Millions of Workers are Considering Finding a New Job

2021 will go down as the year of the Great Resignation.

Prudential’s Financial Pulse of the American Worker survey states that 1 in 4 workers is preparing to change jobs once the pandemic has subsided. Also, more than 40% of the people who responded to Microsoft’s Work Trend Index said they are considering leaving their employer this year.

These statistics aren’t surprising considering the events of 2020, which forced millions of people to reevaluate almost everything, including their jobs and careers.

From remote work to company culture and benefits, the pandemic put a magnifying glass up to a number of personal and work-related issues that went unchecked before the worldwide lockdowns.

Workers are armed with a better understanding of what they need and want from their employer, and are prepared to jump ship if those needs aren’t met.

 Workers expect pandemic workplace adaptations to stick.

Prudential’s survey found that 87% of American workers who have been working remotely during the pandemic would prefer to continue working remotely at least one day a week, post-pandemic. Among all workers, 68% say a hybrid workplace model is ideal.

Working from home allows workers to have the freedom to run those errands once reserved for the weekends or crammed in between lunch breaks during the busy work week. It also removes the added pressure of an office environment, allowing employees to work at their own pace.

Dissatisfaction with employer response to the pandemic and civil unrest

The pandemic put employers to the ultimate test and a lot of them failed. In Microsoft’s study, 37% of all global respondents indicated that their companies were asking too much of them during a difficult period. Instead of taking into account the grim state of affairs, employers micromanaged and doled out more work to their employees.

Also, some employers chose to narrowly address the racial injustices and civil unrest in 2020, while others even avoided them altogether. This highlighted the values of these employers or lack thereof.

With offices reopening and mass vaccinations hoping to bring the pandemic under control, there is certainly more opportunity to explore other work options. Some companies are even implementing best practices to prevent turnover in response to the pandemic and recent events.