On a personal level, one of the challenges that I have faced during the past months of the pandemic has been my inability to visit with customers. This is something that I truly enjoy. While phone calls, Zoom meetings, and emails have been a necessary alternative, nothing beats face-to-face interactions and the discussions that result. Thankfully, as these barriers have started to be lifted, I am once again having the opportunity to meet with people in person. As usual, one of my first questions is, "What problems are you having?" I am happy to report that I have heard many stories of strong business activity and even record backlogs. On the flip side, I have also heard many reports of a serious problem stemming from increased business volumes. One of the major problems is the shortage of workers. The worker shortage is something that we are all fully aware of. In fact, I find it amazing to see help-wanted signs absolutely everywhere. This is a problem that exists not only in the United States, but in other countries as well. The reasons for this problem are myriad, but the million dollar question on everyone's mind is, "How long will it last?"
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