Nebraska’s employment set another record high of 1,042,762 during the month of May. This is the 11th straight month of record employment in the state. Additionally, Nebraska’s unemployment rate remains the lowest in the nation, and in state history, at 1.9 percent.

“Nebraskans have an unmatched work ethic, which is reflected in our nation-leading labor numbers,” said Gov. Ricketts in a statement to the press. “My administration is committed to making it easy to do business in Nebraska, and communities throughout the state have done great work to attract investment. We’re seeing the fruits of these efforts with impressive growth in the Good Life.”

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that overall, growth slowed in the nation’s biggest cities while some states experienced an uptick in population due to migration to the South and West in the first year after the pandemic hit.

Many young people admit they would prefer to raise their children in a more rural, small-town setting. However, their desired jobs tend to be located in the urban areas. Until now.

The pandemic taught us that working remotely is a viable option, meaning families now have the choice to live - and work from - just about anywhere they choose.

While many were forced to learn to work from home as a result of closed businesses and social distancing, some of those businesses and individuals have seen the benefits of that arrangement.

Rather than jobs being the primary factor in living location, the tide has shifted somewhat to the location itself being most important. That opens the door for small communities to recruit families to live here by “selling” them on the town itself.

Vicky Hendricks spent more than 36 years working at the Callaway Good Life Center. She took over as administrator of the facility in 2012, when it changed hands. However, the two years of Covid took their toll on her. In September 2021 she suffered a heart attack.

“That kind of makes you stop and look at what you want to do with your life. It was a blessing in disguise,” said Hendricks as she fought back tears. “That job was my passion, but stress does take its toll on a person.”

She said stents saved her life. “But I still wanted to work and share all of the knowledge I had acquired, especially through Covid.”

Hendricks began working for a company called TMF Health Quality Institute, headquartered in Austin, Texas. She serves as a healthcare quality improvement specialist, and her role involves working with healthcare facilities to provide education, technical assistance and support in dealing with Covid related issues. It is a career that allows her to use the skills she has amassed over the years, and today’s technology makes that possible to do from the comforts of her own home.

“I miss the people - they were my family - but it’s nice to get up in the morning and my commute is just a few steps into my office, especially on cold mornings,” Hendricks laughed. “I’ve spent so many hours not at my home, I am now enjoying being home, and when I’m done for the day I’m done for the day.”

Hendricks said that being able to use her background to help others has been a very rewarding experience. Most of the people she works with assisting are in the same position she was in. “That seems to put their minds at ease, knowing I have been there and done that,” she said.

Hers is just one example of the changing landscape of employment in America that has resulted from the pandemic. Most experts agree that this new trend is more than just a fad - it is the wave of the future. And for small town America seeking to retain workers, that is good news.