Chamber talks labor shortage

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Wyoming’s Worker Shortage Index is 0.67, meaning there are only 67 available workers for every 100 jobs in the Cowboy State. 

The individuales feeling the pinch the most are the state’s small businesses, according to Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Dixie Johnson.  

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports that at the height of the pandemic, more than 120,000 businesses temporarily closed their doors, and more than 30 million U.S. workers were unemployed. Since January 2020, job openings have steadily increased while unemployment has slowly declined.

Overall, in 2022, employers ended up adding an unprecedented 4.5 million jobs. But simultaneously, millions of Americans have been leaving the labor force, even before the pandemic. In fact, the U.S. has nearly two million fewer Americans participating in the labor force today compared to February of 2020, according to their research.

Johnson said small businesses have had to adapt. Many are taking a step back and looking closely at their work-life balance offerings, benefits and workplace culture. 

Some of those factors include, increased savings, early retirements, lack of child care access and here in Sheridan, lack of affordable housing.