The Great Resignation – Why Millions Are Quitting Their Jobs

The Great Resignation is a term first coined in 2019 by Texas A&M’s Anthony Klotz to predict a mass, voluntary exodus from the workforce. Inc. Magazine’s article, The Great Resignation, It’s Here and It’s Real says the following:

According to U.S. Department of Labor, during the months of April, May, and June 2021, a total of 11.5 million workers quit their jobs. Recent studies indicate that it’s likely not over. A survey of over 30,000 workers conducted by Microsoft found that 41 percent are considering quitting; that number jumps to 54 percent when Gen-Z is considered alone. Gallup found that 48 percent of employees are actively searching for new opportunities. And Persio reported that 38 percent of those they surveyed planned to make a change in the next six months.

According to a second article in Inc. Magazine — The Great Resignation: Why Millions of People Are Quitting (and How Employers Can Earn Them Back) — money has little to do with what’s happening. Restaurants are paying servers and cashiers up to $20/hour, yet still you walk into restaurants and they’re understaffed. Whether we’re in Chattanooga, Tennessee or Boise, Idaho the problem shows up wherever we go. Some restaurants have reduced their hours or gone to drive-through-only because they can’t get people to take the jobs. Some even offer big signing bonuses. 

Restaurants aren’t the only ones: “A recent survey by the search firm Korn Ferry found that over 90 percent of retailers are struggling to fill empty positions, even though nearly one in three offer sign-on bonuses and another third have instituted paid referral programs.” says Jeff Haden, Contributing Editor in “The Great Resignation: Why Millions of People Are Quitting…”

Within the last few months, even my son who works in the medical field was given a robust signing bonus and better salary than he’s been offered anywhere else. Chattanooga, TN typically isn’t known for the best pay rates in his area of the medical field, but they gave him an offer he couldn’t refuse to go back to night shift (which he was trying to avoid).

Why are employees leaving? Multiple reasons. Here are a few of the main reasons why according to “The Great Resignation: It’s Real and It’s Here“:

• According to a LinkedIn Survey, because of the pandemic, 74% of people surveyed had time to pause and think about what they really want from their jobs and their lives.
• Over half in the LinkedIn Survey said their jobs stressed them, and/or they were burnt out.
• Some were disgruntled by their employers’ knee-jerk, fear-based responses to the pandemic – like indiscriminate layoffs. This led them to distrust and even become fearful of what their employers might do in the future.
• Some two-breadwinner families rethought whether both people really needed to work. Is it better for one parent to stay home with the kids? Slowing down and simplifying their lives showed many they could get by with one breadwinner.
• One group was fearful of going back to in-person work while the pandemic continues.
• Others pinpointed blamed their demanding narcissistic bosses that they decided they could live without.

It kind of makes me think of when you take a break from a boyfriend for a few weeks and discover, “Hey, this guy isn’t really that great for me. I can do without him in my life! Adios, buddy!”

“The common thread that runs through virtually every motivation for the Great Resignation departures we are seeing is a decision to no longer accept the unacceptable.” (The Great Resignation: It’s Real and It’s Here) People are choosing to “put themselves first” – what they care about, what matters to them, who they want to be, and what kind of environment they want to be in.

One thing not mentioned in the articles is that the extended unemployment benefits and stimulus checks have given some people the wiggle room to be selective about which jobs they take. Some ask themselves, “Why give up a decent unemployment benefit for a job I know I’ll hate?”

My Personal Prediction

Another thing not mentioned in the Inc. articles is something my gut tells me. In working with people, there’s one common thing I’m hearing — people are leaving employers who make vaccination mandatory. Millions still feel uncomfortable with the government or their employers making decisions about what they allow into their bodies. For example, I spoke to a school teacher the other day who put in her resignation because the school board in her state is requiring vaccinations. If employers are losing people because of all these other reasons, will forcing a medical choice lower their employee turnover rate?

In a world where millions are seeking more freedom about how they spend their days, won’t these same freedom seekers-find it unappetizing that their health freedom is being imposed upon? Even people who are pro-vax may not be pro-enforced-vax. There’s a difference between the two. Something to think about…

What Are People Doing Instead?

Obviously, many are shuffling over to other employers with better offers and friendlier work environments. Yet many people are starting their own businesses. They’re working remotely with companies as subcontractors. They’re retiring and doing what they’ve always wanted to do. They’re simplifying their lives and realizing that less is actually more.

Is It Time For Your Great Reinvention?

Are you ready to make the most of this unprecedented season when you have the freedom to step back and consciously choose what kind of life you want to live? Dave and I don’t call it “The Great Resignation.” We call it “The Great Reinvention.” You have a unique opportunity to consciously decide who you want to be! Don’t waste this opportunity! Let’s talk! Book a FREE Great Reinvention Strategy Session today!

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