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WHERE DID EVERYBODY GO? THE GREAT RESIGNATION
By Joanne Courtney, MHR
H
ave you noticed lately that an alarming number of people are saying goodbye to their jobs? I recently read an article in the Harvard Business Review that said, “According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4 million Americans quit their jobs in July 2021.” A lot of resignations have been attributed to the time we spent in lockdown during the major COVID-19 quarantine. But why? While we were away from the office, a lot of us did some soul searching and asked ourselves some really tough questions. “Do I really like this job?” “Am I being treated fairly?” “Is my compensation correct?” “Do I want to go back to an office environment?” “Do I like where I live?” When the answers started coming back to us, they often pointed to a total career change or a physical move. Some people decided that they absolutely did not like their job. The ravaging effects of COVID made everyone realize that life is short. Men and women alike decided to say goodbye to their jobs. Some decided to try a new career path. Some have decided to downsize or move closer to family and friends. Some have decided that 12 hour days just aren’t worth it anymore. I think people woke up when they saw how frail and fragile life can actually be no matter the circumstances. Young professionals started realizing that they weren’t living their best lives. Life can often feel like you’re on a hamster wheel, going faster and faster. Are you really achieving any goals? People came out of quarantine realizing there could actually be more. There was more time to spend with their kids, more time to travel, and more time to live stress-free. One after another, people started realizing that they could get off the hamster wheel of life that they had constructed and build a better life. A life where the
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commute wasn’t an hour each way. A life where the boss wasn’t an idiot. They could move to a company where they would be appreciated and where they weren’t doing all the work. It’s time for us to get the credit we deserve! Professionals in our community should be able to find a job that allows them to work from home and have more flexibility. They can even create that business that they have always wanted to start. People have woken up and started to dream again! While employees are busy creating their new reality and turning in their resignations, companies have started to look at how they can do things differently. They started asking strategic questions about the future of work. “Does everyone have to return to the office?” “Can there be more flexible options?” In addition, companies have started to wake up and place more value on creating programs that actively hire and promote from diverse and underrepresented groups. “Between September 2019 and September 2020, Indeed, job postings in diversity, inclusion, and belonging have risen 56.3%—from 140 jobs per million to 219.”** Personally, I believe companies are starting to realize the importance of having diverse perspectives reflected in their decisions. We are also starting to see more women and minorities appointed to corporate boards and CEO positions. As you look around at today’s hot job market, start evaluating your current job and personal situation. ask yourself, “Is it time for me to make a change?” You might even decide that it’s time for you to go as well..u Who Is Driving the Great Resignation? (hbr.org) Jobs in Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Have Risen 123% Since May—Here’s How To Get One | Indeed.com
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