“For as long as I can remember, businesses have viewed their competition as other companies making products or offering services similar to theirs. Apple versus Microsoft, Coca-Cola versus Pepsi, Marvel versus DC … you get the idea. But Covid-19 has upended that belief in a major way.
I’m not saying the traditional view of competition no longer applies. It certainly does. But as we return to “normal life,” companies aren’t just competing for consumers. They’re competing for employees — and the vast majority of businesses are ill-equipped to position themselves as attractive workplaces in a world reshaped by virtual work and a surplus of vacancies. We thought the big question coming out of the pandemic would be, “Will consumers be willing to do the same things they’ve always done?” But here we are, traveling, seeing movies and eating at restaurants like we were pre-2020. The question we didn’t anticipate was, “Will people still want to work the same type of jobs once the entire labor market is upended?” So far, the answer in many sectors has been a resounding no. In June, American Airlines canceled hundreds of flights. Why? In large part because of labor shortages. Walking around downtown New Orleans recently, I could feel the lack of staff in certain establishments. No matter where you live, I’m sure you feel it, too: A lot of jobs are unfilled right now."
