There’s a movement afoot. In the last two years, millions of Americans have left their jobs. It’s the outgrowth of the tremendous disruption of the pandemic, an event unlike anything most of us have ever experienced. The mass movement began two years ago under that duress and has gained momentum even as the pandemic itself eases. It’s been called the Great Resignation, but I push back against that descriptor. I am inclined instead to name it the Great Aspiration.
The “Great Resignation” Is a Misnomer
People aren’t just quitting their jobs — they’re aspiring to new ways of life.
April 06, 2022
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Summary.
Having been deeply disrupted by the pandemic and forced to make abrupt and major changes under significant pressure, many people have reevaluated their priorities and are now making changes of their own choosing: Where to work and for whom, where to live, whether to return to the office or continue working remotely, how to accommodate the needs of children and elderly parents, etc. All of these and other questions are being examined, and workers are finding new answers. As a result, people all over the world are saying no to their current work situations. Most are not simply quitting; they are following a dream refined in pandemic adversity. They are aspiring to grow in the ways most important to them. They are aspiring to proactively make the life they want. This inflection point in history presents an unprecedented opportunity for organizations. Leaders who can rapidly pivot to meet employees where they are — searching for meaning, yearning to grow, and wanting to work for personal fulfillment as much as for compensation — can tap into the largest pool of talent on the move in several generations. Organizations can aspire also, to attract valuable new talent, rather than resigning themselves to loss.