According to NPR, a recent statistic released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor stated that 4.3 million Americans quit their jobs in August. That makes up about 2.9% of the country’s population. Anthony Klotz, a management professor at Texas A&M University, officially coined “The Great Resignation.” Yet, the reasons for all these departures are complicated and unique to each individual.
COVID-19, working conditions, and better career opportunities could all play a part in the great resignation. But, according to the BBC, resignations have been happening at this level since 2019, including a period before the pandemic even began.
Here are some of the reasons some workers cited for joining The Great Resignation:
Remote and Hybrid Work
The pandemic opened up flexible opportunities with remote and hybrid work. Instead of needing a physical office, workers can now complete their duties from the comforts of their homes; this makes work convenient and accessible for all people. With that said, some jobs can’t be performed in a remote setting. But, the lifestyle changes and opportunities that come with remote work are sought after, making people more interested in applying to these positions.
Poor Working Conditions
Some existentialism comes with mass-resignations of this amount. Some workers feel undervalued, unappreciated, and underpaid. For valid reasons, some of these workers are feeling burnout from long hours without a reasonable wage.
Trauma
Research shows that many workers may have left their jobs because of trauma in the workplace and at home; this is particularly evident in areas experiencing extreme poverty and inequality.
Many workers had to prioritize their home life and families and were more willing to leave jobs that weren’t providing aid or support.
Need for Increased Wage
As mentioned above, many workers feel underpaid for their workload; thus, more employees are looking for better opportunities. When team members feel appreciated and well compensated for their jobs, they’re more likely to stay with a company.
Google for Jobs and Job Seekers
So, where does the workforce go from here? The workers have the upper hand, and employers will need to meet reasonable expectations to attract candidates. Hypothetically, further changes made to the Google for Jobs platform could support the job seekers and their career ambitions even more in this developing job market.
By supporting a better user experience and forcing job postings to be more forthcoming about the work being promoted, including pay transparency, there could be a decrease in unsuccessful hires and an increase in satisfied employees. Helping job seekers gain a better understanding of their career ambitions is something Google could assist with.
Career Goals and Employer Transparency
Careers may look very different from now on, and job search platforms need to evolve with the job marketplace; Google for Jobs could help workers not just find jobs but find positions that make them feel valued.
To learn more about the recent changes made to Google for Jobs in their fall update, please read our accompanying articles:
Google for Jobs October 1st Updates – What Are the Guidelines?
What Elements on a Job Posting Page Will Negatively Impact Your Google Quality Score?
The New Google for Jobs Guidelines – What Can An ATS Expect?
