Bureau of Labor Statistics
that the economy added 559,000 jobs in May, with the unemployment rate at 5.8 percent.
Of the 7.6 million jobs that remain lost from the pandemic, close to 2.5 million are in the Le
isure and Hospitality industry, which includes restaurants, hotels, and entertainment venues. The biggest challenge persists in people's willingness to return to work, as they receive equivalent to the industry's average wage, depending on the state, in unemployment benefits and the additional $300 federal stimulus.
"The challenge to find skilled and service workers remains a real threat to company growth and productivity. The difficulty of filling both white- and blue-collar roles creates hardships to keep up with demand across industries – inevitably impacting a full economic recovery in those sectors and the local areas in which they operate," says Jay Denton, chief analyst for ThinkWhy.