By Thelá R. Thatch, MBA, PHR
I recently had the privilege to travel and visit the Mayan ruins in Tulum. During this time of awe and reflection, I learned a few things about myself and the power of reinvention. The Mayans believe that every 52 years, you are reborn. I have experienced this rebirth as I celebrated my 52nd birthday this year. I decided to leave my corporate job and do life differently. It is clear that our workplaces are also experiencing a rebirth.
The Great Resignation, also known as the Big Quit, the Great Reshuffle, and the Great Reflection, is an ongoing economic trend in which employees have voluntarily resigned from their jobs en masse, beginning in early 2021. Wage stagnation, a rising cost of living, limited opportunities for career advancement, hostile work environments, and strict remote-work policies are the most cited reasons for resignation. Additionally, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 3 million women have left the workforce since February 2020. This phenomenon is called the Shecession.
Then, there is quiet quitting, where employees are not quitting a job outright but doing precisely what the position requires. According to a recent Gallup poll, up to 50% of all American workers have quietly quit their jobs. We are seeing a cultural shift in how U.S. employees approach work. Employees are moving away from the hustle-and-grind mentality and focusing more on their work-life integration, job satisfaction, and physical and mental health.
The time has come to reimagine how we do work. We have experienced the ruins of workplace culture and loss. It is time not only for a cultural shift but a mind shift as we reimagine a transformational approach to the future of work.
