Has the Great Resignation Turned into the Great Reshuffle?

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Over the past two years, we’ve seen an influx of professionals quitting their jobs to seek better opportunities or take a career break. In the early stages of this trend, called the Great Resignation, many believed it revealed employees' true dominance over their careers, with employers getting the short end of the stick. In 2021, a record 47 million Americans left their jobs, averaging 3.98 million quitting every month, according to Zippia. 

However, some professionals are beginning to regret their career moves. Maybe Beyonce’s latest single, Break My Soul, deemed the Great Resignation Anthem, encouraged them to make the wrong decision, as many are beginning to re-join the job hunt to find other opportunities.

A new movement called the Great Reshuffle might replace the Great Resignation by the end of 2022.

The difference between the two movements is that the Great Reshuffle involves professionals transitioning to other jobs to get the salary, benefits, and work environment they desire. On the contrary, the Great Resignation, coined by Anthony Klotz, a Texas A&M University professor, was about professionals leaving the workforce without another job in place.

However, the issue with the Great Reshuffle is that many professionals assume they’re heading into a better job, and that’s not always the case. A survey revealed that 42% of respondents said their new positions had not met their expectations. In addition, 26% said they regretted quitting their previous job.

With the fear of an incoming recession, quitting or making another drastic career move doesn’t seem as exciting as it once was. Many professionals who believed they were making a power move by acquiring a higher-paying job may now regret their decision as the economy shifts with inflation.

Although the Great Resignation has empowered many professionals to ask for higher pay and benefits, a confluence of factors has made it so employers are now holding the cards, especially with the recession. “Since having an income is a necessity in a country that doesn’t guarantee access to shelter, medicine, or food, many prospective job switchers have to settle for whatever they can get” (Forbes).

As we enter the third quarter of 2022, only time will tell how the Great Resignation – or Great Reshuffle – will impact America’s workforce and the entire economy. 

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