The term is apparently credited to Anthony Klotz, a professor of management in Texas, who in May 2021 foretold of a wave of resignations as lockdowns ended and people reimagined what normal life could look like. It’s already hit the US with 4.3 million people quitting their jobs in August, according to US Bureau of Labor statistics. Closer to home, PwC surveyed 1,800 workers across Australia and found that 38% plan to quit their jobs in the next year.
Additionally, Visier’s report ‘Stop the Exit’ had these key findings:
- In 2020, people wanted to quit. In 2021, they actually did it.
- Those with 5-10 years tenure are most likely to leave.
- Increased resignations across all age groups – even in the more stable mid-career range.
- Women are resigning at higher rates than men.
Great resignation of women?
A 2021 US report by McKinsey & Co indicates that “women are even more burned out than a year ago, and the gap in burnout between women and men has almost doubled. In the past year, 1 in 3 women have considered leaving the workforce or downshifting their careers”.
Moira Donegan a Guardian US columnist, states this is a great resignation of women, with women exiting work at twice the rate of men during the pandemic. She cites one-third of mothers have scaled back or left jobs since March 2020, putting their careers on hold during COVID to care for their kids. Thus, she believes it’s not so much about women leaving work, as mothers being forced out.
So as things open up and job opportunities increase, now is the time to start planning your next career move or perhaps even consider hitting reset on your career.
If you’re a mum thinking about a change or wanting to redesign work to fit your life, then please get in touch – we’d love to help!
