This Independent Life: why the Great Resignation isn’t a surprise
Since quitting my job in 2022, I’ve spoken to many people who have done the same but for varying reasons. Whether it be to take a promotion at a different company in the same industry, to side step into a new role in a different industry, or leaving the more traditional workforce structure all together to pursue freelance work, their own businesses, or simply a personal passion project. People are taking charge, finding their voices, and putting themselves first in their careers more than ever before.
However, I’ve noticed 1 constant theme throughout all my conversations. Many of these career changes could have arguably never happened if people had felt truly heard, valued, and prioritised by their employers. If people had been supported as an individual in their own right, many may never have come to the conclusion that leaving was the only option.
In my opinion, it comes down to a combination of people reevaluating what they want in life since the pandemic, reprioritising what’s truly important to them, and not wanting to be feel like they’re being used simply as an economic tool by their employers. People are more than their contribution to a company. They are not robots that simply execute on demand no questions asked, they are human beings. They have personal struggles and challenges outside of the office, from their health, to their family, to their financial responsibilities. It’s not just about salary anymore, employees want to feel like their employers are supporting them in areas outside of being a cog in the wheel of the company. 1 job I had early on in my career made me time when I went to the toilet, and I would reprimand by my manager for making ‘too many cups of tea’. Needless to say, my hunt for a new job started shortly after, and whilst never experiencing this level of insanity in other roles, I’ve had many experiences that left me feeling like my employers simply didn’t care about my needs.
People have the freedom to choose how they spend their time, and deserve to feel that their contributions are valued in where they allocate that time. These are simple, basic, fundamentals of being human, and the beauty is, there’s many ways to achieve it. Yet until employers start realising this and taking action to put their money where their mouth is, whether it be through education on the top 10 most common women’s health conditions you didn’t know about to help women employees realise the pain they’ve been experiencing for years and working through regardless isn’t normal, to offering free childcare to all new parents returning to the work, the Great Resignation will continue for years to come.
