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The Great Resignation: Part 1 - The Employee Perspective

Writer's picture: Laura Hope GoldstoneLaura Hope Goldstone

Yes, it has a name. The pandemic's ensuing unrest among workers, spanning the emotional, financial, and philosophical realms, has been deemed The Great Resignation, a term that strives to capture both the breadth of its implementation (a ripple effect of employee resignations) and its wide-reaching impact (negative for employers and potentially positive for families and individuals).


In this first commentary piece, we'll explore The Great Resignation from the employee perspective, discussing why someone might resign, what's at stake, and the good that can come from this movement.


Quitting in the U.S. hit a fever pitch in July 2021; according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4 million Americans quit their jobs in July alone, leaving a record-breaking 10.9 million jobs unfilled by the end of the month (source).


What would it take for you to quit your job? What is your threshold? Your answer would likely be different pre-, during, and post-pandemic (if we ever truly get there). Before COVID hit, many Americans viewed jobs simply as ways to make money, things they had to do to get by, a means to an end, and nothing more. Even if people had other interests, they often fell by the wayside as people prioritized a steady income over passion projects. Once the pandemic hit, perspectives evolved, and while jobs are still required for financial stability, people are shifting their view on what matters most. Whereas before income was the most important factor, and the job by which money was made mattered less, people have begun to prioritize family, happiness, and health above money. The hierarchy is shifting. Of course people still need to work in order to afford housing and pay bills, but they are being a bit pickier with their employment decisions.


Part of the pickiness comes from the ability to be that way. As many jobs become remote, companies aren't just competing with other companies in the area for talent - they're competing with companies across the entire country (or even the world, for avid travelers). For employees, this means the pool of companies they can apply to has expanded exponentially. Many people who worked in-person or had a hands-on job are looking for remote work instead as well, adding to the tidal wave of resignations and shifting the collective candidate pool in this new phase of work.


People have begun to prioritize family, happiness, and health above money. The hierarchy is shifting.

So what are employees looking for?


  • Purpose - Pre-pandemic, Person A may have accepted a job because it was simply a way to pay the bills; now, Person A might reflect on what actually makes them feel fulfilled and look for a job in a different industry or function that better aligns with their interests rather than just their skills. Person B may also find himself in a role that demands more of him than he deems the job is worth, and he may leave in search of something that makes him feel more fulfilled at the end of each workday. Purpose is something that can keep people in their roles or draw them away, depending on whether it is tapped into or not. It used to be "nice to have," but now it's a must-have for many.

  • Opportunities - With the gig economy skyrocketing, and e-commerce and social media so deeply ingrained in our lives, people feel empowered to start their own companies or do freelance work. They feel they now have the opportunity to make their own schedules, work for themselves, and turn their passion projects and side hustles into their main jobs. Employees also may feel that they are in the driver's seat (given the demand for talent that the Great Resignation is causing) and they want to say no to certain projects or requests, choose which days and hours they want to work, or build their workday with more autonomy. This is especially prevalent among those who have not been able to move up in their companies or add leadership, independence, or additional skills or scope to their roles. Dissatisfaction at work will often lead to employees seeking other opportunities, and during the Great Resignation, freelancing seems to be a viable alternative. An easier alternative (and perhaps one way employers can mitigate the risk of the Great Resignation) is upskilling as it allows you to exploit opportunities where you already work; focusing on professional development may be a way to stay at a company in an expanded or more fulfilling role. But if those opportunities aren't available at your existing company, the point is that they are likely being offered somewhere else.

  • Work-life balance - People have families (in whatever way they choose to define "family"), and with a renewed lease on life after dealing with a public health crisis, they understandably want to spend more of their time and energy on family than they may have done previously. As with any major life-altering situation, perspectives are shifting. Many people are coming to the realization that work will always be there and your role will be filled if you quit, but your family is not so replaceable. This perspective shift is causing workers to look for better work-life balance. And some people don't even have the luxury to choose - they may have little ones at home and either can't afford daycare or choose not to go down that route. In those cases, work-life balance is a must. Sometimes empathy from a manager suffices, but sometimes company policies and norms get in the way of a proper work-life balance. And even for those without children or older family members to take care of, mental health can no longer be ignored in the workplace. Employees want to be a part of a company culture that recognizes that and provides for it in some way. Project-based work with a flexible schedule or at least more lenience from leadership may be a beneficial alternative to a strict 9-5 or a 5-day workweek, as it provides a better balance and quality of life for employees. That might be a start toward a better work-life balance, but everyone's medical and mental health situations are unique yet should all be considered when creating company culture and policies.

  • Competitive benefits - Employees who weren't making the market rate for their role, weren't making a livable wage, or simply weren't making as much money as they could are having a veil lifted from their eyes as remote work expands their options. Companies that offer remote work across the country are likely enhancing their benefits to attract talent - higher pay, more PTO, better health insurance, flexible schedules, bonuses, etc. - and, in a typical survival of the fittest situation, any company that doesn't offer competitive benefits will lose talent to companies that do.


People are shifting their perspectives on how they want to spend their time and how work plays a role in their overall quality of life. Rather than simply working for a paycheck (where possible), many people are reflecting on their purpose, opportunities, skills, and work-life balance, and realizing that they might able to receive better pay, benefits, flexibility, and opportunity elsewhere. With remote work being a more widespread offering, these people also now have a wider pool of options where they can fulfill their newly shaped dreams. Feelings of helplessness and uncertainty have transformed into feelings of empowerment and independence; employees across the country are taking their careers into their own hands and shaping a better future for themselves and their families. Instead of wondering if they're going to get laid off, settling for low pay and high stress, or sacrificing time with their families for long work hours, the Great Resignation is seeing people take initiative and pave the way for a healthier perception of what work should be.


Feelings of helplessness and uncertainty have transformed into feelings of empowerment and independence; employees across the country are taking their careers into their own hands and shaping a better future for themselves and their families.

There also may be a ripple effect happening where as people resign, management becomes harder or more is demanded of workers until roles are filled, causing more and more people to resign. From an employee perspective, one person quitting can add a lot to your plate; this can be a good opportunity if it is a means to a better end, but it can also be exponentially more stressful if there is no end in sight. Employees are weighing pros and cons, benefits and risks, positives and negatives with a more scrutinizing eye during the Great Resignation and are standing for less, which actually could be interpreted as standing for more - for themselves, their health, and their happiness.


And as always, evaluating the situation from an economics perspective may shed even more light. When workers quit, the demand for talent increases. Because companies want good workers, they are willing to shift their offering to pertain to what employees are looking for. When companies need employees, employees are essentially in the driver's seat; employers will have to follow employees - providing them with what they want in order to attract and retain them - to rediscover equilibrium to the job market. And if companies don't follow through, employees will become their own employers, creating their own work around the things they want that they couldn't find anywhere else. The movement of supply and demand is fascinating when looking at the Great Resignation and the shifting job market, as needs and interests and gaps are different now than ever before.


Many people are reflecting on their purpose, skills, and work-life balance, and realizing that they might able to receive better pay, benefits, flexibility, and opportunity elsewhere. And with remote work being a more widespread offering, and freelancing on the rise, these people also now have a wider pool of options where they can fulfill their newly shaped dreams.

Perhaps the entire world going through a pandemic inspired people to care more about society and those around them through their vaccination and mask-wearing status, and in turn, perhaps those people also feel subconsciously motivated to take better care of themselves, as manifested through their career, and their families, as evidenced by their interest in a better work-life balance. That isn't a bad things for employees. What's wrong with aligning your work with your purpose and interests, getting more money, feeling happier, and spending more time with family? Nothing.


And that's what employers will have to deal with, which we'll explore in Part 2 of our Great Resignation commentary.




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©2020-2024 Storyhaven by Laura Goldstone.

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