What is the driving force behind the labor shortage in the US is?

Question

a lot of people have said the government has given away too much money but data shows that if this is a factor behind it, it's a drop in the bucket. Here's what it really comes down to:

Baby boomers (who were a non negligible part of the workforce despite the claims by all these dipshits that we could have isolated the vulnerable and preserved the economy) were forced into retirement.

Having to spend time at home made Gen X realize that time is more than money and even though they weren't making as much working as many hours as they were pre-pandemic and thus not earning as much, many found that the extra time they had gave them a better quality of life than the luxuries working as much as they did could afford.

Millennials are scooping up the skilled jobs left by boomers and Xers left and right, leaving retail jobs that they had to take during the recession to make a living.

Half of Generation Z hasn't graduated High School yet.

As a side note I think the events of 2020-2021 (coupled with those of 2007-2008) will make us re-think were we draw the lines between generations, but that's another story.

ODC2112 · Accepted Answer

Large resignations are a widespread thing in many parts of the West. There are in the US, Germany and the UK (the UK has a double problem amplified by Brexit). It is not a question related to short-term subsidies, on the contrary it is the dawn of the end of a system that is not sustainable.

The pandemic has shown how toxic the micro-management systems of human resources are for the worker, generally leading to live in continuous anxious situations. Workers who tried to make a living without being treated like human machines now don't want to go back. The profit given by many jobs is no longer enough to pay off having your life sucked like a liposuction tube sucks fat. This is the long-term effect of the massive liberalization of the 1980s. It represents the end of the workers' unions. Like the demise of these organizations, changes occur little by little in the lives of workers from whom productivity is increasingly extracted.

These changes can be described by the story of the frog in the hot water pot. "If you drop a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will of course frantically try to clamber out. But if you place it gently in a pot of tepid water and turn the heat on low, it will float there quite placidly. As the water gradually heats up, the frog will sink into a tranquil stupor, exactly like one of us in a hot bath, and before long, with a smile on its face, it will unresistingly allow itself to be boiled to death. " The frogs in this case the workers have been removed from the boiling water, and in this case they don't want to come back.

The salary in a job is not everything, it is only part of the job, for years companies have not given personal gratifications, the work environment is stressful etc, nobody wants to go back to a meat grinder anymore.

The English big quit on the other hand is even worse is based on the predicted factors and the English stupidity. As you know, the UK left the European Union to the great delight of the American right. However, the English economy employed numerous European workers, both in high-income services such as research or finance and in low-income jobs, such as plumbers, carpenters, truck drivers, farmers, waiters etc...

With Brexit many high-income workers have left because living in a country whose prospects are bankrupt is no longer convenient, they have gone to live in Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Frankfurt and even Milan (I know more than one which were in the top 10% of British incomes before, and having more prospects in Italy is saying something) where growth expectations are greater than in the old England.

As for low-income jobs, now the English Chavs will be able to do them (but they are lax), thanks to the restrictive immigration policies many low-income workers have returned home, they have also escaped from the lousy English health care, they will never return in the UK where they are no longer welcome thanks to the Torization of the Turkish Johnson (real surname was Kemal).

t-8900 · Accepted Answer

Why should Americans have to work 60 hour work weeks while our european counterparts work just a little over half that, have better job security, better wages, more paid leave, get to spend way more time with their kids. Honestly F*** the USA for making it's people work like mules while not even being willing to give anything back to them in return like time off with their families or fair compensation. Ireland is the happiest workforce in the world. 34 hour work weeks, 2 months paid vacation, paternity leave for the couple, that's how you do it. We werent meant to work all damn day and night. I'm not some barnyard animal I'm a goddamn human being. I work to live, not live to work. It's that simple! Work is a means to an end, to earn to be with my family. People want to say that makes me or people with a goddamn once of self worth "lazy"? Okay have at it, go live your life inside 4 walls with people who dont give af about you, being a replaceable no count to a greedy bastard who doesn't know your name.

Ms_Vanderquack · Accepted Answer

There isn’t a labor shortage in the US there is an incentive to work shortage. When a person can work 40 hours a week and still not make enough to pay the bills why work 40 hours a week?

chrissykerdock · Accepted Answer

this is easy open the doors for undocumented immigrants

Diodoro · Answer

We're at a simple adapt or die inflection point. Some restaurants are simply making dumb businesses decisions and are unwilling to adapt.

Aside from the major corporations who have the reserves to last. Any business that doesn't become an employee focused business will die in the next few years.

Why the hell would an employee go into a job where you are now working more than you used to, dealing with added stress from slower times, for the same shitty pay when you know you can make more money elsewhere for less stress?

Doesn't make sense. Places that still have job shortages almost entirely comes down to lack of compensation and workplace environment. a lot of restaurants and other businesses would rather save money by lowering work hours across the board, having fewer employees for the same job, making their job harder and at the same time not paying them more.

True in many bars, restaurants and more

genericname85 · Answer

it's neither capitalism nor peoples mentality that is the issue. the issue is that politics is actively messing us up, gaslighting us, pitting us against each other and rob us of our resources just to benefit the few that have the money to determine the ideologies that are spread to legitimize their power. be it "terrorism", "corona", "global warming". it's always fear mongering about a danger (that may or may not be real) that separates people and gives even more power to the few in control cause separated people are less likely to fight for their rights and are more likely to comply.

listen to the world economic forum and the public announcements of the g20 summits and you know what's up. they are waging psychological warfare against the people. and the people don't see the actual enemy and isntead fight each other. it's so depressing to watch...

bolverk · Answer

Looking at the US labour market from the outside its a combination of factors but the biggest is when Management see the workforce as a disposable item and not one of their greatest resources, for example John Deer have just told there workers at Waterloo, Iowa that they either agree to a three stream wage plan or they will move the jobs overseas and now John Deer are surprised that their workers are striking, it is the same all over the US and Covid and the vaccination/masking mandate only compounding the issues, with those workers who are close to retirement with the institutional knowledge of what keeps their industries working efficiently saying 'sod it I may as well take my retirement now as the company/business doesn't value me' so the company/business who where down scaling like mad when Covid hit has watched as their institutional knowledge walk out the door, not realising the very thing that made their business profitable has gone never to return.

KostasKouvalis · Answer

That's part of it, but I also don't know what these companies are looking for. People WANT to go back to work. They are applying and being denied, because companies have some ridiculous demands that eliminate 90% of the work force. I really think they should hire on a first come first serve basis. Because it's become too competitive. Especially for jobs where they're only hiring one two applicants you have to TRULY stand out in order to get hired. Interviews should also be done away with. Everyone gets nervous and caught off guard. Your interview isn't an indicator of how I will perform at work.

I recently read about a guy in Florida who applied to 60 ENTRY level jobs, and only got two interviews. I don't know what these people are looking for.

Jackblue · Answer

Well maybe the increased emphasis on education this country has is pointless somebody has to do blue collar work too, but nobody is willing to do so anymore. I am teaching abroad in southeast Asia maybe I should think about coming back when my contract expires and doing blue collar work, I would get paid better and be able to live in America again. Hopefully in a few years time we will just do the inevitable, replace all the workers we can with robots and have a Universal Basic Income. Americans whether white or non-white have no right to complain about how much they make. If all the wealth of the world was evenly distributed amongst the people in it even full time minimum wage workers would get less than they are now. It isn't their fault of course most third world countries are socialist in all but name with no real property rights or economic freedom and an entire technologically backward village growing fewer crops than one farmer does in the US. Nevertheless it is the case.

exitseven · Answer

There might be truth to what you say. I have had a 20+ year career as a network administrator and have not been able to find a job in that field. There are plenty of retail and pizza delivery jobs around but nothing in my profession. My benefits have run out and I have been on a couple of interviews but no luck yet.

jshm2 · Answer

You're half right.

Most people don't realise the boomers haven't finished fucking the economy up yet. Their pensions are something like 4 trillions dollars. That's money STILL to be paid to most of them from the tax pot.

This means there is actually even less for you and Gen Z in the future than you believe. Meaning you earn what you do now for a lot less in the future.

Hence you might as well not bust your gut now, as things can't get better for you in the future.

Riebeck · Answer

Seeing internet celebs make millions doing nothing. Corporations increasing workloads while not fairly increasing wage, while also hoarding billions to themselves at the top and never paying huge bonuses to the entry level employees (who are the face of the company)

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

Damn companies don't pay a good salary. All they want is labor at a bargain while they rank in masses amount of wealth for themselves.

This generation has caught to their brainwashing B. S. and are tired of it.

Moreover, internet and social media has opened avenues where people are making money there.

Screw these damn American greedy companies.

johnyash1324 · Answer

lol thats why i'm shifting to germany to get better public facilities and more job opportunities.
I don't know why people don't go for european country and opt america lol

america, Canada are not paying enough anymore
go for australia , new zealand , germany etc.

LATER

Stoner710 · Answer

That’s part of it it doesn’t help that the Biden ministration keeps getting the stimulus packages and unemployment checks to people if they weren’t getting paid by the government to stay at home people would re-entering the workforce

BeenThereLovedIt · Answer

Gen X and millenials are far more progressive than the boomers, which is why those old fucks won't leave congress. They are terrified of the younger generations.

Snakeyes7 · Answer

My guess would be that unemployment benefits pay more than most jobs are able to pay, covid measures had killed a lot of small businesses in cold blood, vaccine mandates have caused a lot job loss and strikes and a general fear of covid.

wankiam · Answer

its not just an American issue... the uk is in a similar position

888theGreat · Answer

Lazy ass people not wanting to work because Gov't paid them not to, so they think if Gov't can afford to pay us not to once, why can't they always? They would rather smoke pot and play games all day then work.

Kiss_Me · Answer

FAR , FAR, FAR to many Government hand outs... Why work when the Government will pay you more than you earn with a job?

blondfrog · Answer

Fear of getting sick, low pay, some places are offering 15 an hour now, and you can sometimes make more on unemployment so its like why not? It's never one thing. It's always usually a serious of multiple things.

HighValue · Answer

Vaccine mandates are a major cause for people quitting their jobs and getting fired recently.

Wester1967 · Answer

Refusal to pay a living wage. The is business model based on wage slavery is now DOA. Cry us a river Satan. LOL

John_Doesnt · Answer

Company's can't treat people like garbage anymore. People have risen up and are revolting against labor mistreatment.

What is the driving force behind the labor shortage in the US is?

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