Page 4 - The EDGE Fall 2022

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
BY DALE PONDER
So, where did everyone go?
Dale Ponder
We’ve all experienced it. Shopping in stores with
shelves that are little barer, less frequent refresh
of hotel rooms, two-day Prime shipping from
Amazon may not actually arrive in two days, or
Jimmy John’s Sandwiches unexpectedly closing
with a sign taped on the door reading, “Sorry! Had
to close early. Not enough workers!” Did the Blip
happen where Thanos snapped his fingers and half
of our population was gone?
So, where did everyone go?
In late September, I had the opportunity to attend a
national leadership conference where there was a great
deal of emphasis placed on recruitment and retention of
staff, “grow your own” programs, and other leadership
development strategies. The conference attendance
was represented by employers from oil and gas
refineries, a variety of retail spaces, medical facilities,
large and small municipalities, other school districts,
cosmetic and beauty companies, and manufacturers of
construction materials, to name a few. From discussions
with others attending that leadership conference, I
quickly learned that regardless of the industry or state,
Arizona’s schools are not alone in that we’re all still
facing the same challenges – finding people.
So, where did everyone go?
In a report published in September 2022, the
US Chamber of Commerce states that, in 2021,
more than 47 million workers quit their jobs to
search for improved work-life balance, increased
compensation, and a stronger company culture.
Because hiring rates have outpaced resignation
rates since November 2020, the US Chamber of
4 THE EDGE
Commerce is suggesting a change from the term of
The Great Recession to “The Great Reshuffle.” This
is mostly caused by people leaving one job for what
they consider to be a better or advanced opportunity,
so the net change, overall, is neutral.
So, where did everyone go?
Some studies show that birth rates aren’t as high as they
once were, and we haven’t fully recovered from the Great
Recession of 2008. Others believe that it’s the aging
workforce and the pandemic was an accelerant to what
was already becoming a tighter labor market, even before
Covid-19. In 2019, the labor shortage was expected to
gradually decline instead of the rapid fall we have recently
experienced. At the top end, many baby boomers were
seeking retirement.
As of October 2021, the pandemic drove more than 3
million adults into early retirement. The number of adults
at age 55 and older exiting the labor force due to retirement
grew from 48.1% in 2019 to 50.3% in 2021. During the
pandemic, I was looking at my Arizona State Retirement
System statement at least twice a day, so I understand this
one. Needless to say, I’m still working so the numbers did
not provide favorable results. This movement caused the
labor market to become more advantageous to existing
workers where they could apply their experience to the
vacated positions for an improved opportunity.
So, where did everyone go?
When surveyed, nearly one in three women indicated
the need to remain at home to care for children or
other family members who were impacted by the
pandemic and unable to return to the workforce. The
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FALL 2022