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There seems to be a shortage of just about everything in the world. From Pokemon cards to the very worrying shortage of semiconductor chips, the global supply chain is having trouble rearing back to where it was before the pandemic. And not only is the supply chain stalled – demand seems to be soaring, creating the perfect storm.

But material goods are not the only thing that are in short order. A stroll through your own neighborhood will reveal another very real shortage hitting America – the world is short staffed. And although this shortage is readily apparent in the barbershop, the coffee shop and restaurant, it is also impacting corporate America and white collar jobs.

The Pandemic Accelerated the Worker Shortage that Was Already On the Horizon

The pandemic seems to have accelerated us down the road we were already headed down in multiple areas. For example – before the pandemic, remote work was already becoming more and more common. Now more than a year into this, remote work has become the norm, not simply a perk.

The same could be said for the talent shortage. Already, with no sign of pandemic in sight, studies from McKinsey and others were predicting a shortage of skilled workers that would become a real issue in the very near future. Indeed, many employers were already reporting a shortage of workers able to fit the skills required to do the job they needed done in a pre-pandemic world.

Why is the World Short Staffed?

Although unemployment benefits and lower than living wages for many service jobs might be to blame for the shortage of workers at your local restaurant, the reason for why businesses are finding it even harder to find white collar workers is even more complicated.

Workers Don’t Want to Give Up Remote Work

Perhaps one of the main reasons as for why employers are unable to find workers to get the job done is due to the fact that more than ever, workers who got used to the benefits of remote work would rather quit than give them up.

To combat this, the vast majority of companies are turning towards technology to make flexible work a reality. Doing so can help them combat the very real talent shortage. 

Jobs Aren’t Where the Workers Are

The mass migration that occurred as a result of the pandemic shifted workers away from the business hubs of the world. For this reason, workers are no longer physically located where the companies HQ happens to be. For jobs that require workers in office, this is catastrophic. However for white collar jobs that are able to be done remotely, enterprises have a new and solid incentive to make their workplace remote worker friendly, either through full time remote work, hybrid work, or a combination of both.

Workers Are Quitting their Jobs En Masse

During the uncertainties of the pandemic, many workers chose to hang onto their jobs while waiting for a better, brighter, more secure future. Today, however, with much of the United States opening up to full capacity once again, workers are quitting their jobs. And why not? They’ve had over a year in relative isolation to think about their lives and consider the change. Of course, jumping ship for a company with a more remote friendly culture is driving workers to switch jobs, as well.

Technology Can Help Businesses Battle the Worker Shortage

Increasingly, enterprises are turning towards advanced technology solutions to assist with the worker shortage.

In 2020, for the most part, that meant ensuring secure, effective and productive remote work for all employees, contractors and agents. In 2021 and beyond, however, things get even more interesting.

In fact, the majority of business leaders today not only desire support for remote work moving forward – they desire a hybrid work model.

But making hybrid work possible is easier said than done.

To make hybrid work possible in your complex deployment, learn how Stratodesk makes it easier. Book a demo with one of our technology experts today!

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