As the year comes to a close, headlines focus on job numbers and economic growth. But those numbers don’t always reflect what work actually felt like for millions of people.

In this episode, we look at the realities behind the data: job loss, delayed unemployment benefits, workforce systems under strain, and families navigating instability even while being counted as “employed.”

This isn’t a recap of statistics. It’s a reflection on what this year of work demanded from people and how often the systems meant to support them fell short.