Posted on January 10, 2022
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More than 4.5 million Americans left their jobs in November, a record. This phenomenon, called The Great Resignation, which has been exercised since the pandemic, has gone viral on social networks. It expresses both the fed up and the search for meaning of millions of workers. If in France such a phenomenon is not visible, the boom in conventional ruptures and the labor shortage in several sectors may be warning signs.
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It is an unprecedented phenomenon in the United States. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the country has experienced a growing quit rate. In November, more than 4.5 million Americans quit their jobs, according to figures released by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Unheard of in two decades. The American power thus went from “You’re Fired” (“You are fired”), to “I quit” (“I resign”). This phenomenon has even gone viral on social networks.
The movement was started by Shana Blackwell, a young employee of a Walmart supermarket who publicly announced – in the loudspeaker of the store – that she was resigning. On TikTok, the video went viral, generating tens of millions of views and a hashtag that reflects a real “#quitmyjob” trend. “There is a societal, social, even psychological aspect”, decrypts the economist Philippe Crevel. “During the pandemic, some employees realized that their living conditions were not good and that they wanted to have a job in line with their desires and their values”, he adds.
CEOs also concerned
In the beginning, the service sectors were the most affected by the phenomenon. But the trend has become widespread and concerns all professions, categories and ages. Even CEOs are affected. A study by the consultancy firm Heidrick & Struggles found that the number of CEO resignations in the first half of 2021 had skyrocketed, highlighting that CEOs were not “immune” against exhaustion and stress. “The reasons for resignation generally differ according to the socio-professional category“, advance Philippe Crevel.
In fact, if supermarket cashiers, caregivers, housekeepers have massively resigned, it is to express their dissatisfaction. “Now that the economic recovery is here, these workers are realizing that there is no reason why they continue to be underpaid, having been under pressure for almost a year while he there are more and more opportunities to find another job “, writes the Wall Street Journal. The CSP +, for their part, have taken advantage of teleworking and have had an awareness. “Some have moved from big cities like Los Angeles or San Francisco to go inland, in search of calm”, explains Philippe Crevel.
Revaluation of low wages
The repercussions of this phenomenon are manifold. Companies must compete in efforts to attract and keep their employees in the context of an aging population. Several large brands have thus revalued the minimum wage to 15 dollars against 12 or 10 for some. Goldman Sachs reports that in the last quarter of 2021, the level of low wages increased by 6%. “Workers want better wages and benefits, of course, but they also demand autonomy and flexibility, especially in their working hours. And employers – big and small – just have to react,” says Linkedin’s chief economist, Karin Kimbrough, who sees a boom in offers.
This phenomenon, which is especially visible in the United States, could be exported. The economist Philippe Crevel notes two striking signals in France: the increase in conventional ruptures “which testifies to a desire for change“and an increase in vacant jobs in the hotel industry, construction and cleaning. At the end of November, several large groups such as Decathlon and Leroy Merlin were also the object of strikes. Faced with a labor shortage , the balance of power has changed and “low wages” demand an increase.
Marina Fabre Soundron @fabre_marina
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