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It's never been a better time to be an employee.
Union membership continues to decline, but the American worker has never had more power.
In Plymouth, MA this past weekend the line at Dunkin Donuts was insane, and as I approached the drive-thru a sign indicated that jobs were available that would pay up to $19 an hour.
Employers continue to ponder the post-Covid economy. In-particular, what will the office look like this fall?
Simple answer is, whatever the work force wants.
Flexibility is the buzz word that keeps circulating, ie: workers want a greater emphasis on "life" in the work-life balance.
On the State and Federal Government side of things politicians are being peppered with questions about what to do on this issue.
Officials have, in my view, rightly cited high unemployment benefits as being a detriment to individuals taking on "lower wage" jobs.
However, the NH unemployment rate currently sits at 2.5%. Now, that number is misleading because it doesn't count those who have dropped out of the workforce.
Wages and flexibility are the keys to acquiring and retaining a workforce.
Government has long provided a social safety net for those who are unemployed or are disabled, but isn't it time to consider either re-allocating or developing greater incentives to either recruit or keep workers in 'Essential' jobs?
A lot of the work force issues focus on entry level positions, but what about the nursing, clinician, and doctor shortages?
As demand for services continues to increase, and Americans have less desire to put work first in their work-life balance, these are real issues at the intersection of government and the private sector that need to be addressed.