The economic recovery and rise in consumer spending following the pandemic have led to a growing shortage of hourly workers in the U.S. The problem? There aren’t enough applicants, and many companies are being forced to take extraordinary measures, such as raising the wages they offer—by 10% in the case of McDonald’s—or offering signing bonuses—$1,000 in the case of Amazon. There are differing views on the reasons behind this phenomenon. Many companies say that the economic aid provided by the federal government is discouraging people from looking for work. But a survey conducted by Wonolo, one of the leading platforms connecting workers with companies, showed that 98.4% of respondents were willing to work as much or more. Of those surveyed, 60% had received or expected to receive a check from the government’s relief program. Competition is fierce. The key seems to lie in workers’ search for permanent contracts, according to several surveys, and the growing importance of having health insurance. In this regard, companies like Amazon and Walmart have an advantage since they have implemented health insurance plans for their workers, unlike platforms such as Uber, which also compete for the same type of workforce but do not offer those benefits.