We have been hearing about the great resignation month after month. For the longest time, I didn’t believe it. People are making the conscious decision to choose better physical and mental health over making a dollar. The workforce is at work, just not for employers who continue to believe that workers need them more than they need workers. Across many industries, it has become employee choice.
Politicians claim unemployment payments are keeping the workforce at home. Wrong! Unemployment claims have dropped each month consistently. The truth is between COVID-19 variant infections and low pay. The workforce is concerned about recovery and taking a hard pass on minimal income.
People are taking a chance on themselves by finding their niche. Creating a product or service to generate an income is a working person’s dream come true. The pandemic conditions have made such a situation for many. Low-wage earners are tapping into hobbies and past times to earn a living and are winning. Corporate workers have been more productive in their home environment and don’t want to give it up. Industries have to realize the game has changed to employee choice.
The last time the workforce had multiple options was during the Clinton Administration. Inflation was high in the mid-nineties, but the opportunity to get top dollar with most employers was prevalent. You could quit today and be offered a higher-paying position the next day without an issue. Within four years, I went from New York, New York, to Los Angeles, California, and settled in Atlanta, Georgia. All of the positions I held during that period were solid positions where I grew. My salary increased with each jump. It’s amazing how history tends to repeat itself.
Employers have to realize that the workforce is no longer waiting to be picked. The days of endless interviewing are over. For every decent candidate, five or more opportunities await. The job market will never be the same. It’s all about employee choice now.