrinks, the number of jobs is likely to become less of a worry than the number and quality of people available to fill them.

As for the part beginning with “the number of jobs…”, am I right in rewriting as follows?

The number of jobs is likely to become less [STRIKE]worried[/STRIKE] worrying than the number and quality of people available to fill them.

Thanks in advance

Only people can be worried. Jobs can't be worried. However, the article is saying that the number of jobs, and the number and quality of people available are both "worrying" - that is, they make people worried.

 

[tedtmc]

the number of jobs is likely to become less of a worry than the number and quality of people available to fill them.

The concern is not so much about the job availability(there are enough jobs) but rather, getting enough people (number) and competent people (quality) to fill the vacancies. In other words, an employee's market.