Why Is Everyone Quitting Their Corporate Jobs?

The ‘Great Resignation’ is in full force

There is a huge discontent in today's workforce, with more workers than ever flirting with other companies or flat out quitting their ‘secure’ well-paid jobs. What has caused such a demotivated society, and who is to blame?

Here are 4 reasons why employees have turned their back on corporate jobs and in many cases thrown their careers in the bin to start something completely new.

1. Displeasure with employers

The behavior of employers during the pandemic has been questionable across the board. Large redundancies have been seen in most industries and those that have been left with a job have had to pick up all the leftover work, for the same pay or insulting pay increases.

Moreover, the pandemic has forced employees to look more closely at their employers for support. Whether that be financial or no-financial, a need to work for an employer who has their best interests at heart and emotional backing has risen to the surface. It was quite easy to see which companies were offering employees more flexible hours, initiatives like home office allowances, and mental health initiatives to help navigate through these unprecedented times.

The early days of the pandemic reminded us that people are not machines — Alison Omens

Employees get paid to do a job for an employer. But this is not the only thing that matters to them. We are not machines who have been designed merely to work and make a company money. We have a life outside of work that is crucial to keep our sanity in check and to motivate us to do a good job for our employer. With certain desired standards not being met, many have felt a lack of respect from their employer and with this a need to get their coat and head straight to the exit door.

2. Companies inability to adapt to the digital age

Where some companies have created a more stressful environment, others have infuriated workers with their inability to adapt to the changing needs of their workforce.

More people than ever before are seeking remote work and full flexibility to work from anywhere. Some companies have embraced this, like Spotify who has allowed employees to work from anywhere in the world. Others have come out and essentially said that they want all employees back in the office full-time because they can’t trust them. If this was the stance of my employer, I would quit on the spot. This controlling behavior should not be tolerated by any employee. Find a company and boss that respects you and your needs.

Most companies are talking about a ‘hybrid working model’ where they consider flexible working being a mixture of home and office work, giving employees the ‘luxury’ of working from home once/twice a week. This highlights a bit of a power struggle taking place and failure to let go and give the employee the power to decide where they wish to work. Creating a culture of trust means giving the employee the option to work from anywhere at all times, not allowing them to work from their preferred environment twice a week.

What the pandemic has highlighted more than anything is productivity has barely changed since in most office jobs in most cases, with some companies even reporting big increases in productivity from their remote workforce. This could be due to the increased morale of the freedom of choice and being treated like an adult. Combine this with no long, draining commute, there should be no real surprise that people are getting their best work done from home.

3. Working from home has been a blessing for certain personality types

The pandemic and working from home has really suited certain people more than others. It’s true that some have suffered mentally by not having the buzz of a full office with consistent small talk and conversations over coffee.

But Introverts, in particular, have reaped the rewards and flourished working from home. Not everyone enjoys long-winded, often pointless face-to-face meetings that can be a huge energy drainer. Having the opportunity to work from home every day has become such a perk. It has even caused some people to want to work remotely 100% of the time and never go back to an office environment again. As some employers refuse to agree with this stance, many people have started to dust of that CV and seek companies that do.

4. People realize that life is too short to be unhappy at work

A global pandemic shocked the world, destroyed lives, communities and disrupted businesses like never before.

One positive thing that has come out of this is it has allowed a large sum of people to reflect on their current lives and identify areas where they are not happy. As our day job takes up the bulk of our time and 85% of people reported hating their job in a recent study, it has given people that much-needed push to reflect, formulate a plan and take action.

If you are unhappy with the work you do, the time to pull the trigger and switch to a career that will get you energized in the morning is NOW. Don’t live within fear and be filled with regret 5 years from now when nothing has changed.

If you could wake up every morning and do a job that fills you with an immense drive at the start of the day and fulfillment at the end of it, what would it be?

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