The Great Resignation - US Labor Force

[Vanimal46]

There’s been murmurs on LinkedIn and the internet about the Great Resignation. I’m experiencing that as well personally and professionally. We’ve had time over the last year and a half to reflect whether the job you’re doing is really what you want to do. If the company you’re at is the one you really want to be with. Or if your values have changed, and you want to take control of your schedule. If the only requirements of you doing your job is a laptop, phone, and internet  connection, where do you want to be? 

We’re seeing people who worked minimum wage jobs take advantage of the situation and pursued a secure, better paying career. People quitting if the company they’re working for isn’t flexible on hybrid/remote work. And some people unwilling to go back to thankless low paying jobs when unemployment is paying them better. 
 

How do you think things are going to shake out for the rest of 2021? Have you felt the need for change yourself? 

[TheLeviathan]

16 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

There’s been murmurs on LinkedIn and the internet about the Great Resignation. I’m experiencing that as well personally and professionally. We’ve had time over the last year and a half to reflect whether the job you’re doing is really what you want to do. If the company you’re at is the one you really want to be with. Or if your values have changed, and you want to take control of your schedule. If the only requirements of you doing your job is a laptop, phone, and internet  connection, where do you want to be? 

We’re seeing people who worked minimum wage jobs take advantage of the situation and pursued a secure, better paying career. People quitting if the company they’re working for isn’t flexible on hybrid/remote work. And some people unwilling to go back to thankless low paying jobs when unemployment is paying them better. 
 

How do you think things are going to shake out for the rest of 2021? Have you felt the need for change yourself? 

Sorry for burying this under Loki!   It'll be interesting to see how this shakes out in the coming years.  I am not in or near a situation lile this so I don't have much to contribute beyond this bump.

[Mike Sixel]

Well, I basically did that when I got laid off and tried to be an author (sort of tried?).......I have no idea how it will play out, but I am hopeful about it.

[Dodecahedron]

Unemployment is quite low, it seems, so people are not choosing to not work, they're just choosing better work.

I think we have all been there where we don't like aspects of our jobs, or even our pay rate, but we stick around because we like our peers, we feel we are accomplishing things, etc.  The pandemic gave workers in the hospitality industries a reset on that.  Now that those workers settled in elsewhere, they have those same feelings about moving on that they had before.  Why take on that risk to switch jobs again?  It's generally perceived to be a bad thing to have multiple jobs for short time periods on your resume. 

 

[MMMordabito]

When a 16 year old can tell her 45 year old manager that he will pay her what she wants, she will work her exact desired hours, will not work with some individuals and is not to be called in, and he does it, the lay of the land in food service industry has completely changed.  Some restaurants can't even re-open or at least can't open the dining area and do drive thru only.  I'm not sure if benefits expiration in September will change it much.  They might not even need to raise the minimum wage, because the workforce will demand it anyway.

[Dodecahedron]

The chamber of commerce numbers are showing 1.4 workers per job available.  Usually it is double that, or 2.8.  

A number like this no doubt causes shortages for employers who pay less and/or the jobs are undesirable.  Technically, though, this isn't a shortage.  Some of the leverage in the labor market shifted from the employer to the employee, and some employers are unable or unwilling to adjust.

Three states have legit labor shortages, and when you see the names of the states you may understand why:  South Dakota, Nebraska, Vermont (0.6 - 0.8 workers per job available).