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V I E W P O I N T S W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 3 D E C E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 2 1 From the Editor T he past two years have brought on all kinds of changes. e worker shortage that existed before the pandemic became itself a major issue for businesses. It's not just the coffee shops, retailers and hotels that are hurting for workers. From con- struction firms to hospitals, skilled workers are in short supply. Wage pressures are affecting businesses of all sizes. Employers have already had to be more flex- ible with workers, but they're also upping the wages they pay. As Said Eastman, CEO of JobsInME, tells reporter Jessica Hall, "If you're paying someone less than $32,000 a year to work full-time, the likelihood of you attracting candidates is slim." See more in "With wages going up, businesses adjust," which starts on Page 20. In a very short period of time, the Roux Institute is already showing its impact in Maine. e Portland institution, which is part of Northeastern University, is aligning STEM education with jobs, as Laurie Schreiber reports in "Planting roots," on Page 16. See also: "Roux startup accelerator is already paying dividends," on Page 6. As part of how the workforce has shifted during the pandemic, Renee Cordes profiled five people who made significant career moves in the past two years. See "e Great Resignation, Maine-style," which starts on Page 12. Peter Van Allen pvanallen@mainebiz.biz Featured @ Mainebiz.biz For a daily digest of Maine's top business news, sign up for the Mainebiz Daily Report at mainebiz.biz/enews 1. Houston group buys Prime Automotive, including Maine car dealers, as lawsuit is settled 2. Portland area home prices expected to increase faster than any in the US next year 3. Proposal dropped for what would have been Cape's first affordable housing project in 50 years 4. Do you think the omicron variant of COVID- 19 will significantly hurt Maine's holiday retail season? 5. 31-acre Saco parcel scooped up for light industrial development 6. Abbott Labs again expanding in Maine with South Portland research site 7. Eh or ayuh? Two 'Maine' magazines sold to Canadian publishing group 8. Banking roundup: New branches; a former Sea Dog takes on mortgage lending 9. Maine Med plans to make its big expansion even bigger, nearing $600M in costs 10. Building Business: 'Moving day' for I-295 bridge overpass will come this spring S C R E E N S H O T / G O O G L E M A P S 1 Get Maine's business news daily at mainebiz.biz and on Twitter (@Mainebiz). Below is our most popular content for the period from Nov. 22 to Dec. 6. bernsteinshur.com Be creative. BE SHUR. When you need a lawyer who understands media and marketing. Digging deeper into how the workforce has changed Employers have already had to be more flexible with workers, but they're also upping the wages.

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