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As the world began to emerge from more than a year of pandemic-related uncertainty in May 2021, an avalanche of photographs showing signs about businesses being “short staffed” because “no one wants to work” appeared on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
One very popular April 2021 tweet (and assorted Facebook posts) showed a sign taped to a Sonic Drive-In menu in Albuquerque, New Mexico:
Sonic in Albuquerque says “No one wants to work anymore.” pic.twitter.com/CR128n60mM
Examples
The Facebook post linked above included an image of the same sign, with the following lament:
This is a Sonic in Albuquerque New Mexico. I guess if you pay employees more on unemployment than when they work, they tend not to work. Who knew ??
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce is planning an expo Sunday that will allow Latino business owners to showcase their products and services.
New Mexico businesses scramble for new employees
PILAR MARTINEZ, Albuquerque Journal
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) Job vacancies at Fresquez Companies have numbered in the dozens for the past several months.
With few applicants and nearly 80 open positions, the company which owns and operates multiple restaurants in New Mexico, including both locations of Mac’s Steak In The Rough and airport eateries like Black Mesa Coffee Company decided extra incentives were needed to bring in applications.
Eventually the company landed on offering a $500 sign-on bonus for every new hire.
“I think part of it is, it’s almost like we’re competing with unemployment,” administrative assistant Dory Nuñez said. “… Why would anybody want to, I guess, start at a minimum wage job when they can be earning more money … on unemployment?”
Eventually the company landed on offering a $500 sign-on bonus for every new hire.
“I think part of it is, it’s almost like we’re competing with unemployment,” administrative assistant Dory Nuñez said. “… Why would anybody want to, I guess, start at a minimum wage job when they can be earning more money … on unemployment?”
Fresquez Companies isn’t alone in the struggle to find employees.
Help wanted signs are cropping up in the windows of many restaurants and businesses around the city and state.
“It’s a big struggle,” Twisters COO Bahjat Shariff said. “People are making a lot more money being unemployed than employed, and the world is coming back to dine-in and eat-in a little bit at a time, so the stimulus really paused people applying to jobs.”