Chances are, you've heard the term the Great Resignation in 2021.
In the US, people are quitting their jobs as a result of low wages and hostile working environments, not to mention the concern that their employers aren't following proper safety protocols to protect them from contracting COVID.
To learn more about these cases, Redditor Wataru2001 made a post on the platform, saying: "A record number of Americans quit their jobs in the last few months. If you were one of them, why did you quit and what are you doing now?"
Here are some of the most memorable answers that paint a vivid picture of the country's current labor market.
#1
I wasn't get paid enough at my former job. I was working with special needs children and it was an awesome job, I really felt like it was what I should be doing. But I was only making $250 a week...Now I work at Costco for $17 an hour plus a ton of benefits. The work is not what I want to be doing. But I am more appreciated serving hot dogs and pizza.
Image credits: Cyber_Mermaid
#2
I couldn't handle the stress of working at a clinic doing COVID testing. Most of my friends, and a decent portion of my family, are people who could literally die if they got exposed to COVID so I basically spent almost six months without seeing any people that I care about. And then I was being worked way more hours than I agreed to, on top of it there wasn't any overtime while I was trying to go to college, I just couldn't handle the stress.I ended up needing to choose between a job and my education and I choose my education. Even with everything the clinic I worked at has a high turn over rate anyway, so it was probably better for my mental health in the long run to quit there.
I'm working at a local gamestore now where I work ~30 hours a week and can work on my school work when there's no customers in the store, my school and mental health are doing a lot better for it, and I get to talk about things I love with people all the time.
Image credits: MyHoardIsALibrary
#3
Quit because teaching in a pandemic SUCKS. Now I stay at home with my toddler and my stress level is so much lower!
Image credits: rampaging_beardie
#4
I quit because of the commute and feeling unappreciated while getting paid too little. It wasn’t just one thing but I wanted to work somewhere that at least paid okay and was not a 1.5 hour commute each way. So yeah that is why I quit.
Image credits: SympatheticRetina
#5
I quit delivering for Amazon and uber/doordash instead. The jokes about Amazon are all true. Men had to piss in water bottles. Men and women had plastic bags and toilet paper to s**t in. We were told if we drove more than 2 minutes off route we would be fired. You could go 6 hours without being close enough to a bathroom. Next time you order from Amazon consider this, there is a high chance that a piss bottle/poop bag are rolling around the van carrying your package
Image credits: Ok_Researcher8346
#6
Unbeknownst to me, I had a stroke. I was so stressed out by work, I just knew something was wrong. I wasn't able to comprehend things the same anymore, logic didn't work the same to me anymore. Crazy. Just found out a few days ago, after an MRI.
Image credits: Swannihilator
#7
In March 2020 I started working 10-12 hour days. Sometimes 10-13 day stretches. I was completely exhausted and burnt out by the end of 2020. I got pregnant in June 2021 and my husband got a new position at work that paid nearly double his previous salary. I quit in August and haven’t had one moment of regret. I took 2 months off to do some self care and mental health recovery. Now I’m a substitute teacher a few days a week.
Image credits: mac_attack8968
#8
I quit my last job because I worked for a psycho control freak, who had zero compunction about screaming and swearing at her mother, one of the owners of the company, in the office where we could all hear her. She also would scream at us. The first department meeting I was there, she thought she would start yelling, and I stood up, and gathered up my shit, and she asked where I was going. I told her she didn’t pay me enough to scream at me, and I was not tolerating it.I stayed too long. I finally decided my health, after round two of a stress-induced hospital stay, was more important.
I start my new job, with more money and less stress, tomorrow.
Image credits: Madame_Kitsune98
#9
Hey, that's me. The chief ops manager has unresolved anger issues and I was at the end of the barrel one day. I resigned and moved back to my hometown, and pretty much completely abandoned my whole life in the city that I had been trying to build over the last 14 years.4 months later I'm back in the gym for the first stretch since COVID (fully vaxxed now), I have a new job, and I am under so much less pressure.
When all of this was happening, I just thought to myself that none of this was worth the stress and pressure and the things I was experiencing that were outside my control were just not my fucking problem. I'm so happy I decided that and acted on it.
Image credits: rberg89
#10
Because I got tired of slaving away in a kitchen, putting my all into every dish I made, getting paid peanuts for it, and barely surviving. I'm going to school now. Thankful for the GI bill.
Image credits: No_Step_4431
#11
Low pay and I was bored out of my mind and no matter how many times I asked they wouldn’t give me more work. I would be done my work in an hour and have to stare at the screen for the next 7 hours. It was torture. Then they announced a full return to the office and I was done.Now in a job where I’m sufficiently challenged. And they’re staying remote forever.
Image credits: OrangeTree81
#12
I was working 70-80 hours a week and utterly burnt out. I took a job working half the hours for half the pay. Worth it.
Image credits: fleod
#13
They started to threaten to call us back into the office. At first they said one day a week, then 2, then 2-3, then 3 days minimum. My old commute was 2 hours per day (1 hour each way) by train. I was not about to willingly give up 6 hours a week of the 10 I’d gotten back since working from home.I managed to find a nice stable state job where the office is a 10 minute drive from my house, but it’s majority remote work. Couldn’t be happier.
Image credits: gingerytea
#14
I actually was working my a** off for a company that lied to us all then laid off 80% of us. I am working for a hardware chain now and enjoy it most of the time.
Image credits: Positive-Magician-80
#15
17 years and not even at $20 an hour. Took a few weeks off and started a new job with better pay, benefits and retirement.
Image credits: limpbizkitfan420
#16
My wife got a raise at her job. She was gonna stay at home with our new baby since there is no daycare anywhere but with her raise and benefits it made more sense for me to stay home with the kid.
Image credits: yodaface
#17
I quit a fast food place to work in an office. I have a much better environment to work in, a schedule I make myself, weekends and nights always off unless I choose to work from home for extra money, a $3 raise (I’m an intern and making more than the managers at my old job who worked 55 hour weeks), and a 401k. My old manager loves to complain that no one wants to work these days, but I know all the people who have left my old job. Two of us went to better opportunities and all the rest moved away for college.#18
I quit because I was contracting and was told I would be hired after 6 months, but that didn’t happen. So now I’m contracting for a different company.
Image credits: SunderApps
#19
Because I got tired coming home from work every single day in pain. I'm 22, I shouldn't be in so much pain that I walk like I'm a 75 year old. And the job just sucked as it was. Now, I work from home, apart of a huge company that takes calls all over the state to book non-emergency medical transportation#20
I hated the job. I was a new college grad and wanted to be a software developer, and I thought that job was "close enough"Most of the job was customer service (ugh) and the other part was using their proprietary software. I wrote code maybe once every 2 weeks for maybe 30 mins. Writing code and solving problems is my passion so this sucked. Always dangling the carrot in front of me.
One day my girlfriend came over for a few days. I was working from home so we hung out while I was working. I was miserable doing what I was doing, and at one point, after outlook crashed for the 5th time in a row, I looked over at her and said "I really wanna fuckint quit". She said that if I was miserable, there's no point in continuing on.
That day was great. We cooked together, my coworker came and picked up my equipment, and I was officially unemployed again.
Last week, I started a new job as an actual backend developer. The job is great. Everyone is nice, I love the work, and I have extremely flexible hours (come and go as I please, just do 40 hours and show up for at least a bit mon-fri)
#21
I’m a veteran, have three degrees, and two decades of experience in the workforce. I was forced out of my job at a fortune 100 comoany during the pandemic and they took covid bailout money from the government. They bought stock instead of keeping us on payroll, then told the unemployment commission that I quit voluntarily. After fighting UI for about nine months I finally won but then had to pay all that money back immediately. The first interview I had out of about 40 applications only paid $13/hr, much less than I was was making. Employers aren’t offering a fair wage for my talent so I’m not participating in the workforce. My wife has a great job and I finally filed for VA benefits for war injuries so I get to ride bikes with my son all day and have fun with him. I’m going to spend time with my family and enjoy myself until it’s worth working again and it has done wonders for my mental health and relationships.#22
I quit a job where I was doing the work of multiple people and immediately moved to a job where I work significantly less for a 40% pay bump.
Image credits: [deleted]
#23
I quit my teaching job after 6 years for various reasons but primarily because of the commute and the ever growing ridiculous demands / expectations by administrators and parents.I’ll be starting a government job soon and I couldn’t be happier.
#24
I’m about to quit my job but it’s because I am about to get an offer for a new job. I’m leaving because my bosses are terrible pieces of shit who made up shit about me in an attempt to get me fired because I filed a complaint against her.#25
Call center work sucks. I was tired of having to ask when I could go to the bathroom and having to tally it on a timer as a "bio break." You had to instant message another team to ask if it was ok to get up from your desk. Bye Felicia. I'm in the same field but work in a face to face setting now.#26
I went back to school all through covid while working, and I just got hired for a much better job than I had previously.#27
The commute. The lack of acknowledgment for the previous 6 years of hard work. The overuse injuries. The body aging and not as resilient in healing said injuries (physically active job in the hard alcohol industry). The company restructuring in response to COVID and supply-chain issues, resulting in most of my peers and those who direct-reported to me losing their jobs. The demands of those vacated roles and responsibilities being passed on to the three of us left (in addition to our already over-burdened schedule).I grew tired of it and decided not to continue to support the company. Thankfully I have a nice nest egg saved and a supportive spouse. Would rather support my spouse, work on home repairs, and love on friends and family that we haven’t seen much of thanks to Covid. My priorities have changed.
Thus I said ‘see ya and good luck’ to my former boss… who understood the litany of reasons.
#28
I quit because my work duties were something I wasn’t able to perform. A lot of dangerous work and my balance isn’t great.Now I work as an understudy to a therapist and get college credit towards my psychology major
#29
I’m quitting soon … so maybe it doesn’t fit but my reasons are that I’m overworked have barely any backup I’m getting paid less than every single one of my co workers in my department and did I forget to mention I’m their boss… yeah that’s why only reason I have not yet is I’m finishing up some certifications#30
Because my boss was an idiot who didn’t realize that an entire service the company offers relied on whether or not I stayed employed there lmao now I’m doing grub hub. It gets a bit annoying, but it’s much better than having a boss.#31
I worked as a nurse for 10 years. Compassion fatigue and COVID burnout prompted me to leave the field. Probably forever. I’m living with my parents and taking the time to figure out what I want to do. I may go back to school for a different career path.#32
I quit a sh**ty warehouse job that paid minimum wage in July. I just moved back in with my parents and I'm starting at Amazon making 17.80 plus a temporary 2$ hourly bonus. I'm breaking the line, but it's for enough pay and it's full time. I'm hoping it's not as bad as I've heard.
Image credits: ambsdorf825
#33
I quit because I worked my butt off to implement good training practices and was knowledgeable on everything for when people needed help. All of that and my request for a raise/promotion was basically ignored and I got a few cents extra without even being consulted. I knew I was going to be looking for other work, but what made me expedite my notice: a coworker threatened to fight me. I was defending my manager because she was a new manager, she wasn't bad just getting into the role. I told our boss and nothing was done. I just can't work for a company that doesn't care about their employees safety like that.#34
I quit because I started a new career in CAD at a machine shop. Also because I worked with assholes and it was enough to make me take a shot at a career in something I'd only taken a couple classes for. So glad I did.
Image credits: Jfonzy
#35
I quit because the owners of my previous company doubled down on 1%er boomer snake oil business practices, especially anti-employee policies. They've lost over 30% of the company including almost an entire department, and most cite the stuff they're doing.I'm in a similar role, but I don't think I'll be here long. This place is no better and the commute isn't worth the money.
#36
I quit last year because I had no plans in working in a Panera bread for the rest of my life and I had a dream of becoming a traveling street magician.So i took the leap and 1 year later I'm making more money than I've ever made, I've had more freedom, and my life isn't perfect now but it feels damn good to not have a "real job" where every hour feels like an eternity, or a boss who will fire you for being late too many times.
Why would I want to go back?
I believe there's more of a necessity for entertainment than there is someone working a shift for a cafe restaurant, especially in hard times, so it wouldn't feel right. People need the escape i provide.
#37
I have to thank those who have quit. My management is so worried about losing me they gave me a small raise, and are giving me some of the things I have asked for to make the job easier. I have no plans to leave. I make good money. Better than someone witt my history, and twice the medium income of for my area. I get to play with new tech, learn new things (tho batism by fire sucks), and screw off on the internet all day.My company has felt this suffer. A woman who was really important to our group quit. I think she is 15 years younger than me, but 'cares' more and is more proactive with keeping her skills up to date. She also just seems to be able to 'follow the packet' better than a lot of people I have encountered. She left, and in leaving some important accounts and networks that she handled were laid in the laps of people without that same level of care. I've had to stop people saying "This is a shit design", reminding them that the person who designed this was told "learn this in 10 minutes and implement it" without oversite or a reasonable review of design system. She made it work, it works, now you need to add to it.
Anyway.. thank you people. Not only are you raising wages for everyone, you are creating a level of job security for those who have not quit or moved to different jobs. We may very well see the free market increase wages where government has failed us over and over.
#38
I quit to get out of the chaotic household I was in. Left on good terms and headed south. Been kinda looking for a job, but not rushing into one.#39
I quit because they closed my department in May 2020 and notified me via text!! and begged me to come back in July 2020. I quit in June 2021. (I'm a nurse- was there 20 years)#40
I saved up (including my stimulus checks) and am opening my own small business! It's something I've never done before, but always wanted to take on the challenge. I haven't told anyone yet but I'm filing the paperwork next week!#41
chemical worker, low pay, nasty commute, terrible manager, lack of training, etc#42
I quit a home care aide job at an agency called Help at Home. I quit because we decided to merge with a company that is more community based. It was awful after the first week of being with them. Supervisors were quitting left & right, even fresh hired on Supervisors. All they did was talk raises & I decided that I no longer wanted to be part of that.I’m starting school in January for a vet assistant. I would rather work with animals more.
#43
New job in my field with more autonomy, more flexibility and better pay. And my new employer just gave 3.5% raises across the board to help keep staff happy, in addition in other efforts. I’m very happy with my decision.#44
My job was getting boring. All of my friends I had when I first joined had pretty much quit by then, I wasn't getting paid a lot, and I just grew to hate it.Now I'm taking a break but I'm looking at applying to a few places.
#45
I took a pay increase of $6/hour at a new company doing work that better fits my interests and lifestyle#46
I've quit 2 jobs so far this year and currently am not working. I am taking a break due to being so sick of customer service and sales. Never went to college so I'm gonna figure out what I can find to do that doesn't involve sales or getting screamed at about problems out of my control.#47
Mostly because fuck em. They don't care about me, I returned the favor. Got a job at ups, right now. It's not bad and pays pretty good. The hours are limited though.#48
I wasn't being paid well and they kept changing my responsibilities so that I wasn't doing what I was hired for. Decided to quit after I found out I had to move out of my place. I spent one month dealing with the move and one month actually job hunting. I got the first job I applied for and it pays 10k more a year and has way better benefits.#49
My boss straight up told me I wasn’t gonna get a raise and there were no promotions available. Then we got a new GM whose idea of leadership was increasing the workload until we started to break down as a shop. I got a job doing what I would’ve been promoted into, but this new place has a weird business model so I’m looking to quit here too.#50
Clogging up the queues during the workday when all us night shift workers like to shop.#51
I quit my job at a fast-casual restaurant chain because I got hired for a new job that paid slightly better, fit more with my personality (don't have to talk to anyone 99.99% of the time), and offered benefits such as health and dental.#52
I worked retail at a major cell phone carrier before, the customers were fuckin terrible and the industry in general sucks.Now I live in a converted van with my girlfriend and we travel the country doing doordash. Way better. Will never go back
#53
I was a pastry chef. Now I invest in real estate and am building my own bed and breakfast! Being in the industry really threatened my mental and emotional health. I was underpaid and over worked. Now I work from my laptop and make 4X the amount.#54
I quit the service industry (was a waitress) because, yes serving wasn’t always the best with people’s attitudes BEFORE the pandemic, but holy fuck once everything opened back up again...it’s like half the human population forgot what manners, patience and god forbid KINDNESS and understanding meant. Like they never learned it, and the entitlement was/IS through the roof. There was rarely a day I didn’t go home mentally and physically drained from my serving job. But now, I work at a doggy daycare, where I’m only around “people” to pick up their doggo real quick and then we run back to the playground and play for the day.#55
I quit a call center because they refused to give me a raise. They had some "outdated policy" that made it impossible for part time employees to get raises. After my first years review, where I met all expectations, I was dumbfounded when they told me about the policy. My manager told me she would look into finding a solution. A week later, and no solutions from my boss, I quit with no notice.I already had a new job lined up. Stocking shelves at a arts and crafts store. It pays more, I no longer have to deal with rude jerks on the phone, and I get decent discounts on paint. Win win
#56
Got tired of the increasing production quotas along with increasing bi-weekly quality reviews while my pay stayed the same. To make it more annoying, when asking for help on complicated cases, the team leads always say "read the manual". Fuck off, that manual is 900 pages long with the rules changing constantly within it. Then you complain when people stop asking questions and just wing it because getting help is like pulling teeth to the team leads. I also got tired of having work stay with me when I take leave.My new position starts next week.
#57
I quit my job. Last Friday was my final day, in fact.I didn't want to quit, I wasn't unhappy, I wasn't disgruntled. In fact, quite the opposite. I loved what I did, I loved who I worked with, and I have nothing but good things to say about the company I left behind.
I quit because a career advancement opportunity fell into my lap. I graduated with a degree in Cyber Security last July and the new position is a Cyber Security position. With it came a 30% increase in salary, an extra week of vacation every year, no on-call status, a $3k sign on bonus, and a 9/80 work schedule. It was too good to pass up!
#58
I was being paid peanuts. Once I hit the 3 year mark at my last place, recruiters started coming out of the woodwork. Interviewed with a few and found I could be making ~20k more. Once I found someone really interested in me, I used that knowledge to give them a definition of salary I'd jump ship for. They matched it and went beyond.I told the old job what I was being offered and asked if they could match it. They would only match 50% of the difference, but wanted to see my job offer in writing. I understand why they required this, but it did feel like they didn't believe me.
I got the job offer in writing, because I accepted it. 3 months into the new job, I was given a 5% raise to boot. The new guys are great and have business practices that much more align with my personal values.
#59
Waitress. Read a text of manager shit talking me to another employee. Got my purse and left during dinner on a Friday. Full dining room and one other server. No regrets.#60
I was already planning on quitting my job since I had been at the same company and role for almost 5 years. I got a financial analyst job that is a lot different has way less stress with higher pay and better coworkers (i.e. people who are around my age).The pandemic probably made me work at my old role for a year longer than I had planned since the job market dried up.
#61
I quit because I found another job in my field that pays more and gives better hours.#62
Honestly my story isn't as interesting as some of the other ones, but I was just over it. I spent 10 years in corporate America working very hard and lucky enough to be paid quite well. Now I am doing nothing and so far it is everything I thought it could be.#63
I left one company (major bank) as a SWE and got a VP job at a hedge fund making nearly double what I was at my bank job. And I have a fancy new title.Good time to make huge jumps in your career if you’re into that kinda stuff
#64
I'm one of the "down-shifters". I took a new job that is less stress, less hours and less pay. My previous boss had been taking advantage of my willingness to make sure the job gets done correctly - by asking me to do more than what one person could successfully get done. Also the environment was rife with gossip, bad attitudes, no management follow through, etc..#65
Didn't quit, but know of plenty that have at my job. It's simple, these jobs f*cking suck, the employers don't value any of their employees, and people are just sick to death of it all.#66
I quit the beginning of this month because I just couldn't take it anymore. It was partially due to car troubles being an issue, but ultimately, I felt there was little reason for me to stay at my job because the initial reason I applied no longer applied, and the aformentioned car troubles made simply getting to work more trouble than it was worth.I did recently get my car back in working order so currently, I'm back to being a DoorDash Driver, though I do want to try turning a hobby of mine into a money making career.
#67
Canadian not American but I just quit for a new job, lots more money and in an industry I’m much more interested in.#68
Because it’s easier to be a degenerate stock market and sports gambler.from Bored Panda https://bit.ly/3EptYVc
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