ROANOKE, Va. – Americans are leaving their jobs in droves according to recent data released by the nation’s Labor Department.
More people are signing to resign rather than on the dotted line for an offer.
In August, 4.3 million Americans quit their job, according to the Labor Department.
The 3% resignation hike is shocking to Virginia Tech Agriculture and Applied Economics Professor Mike Ellerbrock.
“My hunch is it’s more based on a desire for family time than it is for political resentment of vaccine mandates,” said Ellerbrock.
It’s the highest number of people quitting since December 2000.
The number one industry people are walking away from is food and service, followed by wholesale trade, and then state and local government education.
While this trend is being nicknamed the “Great Resignation,” Ellerbrock thinks of it more as the “Great Transformation.”
“It’s a transformation in our culture regarding work-life balance,” he said. “Resignations are a part of that. But there’s a lot more to it as to why people are staying home.”
Though Ellerbrock said people are demanding more from jobs, he said it’s better than seeing frequent layoff sweeps.
He said employers now have to tailor their approach and understand raising wages is just not going to cut it.
“It’s not just about hourly wage,” he said. “It’s about working conditions, flexibility, health and safety on the job.”