Too many jobs for too few people in the post-COVID world
Today, employers are still struggling to find enough workers as they try to get people back to their offices.
The main problem is that there are not enough people to fill the available positions.
According to the US Chamber of Commerce at the end of February, there are 9.9 million vacancies and 5.9 million unemployed workers, which means that if every unemployed person finds a job, there will still be 4 million vacancies.
With America emerging from COVID, many employers want people back in their offices. The conversation about returning to the office is likely to be contentious.
Now that employees have proven they can work from home, they want flexibility, and they’re willing to change jobs to get it, a Deloitte survey has found.
Remote Control Test Bell Case vs. Work is conducted on site at Disney.
Earlier this year, CEO Bob Iger ordered employees to return to their work site four days a week beginning in March. In January, more than 2,000 workers signed a petition calling on Egger to reconsider.
“As you’ve heard me say many times, creativity is the heart and soul of who we are and what we do at Disney,” Iger said in his memo, which was obtained by CNBC. “And in a creative business like ours, nothing can replace the ability to connect, observe, and create with peers that comes from being physically together, nor the opportunity for professional growth through learning from leaders and mentors.”
In February, the Society for Human Resource Management reported that new research offers a warning to employers about implementing such policies. Employees may quit if they are asked to return to the office – or they may demand more money.
SHRM pointed to a recent analysis by Clarify Capital, a New York City financial advisory firm. Illustration of interviewing more than 1,000 remote workers. About 68% said they would rather look for a new job than go back to the office. This number is even higher among Generation Z workers (those under the age of 26), with 79% of whom saying they would look for a new job rather than return to the office.
According to the Chamber, enhanced unemployment benefits, stimulus payments and child tax credits have squandered the finances of some previously hired workers, no longer needing to work or in some cases adjusting to the single-income family lifestyle.
Although employers want people back in the workplace, CBS News reports it is the latest deterrent for millions to return to their offices as they face more expensive commutes. The average cost of a gallon of gas in Washington state was $4.40 last month compared to $2.30 in April 2020.
Transportation costs as well as travel times were an issue for families before the pandemic, especially parents with young children and school-age children. “The pandemic has exposed just how broken the country’s childcare system is: It’s costing parents too much and paying employees too little. More than half of the country’s population lives in a childcare desert,” USA TODAY wrote.
Nearly three in four parents surveyed said accessing childcare is a challenge. Almost one in three parents said they had been reprimanded at work for childcare problems. As a result, 41% said childcare problems forced them to turn down a new job offer.
Not all work can be done remotely. There are requirements on the site for many. For example, assembling a Boeing 777 or fixing a downed power line are not remote jobs.
However, finding a balance that works for both is a huge challenge that requires creativity, flexibility, understanding, and effective two-way communication. Today’s post-coronavirus world is very different and facing problems before they become problems is essential for survival.
Don C. Brunel is a business analyst, writer and columnist. He can be contacted at [email protected].