When the pandemic hit in 2020, most of the world shut down and many people were left without a job, either temporarily or permanently. Later that year and into 2021, most industries began slowly opening up again, oftentimes in a different capacity than before the pandemic hit.
Nevertheless, the trend of people quitting their jobs is on the rise. For some, they just never returned to work even once their job became available again. For others, they decided to quit after returning to work.
Here at Transition Staffing Group we have seen this trend and we have tried to answer the question looming over “The Great Resignation”; why are people quitting their jobs?
Are people quitting so much because they are afraid to go back to working a job in-person? According to research done by The Predictive Index in their 2021 People Management Report, 79% of people feel comfortable going to work in-person, 12% are indifferent, and only 9% do not feel comfortable doing so.
Despite most people feeling comfortable to work in-person, nearly 50% of people have considered quitting and changing their career paths in the last 12 months. Because of this, companies are becoming more in need of solutions to acquire and retain high-quality employees.
If the surge in resignations is not due to people feeling unsafe or uncomfortable at work, then what is it?
Simply put, many people are just feeling burnt out from rapid changes to our working environments along with scary health changes on a global scale. Managers are people too, and many of them are also feeling burnt out.
According to data from the same research, more than one third of people feel as if their manager is burnt out, and about 40% consider themselves to be burnt out. Most of us have worked more than one job in our lifetime. Chances are that if you have worked multiple jobs, you have experienced both good and bad bosses.
But what exactly is the impact of a manager on how people view their job?
Along with stability, income, and convenience, a healthy working environment spearheaded by a good manager is a huge contributing factor. According to the 2021 People Management Report, 70% of employees who consider themselves having a bad manager say that their team members are considering leaving, and 63% said that they themselves are thinking about leaving their job.
Although these thoughts of leaving do not always correlate to actual resignations, it is telling of the impact that a manager can have. Especially if managers are experiencing burnout themselves, the morale of a team can be diminished.
Especially for companies that work remotely and barely interact, morale is hugely significant in retaining employees. Since the start of the pandemic, people are experiencing stress and anxiety more than ever, and having a good manager who can make work a positive and healthy experience can help retain quality employees who value how their work affects their mental health.
The concept of “The Great Resignation” is making many industries short-staffed, but is also giving many people a chance to rethink their career path. Whether you are one of these people who has resigned and is seeking a new opportunity, or whether you are an employer struggling to retain your talent, Transition Staffing Group has your back.
Please feel free to give us a call at (858) 404-9900 or send us a message with your questions or comments. While the landscape for jobs is changing, there are still great jobs and quality candidates out there waiting to be connected.