The Great Resignation: Why People Are Leaving Their Jobs In Growing Numbers

A record 4.3 million workers in America quit their jobs in August. Anthony Klotz coined this ongoing phenomenon "The Great Resignation." Klotz is an organizational psychologist at Texas A&M University. In part, he says, the pandemic has made workers reevaluate what they are actually getting out of their jobs. "During the pandemic, because there was a lot of death and illness and lockdowns, we really had the time and the motivation to sit back and say, do I like the trajectory of my life? Am I pursuing a life that brings me well-being?" Klotz said. Employers are also having to rethink what their employees really need. NPR's Audie Cornish spoke with Laszlo Bock, co-founder and CEO of the human resources company Humu, about the basic human need for respect. "You know, in the pandemic, people have talked a lot about essential workers, but we actually treat them as essential jobs," said Bock. "We treat the workers as quite replaceable." In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment that will help you make sense of what's going on in your community. Email us at considerthis@npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy