From the New York Times:

Interviews with nearly 20 current and former city workers suggest several key reasons behind the city worker shortage: a bureaucratic and lethargic hiring process that makes it hard to quickly fill vacancies; a job market that, in many cases, offers more lucrative and more flexible private-sector options; a pandemic-era hiring freeze that was largely lifted by November, according to the state comptroller’s office; and, according to the city, a rule that an agency can only hire one worker after two have left.

Government used to be able to skate by as the safe alternative to the private sector with better work life balance. Now it has lost that advantage as the job market remains healthy. It also is a pity New York City has dropped the work from home policy. It is now a living monument to our pre-2020 lives.