We’re in the midst of The Great Resignation, where workers worldwide are quitting their jobs in record numbers. The December 2021 jobs report from the US Department of Labor show the number of jobs added were less than half of what economists predicted – a lackluster 199,000 (November new job numbers 249,000). And the unemployment rate fell to 3.9%.
In addition to this, there has been a lot of focus on the way women, mothers especially, are being disproportionately impacted by The Great Resignation, which started in 2020 after the global pandemic hit. A record 4.4 million people quit their jobs in September, and 4.3 million did so in August, according to the Labor Department.
And Moira Donegan offers even more clarity over at the Guardian, with her analysis of the way women are being impacted.
“The fact of the matter is that when we speak of the Great Resignation, we are really referring to a great resignation of women. During the pandemic, women have exited the labor force at twice the rate that men have; their participation in the paid labor force is now the lowest it has been in more than 30 years. About one-third of all mothers in the workforce have scaled back or left their jobs since March 2020. That labor shortage? It’s being felt most acutely in sectors like hospitality, retail and healthcare – industries where women make up a majority of workers,” she writes.
It’s enough to make us all take stock and think about our own careers, and how we prioritize paid work, now that COVID-19 has disrupted (and continues to disrupt) almost every aspect of our lives. For many (especially mothers), quitting their job seems like the only valid path forward. While it is depressing to read the aforementioned stats and think about long-term affect on the economy, resigning has also been seen by some as a means to achieve more clarity and prioritize mental health and wellness over all.
Deciding to leave your job is not easy. But getting out should be. Around 25% of workers quit their jobs in 2021. And around 40% are trying to make that decision right now. The world will look back on The Great Resignation as a point when we saw the underlying gender inequalities in the workplace exposed even more, but also as a time when many workers took back control of their destiny.
For digital entrepreneur, author, and coach Deniero Bartolini, also known as Deniero B to his more than 50k followers on Instagram who have also helped his podcast get ranked in the top 2% of podcasts globally, leaving the corporate grind and finding career-life happiness his own way was an eye-opener. It also made him take stock of how the world is changing, and how the global economy should be capitalizing on this moment, rather than fighting against it.
“Times have changed, and the social contract that brought us here is not enough to take us where we want to go, ” he writes in a blog post detailing his own journey through The Great Resignation. “If you are an employer or an entrepreneur planning on hiring a team, your best bet is to improve your contracts and advocate for a better working environment. Because if you don’t do it, you’ll starve for talent.”
Reasons for quitting have multiplied as the pandemic dragged on. Some employees lost faith in bosses who put profit above safety or failed to reach into their pockets when times got tough. Others couldn’t face the prospect of going back to the office when things leveled out. In unprecedented circumstances, the labor force is taking unprecedented steps.
“Workers are burned out. They’re fed up. They’re fried,” says Robert Reich, former U.S. Secretary of Labor. “In the wake of so much hardship, and illness and death during the past year, they’re not going to take it anymore.”
More positively, some workers quit after finding new interests, new angles, or a whole new way of life during lockdown. It has been an eye-opening period. But whatever your reason for resigning, it is important to do it right. That means writing a professional resignation letter. Resume.io, a company that helps job-seekers stand out in their careers with resume templates, has created an interactive guide on putting together a free resignation letter, which you can then paste into your word processor of choice.
Resignation may feel great for some, but it’s not for everyone. In fact, those that don’t quit are in a strong position to renegotiate their role and benefits at their depleted workplace. Amidst the suffering and confusion of the pandemic, there can be hope and opportunity. Whether, for you, that means joining the Great Resignation or creating a better space for yourself with your present employer, think deeply about what it is that you want before you make your move.
Maybe you want the job title your colleague just quit. Maybe you want a raise, to continue working from home, to have more responsibility, or fewer menial tasks. Maybe you’ve seen that your firm is struggling to adjust to the post-pandemic landscape – and you have some ideas to share on how to make things better for everyone. Just be careful you don’t end up inheriting your departing colleagues’ tasks without inheriting their benefits – and bookmark our resignation letter generator just in case.
Plan your final weeks for a neat departure with your reputation intact. And remember your humanity. Anybody can start a new job with grace and enthusiasm – it’s how you leave a job that says more about who you are. Stay or go; it’s time to reconsider your value to employers and your life goals as the world moves on.
Try out the resignation letter generation here, and scroll down below for Resume.io‘s step-by-step guide on quitting your job with preparation, and without burning bridges.
