A study conducted by One Poll on behalf of Wisetail looked into the rate of Americans quitting their jobs. The poll of 2000 employed U.S citizens found that more than 50% of them had written a resignation better they would hand in if things at work became too difficult.

The researchers found that while 59% of the respondents had their resignation letters ready, very few had turned them in. Moreover, about 34% of particulars quit their jobs in the last two years. Researchers referred to this as the Great Resignation. This period is characterized by a lot of people quitting their jobs.

About 47% of those quitting were Gen Z adults. Only 13% of baby boomers had quit their jobs. The researchers noted that some industries had seen the most people leaving their jobs. These included hospitality (39%), real estate (46%), and healthcare (48%).

Reasons people are leaving their jobs

Approximately 55% who had left their jobs recently still believed they made a good decision. About 29% had a personal reason for quitting, while 45% had professional reasons. Gen X adults were more likely to feel confident in their decision (59%).

The participants gave different reasons for quitting their jobs. These included seeking better working environments (54%), trying to achieve a healthy balance between their work and home life (55%), and wanting better-paying jobs (57%).

Respondents want better benefits at work

About 88% of employees who’d left their jobs admitted they wouldn’t have quit if they got better benefits. Such benefits were internal career growth (49%), a better working environment (52%), and more growth opportunities (52%).

Many respondents admitted they would rather find another job than negotiate for better benefits with their bosses (63%). The younger generations were more like to have this attitude, that is, Gen Z (64%) and Millennials (69%).

About 66% of the respondents blame COVID-19 for their career changes. Moreover, researchers have found that about 65% of Americans have taken on a new career because of the pandemic.

More of the respondents (63%) believed they could do better than their bosses at leading their companies. Another 57% felt their bosses couldn’t fulfill their needs, thus, making them search for other employment opportunities.