After experiencing two years of record price increases, material shortages and a scarce workforce, it seems that things are getting a bit better, at least with the availability of talent.

I’m not sure if it was the end of stimulus and relief checks, or a more complicated mix of factors, but it seems like folks are getting back into the workforce. We recently hired a great candidate for a somewhat unique position, and it seems others are seeing the same thing. The quality of the resumes we receive is on an upward trend as well.

As for inflation, that is a tougher one. I feel like it can be a self-fulfilling prophecy at times, especially since the Federal Reserve’s target for inflation is 2%. While it does not help the very real challenges of today, maybe we would be better served to look at patterns over time. For the most part, we have not met the 2% goal over the last decade, with 2021 as the glaring exception.