Are We Nearing a Workforce Collapse in Shreveport-Bossier?

I Am Trying to Wrap My Head Around What Is Happening in Shreveport-Bossier.

I love treating myself to an iced coffee on the weekends, however, there has been an issue getting a mobile order the last few weekends. When I tried to order online it told me online ordering was not available, there were a couple of times when I was able to get an online order however when I would show up to pick up my mobile order there was a sign posted saying "Lobby closed, short staffed, all mobile orders use the drive-thru.

The Reason I Was So Frustrated Was That I Didn't Have 30 Minutes to Wait In Line.

I had paid online for my $12 order and I refused to wait so I left. Since then I have called that coffee shop to make sure they have the lobby open and that I won't lose another $12. By no means am I upset with the staff members of this coffee shop, I get it, I own a small business, and finding reliable employees has been a huge pain point for me.

It Seems That Many Businesses in the Surrounding Plazas of This Coffee Shop are Seeking Employees.

You Can't Visit a Surrounding Store Without Seeing a Sign Asking for Employees.

I visited 3 stores in the surrounding area and was shocked at how understaffed they were. What is happening? Where have all the workers gone? The better question is how can local businesses find employees and retain them?

How Will Shreveport-Bossier Retail Employees Survive This Holiday Season With a Skeleton Crew?