You never know who might have the pettiest imaginable resignation email sitting in their drafts folder and is ready to pull the trigger like a John Wick sequel. I’m sure even the most non-petty among us have imagined the refreshing feeling of pressing send on a team-wide email telling everyone that Friday will be their last day. Perhaps something along the lines of, “Congratulations to the victors in this most recent round of corporate blood sport. Hope it was worth the cost of your souls!”
Whether it’s an unbearable work culture, a micro-manager, or a new opportunity, we’ve all experienced signals that it’s time to peace out. But companies weren’t prepared for so many people to have these signals pop off at the same damn time. What’s been called The Great Resignation has probably got your LinkedIn feed looking more like an NBA free agency summer buzzing with daily “I’m thrilled to announce” posts.
Employers call what’s happening right now a “labor shortage.” But is it really a mystery why people don’t love their jobs? A record four million American workers quit their jobs in April alone, according to the Labor Department. A new Gallup analysis finds that 48% of America's working population is ready to press send on that saucy email in their drafts and update their LinkedIn vitals.
That same analysis also highlights the need for employers to engage workers if they want to keep them. “Engage” means treating them with basic decency, doing things like giving clear expectations and opportunities to learn and grow their careers.
Companies don’t treat people well even when it costs them
News flash: Employers are mostly not doing this, and it’s costing them—big time. Gallup's State of the Global Workplace: 2021 Report puts the global employee engagement rate at 20%, and the rate for the U.S. and Canada at 34%, and further found that:
The lost productivity of disengaged employees is equal to 18% of their annual salary.
For a company of 10,000 employees with an average salary of $50,000 each, disengagement costs $60.3 million a year.
Replacing workers requires 1/2 to 2x the employee's annual salary. So it costs $9,000 a year to keep each disengaged worker, and between $25,000 and $100,000 to replace them.
It takes more than a 20% pay raise to lure most employees away from a manager who engages them, and next to nothing to poach most disengaged workers.
Combine that dismal state of affairs with a hot market for job seekers, and the Great Resignation is exactly what you get. A game of musical chairs, with disengaged zombies rotating from one shitty role to the next.
Do C-suite leaders understand this? It seems not. Human resources and C-suite leaders expect only 8% of their employees will choose to quit once Covid restrictions are fully lifted, according to the survey.
The pandemic has changed us in ways we don’t fully understand yet. Many hope that this trend is a sign that there has been a collective reassessment about priorities and what matters most. And that may be that’s the case. However, if you’re Black it’s no secret that attrition is the jelly to your corporate experience peanut butter.
This report from McKinsey paints the picture in detail. Black workers experience higher churn and more vulnerable workforce positioning (meaning they’re the first to go when layoffs hit) compared to their white peers. Black workers also have lower rates of professional advancement, as reflected in the attrition rates of Black professionals at each successive level of responsibility—and compensation—on the path from entry-level worker to executive. Translation: The higher you go in an org, the fewer Black people there are.
Beyond individual people and teams, a toxic culture that impacts retention can spread through entire companies. 42% of Americans say they have witnessed or experienced racism in the workplace, per a 2019 Glassdoor survey, and this systemic racism only exacerbates a massive employee turnover problem in corporate America.
The devil you know vs. the devil you don’t
Are you one of the millions considering quitting your job? Maybe you’re wondering if the grass is greener on the other side. It’s important to be honest with yourself about what you’re running from, and what you’re running to. Here are some signs it’s time to go:
You’ve learned all you can
Not being bored is not a nice-to-have. Your basic sense of wellbeing and ability to focus suffer when you’re not engaged—and future job prospects along with them.There’s nothing left to try
If you’ve switched departments, taken on new responsibilities, stepped into a new position, worked with different colleagues, completed special projects, attended all the events, and heard the same spiels from the same leaders, and still feel that sense of stagnation? You’re done, homie.When you point out problems, they isolate you and make you the problem
This is a classic maneuver, and for a really good reason: It works! If someone is vocal about a problem in the workplace, managers love to turn that around. Why are you so unhappy/angry/resentful? If you’re at this stage, run. Any attempts to fix things will be weaponized against you.
How to prepare for your departure
The Great Resignation can be your opportunity to raise your sights and treat yourself right. Here are some things to do even if you’re only thinking about leaving your job:
Take some time off
Preparing for your next steps is a full-time job in itself. Applying for jobs, putting together your resume, reflecting on what you really want—all things that are hard-to-impossible to do while embroiled in a job that drains your time and energy.
Craft your ideal job description
Think about what you want to do next, and write it down in detail. Keep in mind that getting clear on what you don’t want is as important as what you do want.Document your achievements
Don't be shy! Document everything—no item is too small. Gather all the files you need, especially the ones you won’t have access to when you’re out of there.See your doctor and dentist
Max out those benefits while you still have them. And remember that with most jobs if you quit at the beginning of the month, you’ll still be covered through the end of that month.Prepare to negotiate your terms
If you’ve been subject to a hostile work environment, you might be owed some money. Many companies would rather pay you to go away than deal with the issues that causing your unhappiness. Paying for a consultation with an employment lawyer could be an excellent investment.
Companies seem to be committed to the status quo, even if it perpetuates historic inequities and costs them tons of money. Google for example seems fine with producing virtually the same headline—some version of “Google falls short of diversity goals”—every year. And it’s pretty funny in a super fucked-up way. Just look at these stories from 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Don’t internalize that shit! You deserve better. The less companies understand that, the more crucial it is that you do.