People are not ready to quit.
The term "The Great Resignation" refers to a wave of people quitting their jobs globally in the past year. Dissatisfaction with management, working conditions, lack of a personal life were some of the reasons why people resigned. Many of the global workforce left for pastures new when it became apparent that their employers were no longer the right fit.
Look at the numbers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has tracked the number of workers leaving their jobs voluntarily since 2001.
The movement hasn't shown much if any sign of slowing down. In February alone, there were over four million resignations in the United States. The trend has trickled over to Singapore, Australia, the UK and online.
A string of phrases related to quitting have taken over feeds on social media. Posts range from being vulnerable, angry, painfully honest, and liberated.
The #quittingmyjob has over 120 million views on TikTok. Videos under this umbrella share similar features, such as people explaining the working conditions that pushed them over the edge, presenting POV takes of their individual circumstances.
TikTokker posted a two-and-a-half minute video just before she was about to quit her job. The post had over a million likes. The TikTokker's personal tipping point was apathy over a family emergency after her employers allegedly encouraged people to come into work despite testing positive for COVID.
Jamie Mackenzie is the director at employee engagement firm Sodexo Engage. The need to quit is propelled when employees cannot sense this.
Employers need to show compassion and empathise with people who have been affected by the Pandemic. The leader must take time to understand people's challenges, operate an open-door policy, and perhaps even provide paid days off to boost mental wellbeing.
"The pandemic pushed many people to new levels of stress and anxiety, so employers need to show both empathy and compassion."
Gen-Z is looking for jobs in places where they feel valued, both as a result of their learnings during the Pandemic and an all-encompassing second look at what satisfying work should mean. Eighty percent of Gen Z's job transitions are on a year-to-year basis. More recent research shows that 55 percent of Gen Z and Gen Z would quit their jobs if it interfered with their personal lives.
Thousands of employees around the world have experienced stress and lack of compassion in the workplace, according to in-depth videos on TikTok.
The term #greatresignation has over 158 million views on TikTok. Users reenact or mock conversations with managers who deny time off or say things like "If you can't make this job your number one priority, it probably isn't right for you."
While many share their reasons for leaving careers, there are also those who use social media to celebrate the chance at a clean slate. The creator of TikTok asked viewers to comment on why they left their jobs. Mental health effects, toxic interactions with colleagues and bosses, and lack of boundaries were some of the reasons given. A person wrote: "2022 new job new life!!"
These recent confessions quitting rely onclamation points and cheer. The tone is mostly "I'm moving onto something bigger and better."
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
In other spaces online, the r/antiwork forum has unlocked an altogether different path, consisting of those who either don't think we should be working at all, or those who want work to leave us more fulfilled than it has historically. The space is filled with political philosophy, sociological texts, and discussions about work struggles. There is a conflict over what working in the twenty-first century should look like.
In the realm of 140-character thoughts, most users detail their happiness at finally quitting. They can finally pursue a dream career after handing in their notice, or they can improve their mental health after handing in their notice. Many are rethinking their priorities and what an ideal career and work-life balance should look like.
Anna Lundberg, a career mentor and founder of One Step Plus, says that people are questioning the conventional corporate career ladder and looking for more flexibility and work-life balance.
The exodus of employees has continued well into the future. What does this mean for the future? The consensus seems to be that of getting the best conditions for a workplace.
The movement has made it possible for people to search for what they deserve. A healthier workspace would be an ideal outcome of resignations worldwide.
Tweet may have been deleted
Not everyone has the option to change careers. It's a privilege to make this move. The unemployment rate has fallen to 3.6 percent in March 2022, but the impact of the Pandemic remains in many households. You can leave a job if you can afford it. There are factors that come into play.
The Great Resignation is limited to people who are in a position to do so, and believe that the right environment exists somewhere. Digital spaces show a lot of people who fall under this group.
The urge to quit appears to be here until one finds the right space for them. Agency, social connectedness, and purpose are woven into the mix of factors that make up the search for a career.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
