Unemployment now at all-time record lows in Region after workforce shrunk during pandemic
Some retired early, while others opted to become stay-at-home parents after finding they weren't making enough at their jobs with the high cost of child care. Some chose to switch to part-time gig jobs with more flexible hours, such as driving for Uber, ferrying around meals for Grubhub or delivering e-commerce packages.
Remote work also has taken off in popularity during the pandemic, meaning workers are no longer confined in their job search to their immediate geographic vicinity.
"There are many reasons I am sure, but one I am running into more often is that as remote work continues to increase, many employees working from home may be working for companies in other states and not necessarily here," said Desila Rosetti, owner of Organizational Development Solutions Inc.
More people also have been going into business for themselves, pursuing long-deferred dreams. The U.S. Census Bureau reported entrepreneurs launched more than 4.4 million new businesses in 2020, a 24.3% year-over-year jump and the highest single-year total in history. That was smashed by the new record of 5.4 million new businesses launched last year.