The “Great Renunciation”, the phenomenon of work experienced in the United States

After a year and a half of the pandemic, and as a result of its effects, the United States is experiencing a unique social and work phenomenon: Workers quit in unusually high numbers, a fact that sociologists have dubbed the “Great renunciation”.

This term was coined by the professor Anthony Klotz, from the Mays School of Business at Texas A&M University, in an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek.

The expert argues that people who had kept their jobs during the pandemic due to uncertainty are now ready to change and quit their current jobs in favor of something better.

“I think there are a lot of people who are planning to change their life. and that often means a turning point in their career, ”Klotz said in an interview with British broadcaster BBC Mundo.

The first sign appeared last April, when four million employees, 2.7% of the US workforce., they suddenly quit their jobs, setting a historic record. This phenomenon has continued to grow.

In May 3,600,000 Americans resign, and it’s happened in different sectors of the economy, according to Gallup, the North American analytics and consulting firm.

Changes, product of the crisis

A study by this firm reinforces the concept: “Businesses face an insanely high churn rate and a record number of vacancies ”. Although at the same time, he notices that resignations are looking for new positions, with better wages or benefits.

“Workers in all job categories, from customer service to highly professional positions, actively or passively seek work at roughly the same rate,” says Gallup.

“There is a lot of turnover in low-paying positions where people don’t really have a career progression. If you find a job that offers you just a little more, changing it doesn’t cost you anything, ”labor economist Julia Pollak told the BBC.

The causes

The causes that led to this kind of labor loss are very different, although all are based on the particular circumstances people had to endure during the health crisis that rocked the world.

“There are those who wanted to resign in 2020, but were forced to postpone their decision until this year due to the pandemic,” the experts tell the BBC, adding: “Others suffer from burnout due to excessive workloadthe. There are also those who give up because their life priorities have changed ”.

The coronavirus pandemic, sociologists point out, has offered many people the opportunity to do a balance in your professional lifebecause they were forced to work from home. In addition, there are those who have suffered the loss of their jobs or have been suspended. It meant great pressure under very difficult circumstances.

On the flip side, traditional labor standards have been altered during these pandemic months, prompting people to re-evaluate what they seek, want and expect from their jobs.

There are many cases of employees who They quit because their companies forced them to return to the office, something they weren’t willing to do. They prefer to continue with teleworking or a flexible system that combines face-to-face and remote work.

For some specialists, the “Great Renunciation” is not only a product of the pandemic, but has to do with a tendency for high labor turnover it comes a long time with young people. The health crisis, they add, has only accelerated this process.

Others, like Anthony Klotz, see it as part of a deeper transformation of the US labor market. And he declares that ICompanies must adapt to the “new normal” so as not to lose the most talented employees.

“Those companies that offer greater flexibility in terms of remote and hybrid work have more opportunities to recruit workers globally,” he said.

DV