Another factor, adds Dwertmann, is the wave of Baby Boomer retirements that left still more gaps in the workforce. “It"s kind of the perfect storm,” he says. “I think Covid-19 probably for [Boomers considering retirement] was a great reason to say, ‘You know what? I"m done.’ Because these are the groups that were at the highest risk of Covid exposure, especially working in some face-to-face service jobs. I think if they could afford to do so, a large cohort of that particular population just chose to retire. I would assume that many of them will probably never come back into the labour force.”