Recent government survey data show that people are reluctant to seek work because of fear of getting sick. In addition, widespread layoffs and furloughs during the early months of the pandemic left many workers feeling distrustful and vulnerable. 
A lack of trust in employers and the fear of being let go again could keep many people away from the workforce for as long as possible.

Fear Of Coming Back To Work

Help-wanted signs are visible across the economy at a variety of businesses—especially in hospitality, manufacturing, and construction—as trying to hire enough workers amid an economic rebound can be a difficult task. The pace of hiring cannot keep up with demand, even though the current unemployment rate of just over 6 percent remains well above the historically low pre-pandemic levels of 2019.

Not Enough Workers

Understand employees’ discomfort with in-person work. While many organizations are preparing to resume some degree of in-person work, a recent <a href="https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-news/pages/remote-workers-not-comfortable-returning-to-office.aspx">survey</a> reported that 31 percent of workers said they were not comfortable with returning physically to the workplace. 
Understanding how employees feel can help business leaders gauge the importance of offering flexible solutions, possibly including a hybrid of in-person and remote work.

Hire Better: Address Fears Of Working In-Person

Giving no-layoff guarantees to employees, perhaps after a probation period, would increase engagement and reduce mistrust.
After making massive layoffs in the early days of the pandemic, many employers announced in 2020 that they would cease making cuts in their payrolls as a way to stem anxiety among workers. It’s time for employers to make these pledges again as they bring back furloughed workers or hire new people.

Hire Better: Give employment guarantees

Offer higher wages—and not just signing bonuses. To attract workers, including hourly employees, some employers have resorted to signing bonuses. Restaurants, for example, are offering bonuses when people are hired or after a period of a few months. 
Although a signing bonus puts money in someone’s pocket immediately, far more impactful is for employers to pay more than minimum wage as recognition of employees’ value to the organization. Amazon, for example, is offering an average of $17 per hour, above the minimum wage of $15 per hour.

Better Hiring: Higher Salary

The pandemic has hit working women particularly hard, with <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/seven-charts-that-show-covid-19s-impact-on-womens-employment">one in four</a> considering leaving the workforce or scaling back their careers compared with one in five men. 
Among the hardest hit have been working mothers, especially those with children under the age of 10, due to childcare needs and at-home learning. Employers can provide child-care benefits and flexible working hours.

Hire Better: Address the loss of working women

Simple tips to determine if your candidates have the behavioural traits and skills needed for the role

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Companies will need to address employees' needs differently going forward.