| Wages are a huge part of it, but right now these companies are trying to go from < 25% capacity to > 100% capacity in just a few weeks. Companies got used to being in an employers market for the last decade or more to an employee market overnight. Plus there are a ton of other factors affecting employees that I really wish reporters would research more. Just a few the ones I've heard: * Got a different (often better) job * Went back to school full-time to get or finish a degree * Lack of transportation - sold their car during COVID and can't afford to buy one now * Lack of childcare - can't find or afford childcare now (demand is pushing up prices there too) * Staying home with the kids - after being forced to do it some people decided staying home to raise the kids is a better life and they could afford to do it * Unemployment is still paying better than any job they can find * Retired - some people were putting it off and others decided to retire early rather than go back to work * Long COVID - still sick or physically impaired months later * Dead - COVID or other causes Long-COVID is the one I would personally like to see statistics around. I know a couple people in their 30s and 40s that are still unable to function normally 6+ months after being seriously sick with COVID. |