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I’m fairly convinced that the Great Resignation is the sum of: 1) Natural turnover that did not happen in 2020 adding to natural turnover in 2021. 2) 2021 nat

I’m fairly convinced that the Great Resignation is the sum of: 1) Natural turnover that did not happen in 2020 adding to natural turnover in 2021. 2) 2021 natural turnover. 3) People (primarily women) not being able to return to work because of child and elderly care. The reason I don’t think it’s something more than that is that other countries are not seeing a great resignation. Only the US is. And the US didn’t even have struct lockdowns unlike other countries including countries richer and poorer than the US on a per capita basis.

hn_throwaway_99 5y ago
> 3) People (primarily women) not being able to return to work because of child and elderly care. I think that one is key, BUT primarily because I also think that one is not likely to recede as quickly the other causes will. I think many people with young children, where both parents worked, and one of those parents was in a relatively low wage job, realized that it actually made more financial and "mental health" sense to have that parent just quit and take care of their children full time. With as expensive as childcare is in the US, people realized "Why am I completely stressing myself out, having someone else raise my kids, when I earn X, but something in the neighborhood of .8X goes to childcare, expenses for having a job (commuting, work clothes, etc.), and taxes. I'd rather have a slightly lower standard of living without having to deal with a bullshit job and having so little time with my kids." I believe that dynamic is one that has staying power. All of the other fantasies ("people are standing up to the man and saying they won't come back until wages increase") will face reality once people's savings run out and they realize they like having shelter and eating.
- jleyank 5y ago
  To some degree, older folks or folks with money are leaving the workforce and not reporting themselves as unemployed. Going part time or just closing down their career. This causes a mid to high end shortage which will indirectly drain lower level jobs as well.
im3w1l 5y ago
> Only the US is. That's a super interesting fact but I don't think it so obviously points out that this is a non-event. Why would the turn from 2020 add but not in the rest of the world? Why would women go home to child/elderly care and not in the rest of the world? Pretty mysterious!

hn_throwaway_99 5y ago

> 3) People (primarily women) not being able to return to work because of child and elderly care. I think that one is key, BUT primarily because I also think that one is not likely to recede as quickly the other causes will. I think many people with young children, where both parents worked, and one of those parents was in a relatively low wage job, realized that it actually made more financial and "mental health" sense to have that parent just quit and take care of their children full time. With as expensive as childcare is in the US, people realized "Why am I completely stressing myself out, having someone else raise my kids, when I earn X, but something in the neighborhood of .8X goes to childcare, expenses for having a job (commuting, work clothes, etc.), and taxes. I'd rather have a slightly lower standard of living without having to deal with a bullshit job and having so little time with my kids." I believe that dynamic is one that has staying power. All of the other fantasies ("people are standing up to the man and saying they won't come back until wages increase") will face reality once people's savings run out and they realize they like having shelter and eating.

jleyank 5y ago
To some degree, older folks or folks with money are leaving the workforce and not reporting themselves as unemployed. Going part time or just closing down their career. This causes a mid to high end shortage which will indirectly drain lower level jobs as well.

im3w1l 5y ago

> Only the US is. That's a super interesting fact but I don't think it so obviously points out that this is a non-event. Why would the turn from 2020 add but not in the rest of the world? Why would women go home to child/elderly care and not in the rest of the world? Pretty mysterious!