Get a job. Those three words are often used in a condescending way, but they are maybe more important today than they have ever been.
Our nation’s unemployment rate in June was at 3.6 percent. In Iowa, it was 2.6 percent. Those are very low numbers, which means the pool of people to hire from is low, too.
Meanwhile, Iowa employers added 5,100 jobs in June. The total number of working Iowans increased to 1,665,500 in June — 8,200 higher than May and 57,900 higher than one year ago. The number of unemployed Iowans decreased to 43,900 in June from 46,800 in May.
Those statistics are all good signs that more and more people are getting back to work. Meanwhile, there are still about 89,000 open jobs across the state.
These numbers can be spun in a number of ways as one political party wants to take credit while another wants to point out what still needs fixed. As a past boss of mine used to say, “Figures lie, and liars figure.”
Regardless, we still need more Iowans to “get a job.” When I talk with business owners, they continue to say that the inability to find workers is their No. 1 inhibitor to growth. Close behind now are supply chain issues and inflation.
So here’s the bottom line. If you are capable of working, please consider doing so. Our economy needs you. Ten hours a week, or 20 hours per week, or whatever you can do. Every hour worked will help make the economic engine turn. The end result will be better customer service, improved products and more people contributing to our society in positive ways.
Employers often note today that getting employees to work 40 hours is a growing challenge. That’s a societal change that is being seen across the board, for a number of reasons we won’t get into today. Meanwhile, employers have discovered that they now need to hire two or three people to put in those 40 hours. That’s not necessarily a bad thing; it’s just different, and successful employers are learning to work with that model to help move our country in the right direction.
Now if we can just get the supply chain and inflation issues under control. One step at a time.
Have a terrific Tuesday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305 | 
