The REAL reason employees aren't returning to work in America.

Many people have their ideas about why workers aren't going back to work. The reality is that most employers used to sell the implication that what they were offering was a steady paycheck. 2020 made it clear that is NOT the case.

[TheSimba]

People are tired of working 40 hours a week and still not being able to afford a place to live

[seanm]

The 2007 recession proved that companies wanted their employees to be 100% loyal to the company, but the company didn't want to be 100% loyal to the employee.

[EasyZee]

There was a time, at least 60 years ago, when your work was like your second family. Employers actually took care of their employees, and when things took a down turn, employers did not layoff their workers, they kept them and made whatever changes needed to be made to keep their workers. That time is long gone. So yeah, why be loyal to companies that treat you like garbage.

[earljames]

WHEN ARE PEOPLE GOING TO LEARN THAT, YOUR EMPLOYERS, DONT CARE ABOUT THEIR EMPLOYEES, ALL THEY CARE ABOUT IS THE MONEY THEY MAKE OFF THEIR EMPLOYEES .

[happydays]

My dad retired from Caterpillar in 2000 making $25/hour, then he started collecting $2400/month pension. Now if I work for that company I could make $11/hour with no pension. I wonder why they can't find help?

[Opusss]

People are sick of being treated like garbage and realized that spending time with your family even if you are poor while you figure something out is a lot more important.

[Sailor-Dave]

Employees have finally learned that almost no employer has any loyalty to them, and will dispense with them at the first opportunity. The only ways to avoid this are to be truly indispensable (not very likely), to work in a highly-unionized or civil service workplace (and even that's not an iron-clad guarantee), or to be self-employed. People, especially in service-related industries, are tired of low pay, unworkable schedules, and uncertain longevity, have decided that they don't want this. Many have upgraded their skills during the COVID interruption, and have kissed the restaurant and service industries goodbye.

[chantalbanon]

I was a registered nurse for 20 years and the last 5 years I helped build a hospice business for someone here in Orange county California. The pandemic hit, I got sick and got fired for missing too much work. Prior to being a nurse I had a small dog grooming business. I bought a piece of property with two houses on a lot and plan to use the second house as a grooming shop. You got to go back to the basics because those are the elements of this country.

[airplanenut]

I applied to a bank in my town that has two branches. Originally it was for the branch closer to my house, never heard back. Later they called me for an interview, but this was for the branch a bit further from my house. Went in, talked, then they told me it was a sort of preliminary interview, and they would get back to me. I even made sure to email after the interview to thank them for the opportunity, and I am looking forward to hearing from them. Never heard back, and ended up getting a job at a local car wash & detail place because I needed a paycheck. The bank has had to alternate which branch was open because of staffing issues. When I asked why this was, I got the same It'S tHe LaBoR sHoRtAgE, nO oNe WaNtS tO wOrK line that you hear on TV. I'm tempted to go into an interview and start off with the line "Hi, I'm Labor, nice to meet you. I hear I'm in short supply right now."

[CantankerousDave]

There’s not a labor shortage, never has been. There’s a wage shortage.

[brettelmerelmer]

Last job interview I had, I played along with all the questions they had for me, and they finally decided to ask if I had any questions for them. I told them yes, I did. With all the nonsense they threw at me, I want to know, from their perspective, why would I want to go to work for them? I guess nobody had ever asked them that question, and they didn't have an answer for me, so I excused myself and went self employed. Last time I checked on that business, I guess everybody there decided to go self employed too, because there was an empty building there with a commercial realty for sale or lease sign in the front window.

[andrewshepherd]

Be concerned when a supervisor or any management that says give us ideas to cut spending. I made a suggestion that maybe they shouldn't be buying upper management Cadillacs to drive home and the CEO quit giving himself 22 million dollar bonus. Whew. They threw up a shit storm of excuses.

[dennisjennings]

When a company views labor as an expense and not an investment, they've lost the game.

[vinzegcs]

Companies announce their record-breaking profits to their shareholders and tell their employees that they won't be getting a raise or bonus for another year regardless of performance because of COVID.

[jaimekaimero]

They make the term 'production increase' sound like a virtue. A 10% increase in production means your working 10% harder for the same wages discounting tech improvements

[SmoBoo]

I truly believe people are trying to find different ways to make money other than a job they spend 40 to 60 hours a week away from their family. It's slavery burn out. We all have become slaves to the system that needs to change.

[MsStanleycat]

And millions found out they could live on less and enjoy watching their kids grow. Priceless.

[jetkingknight]

with the stimulus money I decided to quit my restaurant job and just go to school full time for a semester. It turned out I qualified for many other scholorships and grants and now I'm persuing my electrical engineering degree and can afford to do so.

[jacquieburcham]

Try paying a living wage and include health benefits. It's not rocket science, it's common sense.

[theMermaidRhonda]

Another problem employers caused themselves is ageism. When you get blown off after an interview for a job you can do with your eyes closed for a twenty-something, eventually you just say to hell with it and start your own business. That's what I did and now some of those places that blew me off can't get enough people to work for them. I just laugh because I own two businesses now.