This is what I think is influencing many to not jump back into the low-skill labor market...Quality of Life and Conditions.
Many in my small business network HAVE increased wages to no avail in finding decent team members.
And I will say, ‘let’s be honest here,’ working in any sector of service industries can be a challenge to what one has to put up with from bosses and customers. I was in retail for several decades from cashier to District Manager and have seen it all. From bad staffing/managers to downright abusive customers or customers that just come in a trash the store without buying or accepting assistance.
We often over the years have even seen folks here on FR mock tipped employees because they fail to get tipped or have lousy wages etc. While many here will attempt to blame the business owner, it is a function of the consumer too. The demand for low priced goods and low priced luxury services influences profits and wages. In particular in the services sector it is tight margins. Many of my colleagues took the bait of a volume based service business and now are feeling the pinch of a tight labor market. And frankly, people who are not willing to jump back into the game because a client gets upset over a muddy pawprint on the floor on a rainy day after a dog walk. Yes, a single pawprint triggering an elitist customer demanding a refund and not to send that employee again.
I recently let a client go because of her attitude. We have systems in place to make it easy for our clients to book and schedule services 24/7. She insists on calling/texting/email and expecting an immediate response. She did this to me while working with an aggressive animal. Her distraction level was so intense even I was triggered.
Conditions matter and it is the consumer who sets those conditions.
See my reply #55... We're on the same page. The incentive has switched. You or the owner of your company will start dropping customers they'd rather not work with... if the business owner doesn't respect the new incentives a worker will just move on. Companies are getting selective on a new level. Everyone's money is green so that's not a primary incentive in these unusual times. Charging more would be the old capitalist solution but if you can't keep employees... well, then 'employees' become wealth. It's gonna be interesting..