In recent years, some workers may have joined the Great Resignation or quietly left their jobs due to dissatisfaction. However, with the job market cooling off and companies issuing return-to-office mandates, some employees may feel the need to express their dissatisfaction while still keeping their job. For example, an internal poll at Microsoft found that less than half of surveyed employees would remain with the company if given a comparable offer, a decrease from previous numbers.
Similarly, a poll at Salesforce revealed that only a small percentage felt the company did a good job of retention and felt secure in the future there. Trust among employees also declined. According to Gallup's survey, a significant portion of workers are either quietly quitting or actively disengaging from their work, directly harming their firms. However, it is important to note that not all "loud quitters" are actually quitting, as many workers do not have the leverage or ability to quit their jobs but still express their dissatisfaction. This trend, known as "grumpy staying," highlights how employers have regained some power over their workers after the initial gains of the Great Resignation.
While more people are choosing to remain in their jobs, they still desire change. This shift is evident in the decrease in the number of job switches compared to previous years. The labor shortage that allowed workers to negotiate better pay and benefits has eased, and the existing economic structure, such as tying healthcare to employment, remains unchanged. Inflation remains high, and people need to work.
Wage growth is slowing down, and consumer confidence in job availability is declining. Additionally, though there has been a slight increase in job openings, they mainly consist of blue-collar positions, further highlighting the struggles of the blue-collar job market. As wages fail to keep up with inflation and the fear of recession looms, many workers have no choice but to continue working while expressing their frustrations.