Overlap Episode 43: It's Not COVID's Fault with Dr. Josh Duplantis

Listeners, y'all are in for a real treat this week, as we have one of the choicest content-area cognoscenti on the Gulf Coast to talk on a topic that continues to be an increasingly important issue across the industries: hiring and developing your workforce.

So, who did our boys Sid and Keith get to come dish on development? Honestly, we all knew there was only one man who could best answer the call - the Prince of Personnel, the Lord of Labor Studies, the Maharajah of Manpower ... it's Dr. Josh Duplantis, the Dean of Workforce Development for the Coastal Alabama Community College System, here to drop knowledge bombs on our boys (though we do somewhat question the mental acuity and judgement of someone who would publicly admit to having Sid as a good friend ... choices).

On his house call to the podcast, Dr. Josh and our boys get into the nitty gritty behind what's wrong forthwith in the workforce world and what we would want to do to help our own businesses wind up with a win.

Obviously, Dr. Josh and our boys have to talk about the elephant in the room of the world's current business situation - the ongoing workforce shortage - but Dr. J slam dunks the explanation on that in a way everyone can understand (even Keith) - the present problem in procuring people and pathetic participation is predicated on a pair of propositions: the en masse exodus of the Boomer generation from the workforce (Okay, Boomers ... as the kids say ... on the TikTak or the TickyTacky or whatever that video app nonsense is) and the walkout of women in the workforce due to childcare concerns thanks to COVID. And Dr. J has the receipts to back up his assertions - spitting fire facts like there are currently only 65 unemployed people to fill every 100 open jobs currently - you're gonna have shortages, son, when you don't have enough people to replace the ones who just noped out on the job market.

Our boys and Dr. J will also get into the nooks and crannies of our culture (and the lazy basement-dwelling, neck-bearded, entitled as hell Millennials still livin' with their mommas), they do also get real and put some perspective on how businesses also need to step their game up when it comes to wages and benefits.

And they'll even get into the tall grass and look at seemingly tangential items like the fertility rate and how it could affect our labor futures (And we can tell you why the birth rate stays so low - it's because there hasn't been a truly great baby-making song put out for the populace since the late, great Teddy Pendergrass released "Close the Door" back in 1978. Go listen to it. Tell us we're wrong ... See, Teddy P knows).

So, how do we energize the economy and enliven our employees? Well ... you'll have to actually listen to this week's episode to get the best bits of brilliance from the Baron of Blue-Collars and Breadwinners (We knew we had one more in us). Listen up, listen well and listen often - we'll see y'all next week.

(And, completely as an aside ... we may have erred in a previous statement. Teddy P did put out "Turn Off the Lights" as a B-side to "If You Know Like I Know" in 1979, and while we cannot currently verify the numbers on it, we do assume a large number of babies may have been made to that song. We appreciate the opportunity to correct our previous statement here and apologize for the error.)