Research Reveals Why The ‘Big Stay’ Has Replaced The 'Great Resignation' In Corporate America — ‘People Just Aren’t Quitting Anymore’
More and more corporate employees are choosing to stay where they are instead of trying their luck with the job market.
Yaroslav Astakhov | Shutterstock It seems that many American employees are feeling quite satisfied with their jobs and are willing to stay where they are instead of quitting and finding something else.
In a TikTok video, a career content creator named Brett Trainor explained that there seems to be a new phenomenon that has replaced the "Great Resignation," but does it mean that people are truly happy with their jobs, or just settling?
Research has revealed that the 'Big Stay' has replaced the 'Great Resignation' for working Americans.
"The reasons given are high levels of job satisfaction from corporate employees as well as enjoying strong work-life balance," Trainor observed. Despite the research supporting this claim of the "big stay" versus the "Great Resignation," Trainor admitted that he doesn't quite buy it.
Citing an article from the WSJ, numerous surveys show that fewer U.S. adults are seeking new roles, compared to the job-switching frenzy of the pandemic years. Other data suggests job satisfaction is rising, and formerly job-hopping workers say they’re content with the balance they’ve struck in the positions they have.
On the other end of the spectrum, corporate employees who are attempting to break out into the job market and potentially find new jobs are facing an uphill battle, which may be another reason why people are choosing to stay where they are instead.
According to federal data from the U.S. Department of Labor, more than 50 million workers quit their jobs in 2022 during the "Great Resignation."
The trend of workers voluntarily leaving their jobs began in early 2021, as the U.S. economy came out from its pandemic-era quarantines and hibernation and job openings soared to historic highs.
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"I do believe there are absolutely companies that are doing it the right way and there are a ton of people in corporate that are still enjoying their jobs and life where they're at," Trainor continued, reading off the data from the WSJ.
"But," he continued, "those numbers ... 85% reported good work-life balance, I have not heard that from very many folks, and 77% said that they were happy with their jobs."
Trainor added, "Again, maybe they're happy to have a job, maybe it's not happy with their job."
Despite people staying at their jobs, many workers are less than satisfied with certain aspects of their workplace environments.
According to the Conference Board’s annual Job Satisfaction survey released in May 2024, overall job satisfaction among U.S. employees increased a modest 0.4 percentage points in 2023 from the year prior. As for work-life balance, which was mentioned in the WSJ article as being something many workers are content with, it doesn't quite seem that way.
In March 2024, Hubstaff reported that 60% of global workers said they have an excellent work-life balance. However, a 2023 survey by Eagle Hill Consulting found that 42% of Americans consider poor work-life balance to be a primary cause of burnout. These flip-flopping statistics don't seem to give a clear picture of what is actually going on with U.S. workers.
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However, on the opposite side of things, a Paychex study surveyed 825 employees who quit during the “great resignation” and found that eight out of 10 professionals who left their jobs regret their decision.
The survey found that mental health, work-life balance, workplace relationships, and the chance to get rehired all suffered as a result.
Despite some surveys finding job satisfaction to be quite high, while others find it to be quite low, there is something to be said about the number of people who just stay at jobs because of the security and stability. With an overall sense of despondence and skepticism in employers, employees have a better the devil you know attitude.
Even if that job isn't fulfilling anymore and their work-life balance is suffering, corporate employees would rather suffer than try their chances at finding a job elsewhere, which is a disheartening reality.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.