The American workforce has become a delicate thing in recent decades. It has become overrun with H1B visa holders, corporate greed, burnout, economic troubles, you name it. There has been plenty of problems in the workforce, enough so that many are leaving it. None more so than young men and older men in particular.

The share of American men in the labor force hit a record low this Spring, pushed on by a variety of factors. For older workers, retirement comes up. There is also burnout, or the fact they might need to become a caregiver for a relative or spouse. Younger men, they are leaving for school or potentially outdated skill sets. In some cases, burnout has affected even younger workers, causing some mental health issues.

Workplace expert Linda Fisk says this is not a one size fits all situation.

"Men are not leaving the labor force for one single reason, so I do not think we can solve it with one single answer," she says.

One of the biggest things is getting people to believe in the workforce again. American workers have been beaten down for years. They have seen their wages remain stagnant, while people less qualified than them get promoted on the basis of DEI or some other ridiculous reasoning. All of it to struggle to afford food, rent and basic things they need to survive.

It is also far more complicated than just "get a job." Sure, you can find something to make ends meet and pay your bills. But achieving a career path has become a dream more than a reality for most.

So, we need empathy but also practicality in solving the problem.

"The answer is to rebuild the pathway back to work...that could include short-term credentials, apprenticeships," says Fisk. "We have to make re-entry into the workforce feel possible again."

Part of that practicality is first separating the reasons and identifying them.

"The solution all depends on the barrier that person is facing," Fisk says.

The American workforce has become a "jokeforce" for young and old Americans alike.

San Antonio's First News