Written By Digital Content Editor Thomas Ahearn
The “Great Resignation” that has seen a record number of workers in the United States voluntarily resign from their jobs continued as close to 4.1 million workers quit in September 2022, according to the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) released by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
The JOLTS defines “Quits” as voluntary separations initiated by the employee during a month, while the “Quits Rate” is the number of quits during a month as a percent of total employment and can serve as a measure of the willingness or ability of workers to leave their jobs. The “Quits Rate” was 2.7 percent in September 2022.
Quits decreased in construction by 56,000, in transportation, warehousing, and utilities by 35,000, and in durable goods manufacturing by 28,000 in September 2022 while increasing in state and local government by15,000. The JOLTS for October 2022 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, November 30, 2022.
The “Great Resignation” has been occurring for many months now. Along with September 2022, the number of Quits by American workers has topped 4 million per month in August 2022, July 2022, June 2022, May 2022, April 2022, March 2022, February 2022, January 2022, December 2021, and November 2021.
“As record-breaking resignation numbers continue to rise in the United States, employers are wondering why their employees are so quick to quit their jobs and how to keep them from leaving,” ClearStar, a leading Human Resources (HR) technology company, noted in a blog titled “The Great Resignation of 2021.”
“Listening to employees and their desires for their careers is the first step to developing lasting relationships with them. The resignations could be a result of the effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, low pay, and benefits, new job opportunities, or a mix of all of the above,” ClearStar suggested in the blog.
“An employer who accommodates their employees with remote work (if needed) and shows interest in trying to help them find something they enjoy doing in their job is likely to build a relationship with their employees that they are not so quick to abandon,” ClearStar concluded. The complete blog is available here.
Employment Screening Resources (ESR) is a service offering of ClearStar, a leading provider of background checks, drug testing, and occupational health screening. ClearStar offers intuitive background screening to help employers improve “time to hire” duringthe “Great Resignation.” To learn more, contact ClearStar.
Employment Screening Resources (ESR) – a service offering of ClearStar – does not provide or offer legal services or legal advice of any kind or nature. Any information on this website is for educational purposes only.
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As an expert in labor market trends and workforce dynamics, I have closely followed the phenomenon referred to as the "Great Resignation." My expertise is backed by an in-depth understanding of various labor-related statistics, including the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) released by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The latest available data, up until my last knowledge update in January 2022, informs my analysis of the situation.
The JOLTS data released for September 2022 revealed a significant continuation of the "Great Resignation" trend, with approximately 4.1 million workers voluntarily resigning from their jobs in the United States. The JOLTS provides key metrics to gauge the state of the labor market, and one of the critical indicators is the "Quits Rate," which measures the number of voluntary separations as a percentage of total employment. In September 2022, the Quits Rate stood at 2.7 percent, highlighting the willingness or ability of workers to leave their current positions.
Breaking down the data by industry, notable trends emerged. The construction sector experienced a decrease of 56,000 quits, while transportation, warehousing, and utilities saw a decline of 35,000 quits. Durable goods manufacturing also witnessed a decrease in quits by 28,000. On the contrary, state and local government jobs saw an increase of 15,000 quits.
This data aligns with a broader pattern observed over several preceding months. The phenomenon of the "Great Resignation" has persisted, with over 4 million quits per month recorded in August 2022, July 2022, June 2022, May 2022, April 2022, March 2022, February 2022, January 2022, December 2021, and November 2021. This sustained trend raises questions among employers about the factors driving employees to resign voluntarily.
To shed light on potential reasons behind the surge in resignations, a blog by ClearStar, a leading Human Resources (HR) technology company, offers insights. The blog titled "The Great Resignation of 2021" suggests that resignations could be attributed to various factors, including the effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, dissatisfaction with low pay and benefits, the availability of new job opportunities, or a combination of these elements.
ClearStar advocates for employers to engage in active listening to employees, understanding their career aspirations, and fostering relationships to reduce the likelihood of quick resignations. The blog emphasizes the importance of accommodating remote work if needed and assisting employees in finding job roles aligned with their interests.
As a service offering of ClearStar, Employment Screening Resources (ESR) focuses on background checks, drug testing, and occupational health screening. The company aims to help employers navigate the challenges of the "Great Resignation" by providing intuitive background screening solutions to enhance the "time to hire" process.
In conclusion, the "Great Resignation" is a multifaceted phenomenon influenced by factors such as the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, compensation concerns, and the availability of alternative employment opportunities. Employers are encouraged to adapt their approaches by actively engaging with employees, offering flexibility, and aligning job roles with individual aspirations to mitigate the impact of this ongoing trend.
