Nobody Wants to Work Anymore: Addressing Labor Market Trends

The U.S. job market is in crisis: there is an abundance of jobs that business owners and recruiters cannot fill. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at five reasons why American employees in 2023 don’t want to go back to work.

Low Wages and Cost Savings

The main reason why many individuals are resistant to return to work in the current labor market in 2023, is the lack of adequate wages and pressing expenses rising as the US economy enters a new period of slow growth. When inflation threatens to rise and recession is imminent, society is taking action and demanding higher wages in order to have a better way of life.

Subsequently, individuals turn to the gig economy in search of comfort and begin to look into other employment possibilities, like freelancing from home. This is more than enough incentive to never again have to deal with commuting, according to Adriane Bibby.

Lack of Career Development Opportunities

Another reason why Americans might not be interested in returning to work in 2023 is because they feel like there are no opportunities for advancement within their field or industry. Without career development in the job market, employees may not feel as motivated with their job and may eventually leave in search of better opportunities elsewhere.

In a 2022 survey, the World Economic Forum reported that career development, along with inadequate payment and uninspiring leaders, are major reasons for no longer wanting to work. The lack of career development opportunities is frequently due to limited workplace flexibility and scarce support from managers.

Feeling Disrespected

People also may not want to return to work in 2023 if they feel disrespected by their employers or co-workers. This could include anything from being belittled or ignored, not receiving proper recognition for hard work, or feeling like their opinions aren’t  taken into account when decisions are made within the workplace.

ILO asserted that violence, mobbing, and harassment in the workplace has affected people more than we think. A report known as Experiences of Violence and Harassment at Work: A Global First Survey analyzed numerous societal factors to understand how the lack of respect prevents people from work.

According to this report:

“Globally, 17.9 percent of employed men and women said they had experienced psychological violence and harassment in their working life, and 8.5 per cent had faced physical violence and harassment, with more men than women experiencing this. Of respondents, 6.3 per cent reported facing sexual violence and harassment, with women being particularly exposed.”

Feeling disrespected or harassed in the workplace is at stake of mental health too.

Mental Health, Anxiety, and Stress

A lot of people might be hesitant about returning back into the workforce due to potential health risks associated with it—namely mental health issues like anxiety and stress levels that can quickly become overwhelming without proper self-care and management practices in place. 

For those suffering from mental health conditions, having a stable job with reliable hours and pay can be extremely beneficial. Nonetheless, if these factors aren’t present, or if they are too demanding, it could make going back into the workforce too daunting and stressful. This trend can prevail in the job market in 2023.

Women’s Duties of Care

When deliberating whether or not women should re-enter the workforce, one must consider their duties of care as well. This includes things like childcare responsibilities, taking care of elderly family members, or managing medical appointments and treatments that take a considerable amount of time.

Given it is difficult to find balance between one’s personal duties and full-time employment outside, particularly for women, who suffer the burden of different types of labor —at home, at the office, at school, and so forth— no one wants to work anymore. 

If you want to learn more about the gender gap, watch this video. 

How to Make People Want to Work Again: A New Arrangement

Working remotely will provide a level of flexibility and autonomy that allows people to live a dignified life in 2023. 

It can afford workers the opportunity to manage their own time, enabling them to set their own schedules and prioritized their well-being. When it comes to life-work harmony, remote work is a strategy to prioritize workers and this can be positive for any company. Also, remote work can be a excellent strategy to deal with the current job market crisis. 

In addition, people who work remotely have more freedom to choose when and where they want to work. This allows them the comfort of working in an environment that best suits their needs and preferences, without having to worry about commute times or other external pressures from traditional office settings.

Remote work has benefits for your company too. For instance, outsourcing the recruiting of full-time remote employees can help you save costs and increase productivity. When you decide to nearshore employees to undertake different tasks, you can benefit from intercultural dialogues that lead to creativity and boosted revenue.

Takeaway

With all these factors at play, it’s no wonder why Americans have been slow going back into traditional offices —especially during times like these when there’s so much uncertainty surrounding our economic future.

That said, though, despite all these reasons why one wouldn’t want to go back into a traditional office environment right now, there are certainly plenty of other options available for those who do desire some form of stability without sacrificing autonomy. 

Looking for a new arrangement, like remote work, can be an ideal solution for the current job crisis. If you feel you’re ready to adopt a nearshoring strategy for your company in the U.S. contact Remoto Workforce now. 

Our company is a full-service staffing agency specializes in outsourcing remote employees based in Mexico. A business model designed for US companies.