HOW TO SURVIVE THE CURRENT LABOR CRISIS

Amy C. Waninger
3 min readMay 23, 2023

Founder & CEO Amy C. Waninger’s incisive look at the current state of the U.S. Labor Force

A unique, nationally recognized corporate and small business leadership organization, Lead at Any Level LLC® (LAAL), has just released its latest must-read position paper on what’s happening in the 2023 U.S. workforce, Surviving the Labor Crisis. (Download the eBook here!)

Authored by LAAL Founder & CEO Amy C. Waninger, it dispels the current myth — and it is a myth as businesses will discover once they’ve read this engaging essay — that “no one wants to work anymore.” There is a severe worker shortage across the nation that, so far in 2023, has shown no signs of letting up. That long line you’re enduring at the grocery store (many with empty shelves)? Waiting on hold seemingly forever to speak to a customer service rep? Tapping your fingers as you sit waiting for a restaurant server? These are not figments of your imagination. But why? And where did five million workers go after the 2020 COVID-19 onslaught?

Some facts she covers in this eBook:

• Remember the ‘retirement wave’ conversations we were having before 2020? Every day we ushered in ten thousand new Baby Boomers who were ‘just one bad day away from retirement.

• COVID-19 deaths alone may account for 250,000 open positions in the workforce, not to mention the devastating toll on families and communities.

• Service Sector wages are rising, and no one wants to work three jobs. As recently as 2021, Reuters reported that the percentage of US workers who held multiple positions was still increasing.

Waninger addresses these issues and doesn’t waste time cutting to the chase: It’s tough to find good help these days, which makes the cost of turnover even higher for companies, and in turn, a reasonable return on investment in retention strategies even more compelling. She states, “Understanding where the workers have gone and why they are leaving is at the heart of weathering this crisis. It’s not as simple as a better vetting process or a more aggressive bonus structure. Executives must adapt to a smaller pool of applicants and a changing zeitgeist in how their employees view employment.”

Within the contents of Surviving the Labor Crisis, she addresses several factors that can meet these challenges: retention, inclusion, and engagement. Specific factors such as the ongoing retirement of Baby Boomers, a sharp decline in immigration, and a rise in sector service wages, not to mention the allure of working from home, have all contributed to this workforce shortage crisis.

For more about Waninger, her fascinating, formative organization, its books, courses, programs, “Including You” podcasts, and more, visit https://leadatanylevel.com/. To get your Surviving the Labor Crisis, Download the eBook here! and follow Amy on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

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ABOUT AMY C. WANINGER:
Indianapolis-based Inclusion Catalyst, Human Resources Influencer, Corporate and Small Business Consultant/Assessor, and an international keynote speaker– among other skills (!) — Amy C. Waninger is a woman devoted to the development and enhancement of business leadership as well as a champion for the workforce of the world. She is the Founder & CEO of Lead at Any Level LLC, where her leadership improves employee engagement and retention for companies that promote from within. Amy is the author of seven books, including Network Beyond Bias: Making Diversity a Competitive Advantage for Your Career, and has been featured in The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, The Baltimore Sun, and various other media outlets and platforms. She is a Certified Diversity Professional (CDP), Certified Diversity Executive (CDE), and Gallup Certified Strengths Coach. Amy is also a member of the National Speakers Association and a Prosci Certified Change Practitioner. She’s been named a Top 100 HR Influencer globally for four years and has served clients and audiences on all seven continents, including Antarctica! Amy’s other credentials include two degrees from Indiana University and a “World’s Best Mom” coffee mug.

ABOUT LEAD AT ANY LEVEL LLC:
Recently celebrating its fifth anniversary, Lead at Any Level (LAAL) improves employee engagement and retention for companies that promote from within. The organization provides training, assessments, and advisory services that help companies keep their employees — and keep them engaged — because they believe that leaders can be anywhere and should be everywhere within your organization. To schedule a complimentary consultation with LAAL, please visit https://bit.ly/LAALconsult.

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Amy C. Waninger

Helping companies that promote from within keep their employees — and keep them engaged.