Since the 1970s, working men, particularly those without college degrees, have experienced lower employment rates, increased social isolation and growing health risks. Today, we are starting to see early signs that this problem may be abating.

But lately, men have started going back to work.

During most recessions, the male employment rate falls and never returns to its previous level. Following the short but sharp COVID-induced recession, working-age men are defying the odds.

The multi-decade drop in male labor-force participation has been driven by both demand-side and supply-side factors. Automation and globalization have reduced the need for workers whose jobs primarily involve repetitive manual tasks, especially in male-dominated industries like manufacturing.

Supply-side factors contributed to this downward trend, too. Many of the men who dropped out of the labor force wound up on federal disability programs that effectively subsidize non-work among those who could be working with proper re-skilling and support. The opioid crisis serves as both cause and effect in male non-work, with nearly half........

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