ASK THE HEADHUNTER Who broke the labor market?

[deanwebb]

Who broke the labor market?

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[This week’s Question is from a hiring manager who also asked for tips about how to adjust job interviews to increase the chances of making hires. We’ll cover that part of his Q next week.] Question The current employment climate seems to be the new normal. At my company it's just very difficult to get new hires. There's a lot of speculation about why the labor market is so broken, but no one has really identified the reason. Do you have any ideas? Nick’s Reply There's certainly controversy about why so many jobs are unfilled. These are my opinions. Workers

Join us for discussion! https://www.asktheheadhunter.com/15984/who-broke-the-labor-market">Who broke the labor market?

                              

[This week’s Question is from a hiring manager who also asked for tips about how to adjust job interviews to increase the chances of making hires. We’ll cover that part of his Q next week.]

Question

The current employment climate seems to be the new normal. At my company it's just very difficult to get new hires. There's a lot of speculation about why the labor market is so broken, but no one has really identified the reason. Do you have any ideas?

Nick’s Reply

https://www.asktheheadhunter.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/humpty.png" alt="labor market" width="300" height="200" />There's certainly controversy about why so many jobs are unfilled. These are my opinions.

Workers don't need the money?

I don't buy the argument that the temporary extension and expansion of unemployment benefits caused the problem. In other words, people are not riding so high on such benefits that they don't want, or need, to work. We'd have to assume that those workers are idiots who ignore their long-term financial health to groove on short-term income. Recent reports seem to confirm that https://www.businessinsider.com/olive-garden-longhorn-steakhouse-unemployment-benefits-didnt-create-labor-shortage-2021-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">benefits didn't create the labor shortage. USA Today reports that "people understand https://autos.yahoo.com/autos/unemployment-benefits-cut-off-many-100136044.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">there's no future in unemployment benefits."

Are workers afraid of getting sick?

I do think fears of COVID infection make many people think twice about returning to the job market. [REDACTED and edited. Please see NOTE TO ALL at end of this column and before the Comments section.]