How many of us now separate time and space into pre-pandemic and postpandemic compartments? We frequently refer to the apparent change in the many areas of our lives and across the country by this timeline and, rightfully so, considering the enormous impacts and ongoing shockwaves. While many of the issues facing employers today are not necessarily new, they are different, more complex, and rapidly changing. Issues are often differentiated as the pre-pandemic environment or the post-pandemic timeframe.
The US Chamber of Commerce reports current workforce participation remaining lower than prepandemic levels with 1.9 million fewer workers today than in February 2020. Furthermore, their data shows there currently exist 66% more job opportunities than available workers. With 9.8 million job openings and 5.9 million available workers, if every unemployed person in the country gained employment, there would still be nearly four million openings.
