I didn't think you sounded self-centered particularly. But I do think there is a lot of job migration going on as people prioritize their families and health over their jobs. Or, their previous job wasn't a "career" and they've had time to pursue different avenues for income that work better for them.

Hairdressers who worked in chain, quick haircut kinds of places weren't making much to start with - those were rather low paying jobs with long hours and few benefits. They were working a job that constantly exposed them to the public very up close and personal. (We are pretty certain my husband got Covid when he went to a haircut place like that - and his Covid killed him.) They may have gone into a different job. They may have gone to a better salon that will provide better hours or benefits. Hard to know.

My daughter-in-law is right now in the process of quitting her job in a retail pharmacy, a job that twice exposed her to Covid - she's suffered horrible long-haul Covid problems after two bad bouts with the illness (she's immunocompromised, so even vaccinated, she is much less protected than most people). She's taking a different type of pharmacy position that doesn't require her to constantly be exposed to the general public, AND she'll be making much more money.

People are on the move. They've realized their priorities have changed and their options are different.

So, those former hairdressers may be working somewhere else for better pay and better benefits. Employers unwilling or unable to provide strong benefits are being priced out of employees. I suspect we'll see permanent changes in how restaurants work, how businesses work, etc., because this pandemic has shown exactly what is possible - and it is different than before the pandemic.