The Great Resignation: Where is everybody?

The Great Resignation made big headlines in 2021.

The voluntary quit rate reached its highest level since the government began tracking two decades ago. While the number of job openings returned to 99% of pre-pandemic levels, the number of workers employed or looking for a job remained stagnant.

So, where have all the applicants gone? An unexpected surge in retirement among Baby Boomers combined with employee “pandemic epiphanies” has decreased the number of job seekers in many industries. A large number of employees have not returned to previous jobs as they have been “awakened” to what is possible and no longer want to live to work. Instead, they want to be in control of their career. Employees are taking this opportunity to obtain improved compensation, career options, and the possibility of not returning to work at all.