Worker Shortages In Our Community

Fewer and fewer employees are showing up to work.

Margaret Moya

When showing up to an establishment to buy a product, an employee is usually in the building to assist an individual if needed. However, there have been more and more people not showing up to work or refusing to work, even though they are able-bodied and qualified for a job. 

 

Employees not showing up to work affects the establishment’s customers, as certain places require an employee to provide services for a consumer. Abbey Carter, a student at Somerset Academy Canyons, has experience with the lack of workers at an establishment. She wanted to get a hot chocolate at the McDonalds located on Military Trail, but there was no one inside, despite the time being three hours after the McDonalds opened. She was “very disappointed” that she could not get her hot chocolate simply because no employees bothered to show up. There probably were others who felt the same and also wanted to go inside and buy food but could not because there was no one to assist them.  

 

Some unemployed individuals are not working because they want a better work environment or wages. Around 2.6 percent of people living in Palm Beach County are unemployed, and many establishments are looking for workers. Such is the case with Rocco’s Tacos, a restaurant chain throughout Palm Beach and the Delray Beach areas. The owner says he is looking for a large quantity of employees to replace those that have quit or lost their jobs. This is perhaps because not many people are eager to be waiters or bartenders since the pay for those jobs are mediocre. Some may want jobs that will pay them a decent salary while not being stressful or tedious, and because of this, certain people will not apply for many, or even any, jobs. 

 

On the contrary, some individuals may struggle to find a job they want to apply to because there are so many options. People are quitting their jobs, and the lack of workers has led to many positions waiting to be filled. These job positions will remain unfilled until people apply for the position, and some may feel intimidated by the large amount of options available.