Get ready for the next Great Resignation as workers say they're burned out and yearning for joy

Whatever happened to the Great Resignation? That remarkable spring in 2022 when 442,000 people in the UK handed in their notice and flocked to pastures new. It was a record number and still is. But it’s set to be broken. 

Research shows that we’re on the precipice of the Great Resignation 2.0, with one survey suggesting that up to a third of UK workers could quit their jobs this year while another, conducted by auditor PwC, found that more people worldwide are considering resigning now than during the mass resignations two years ago. 

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Eloise Skinner was one of those who took the plunge in 2022. Leaving her job as a corporate lawyer, she was spurred on by those around her making the change and handed in her notice – though it took guts. “The decision was a slow process,” she says. “I’d already been moving into a more self-employed way of working and lockdown had given me time to really think about what I wanted to do. There were quite a few people resigning around the same time as well, so I definitely didn’t feel alone.” 

After leaving her job, Skinner retrained as a psychotherapist and though she says she “works with more intensity now”, it’s something she doesn’t mind as she enjoys her work a lot more. That seems to be the main driving force behind all resignations: finding more enjoyment, whether that’s in our work or personal lives.

“It’s like we’re all on this treadmill, running towards some nebulous idea of ‘success’ and then one day we look up and wonder, ‘Is this really it?”, Rychel Johnson, a mental health expert and clinical counsellor from Our Public Records says. “Society has conditioned us to equate success with happiness; get the degree, land the job, climb the ladder – it’s a neat little formula we’re sold. But life has a way of throwing curveballs that make us question this equation.”

There’s a particular turning point when resignation becomes inevitable, Johnson adds. Burnout. “We’ve been sprinting so hard that we’ve forgotten how to walk, let alone smell the roses. And work guilt is like this constant background noise, making us feel bad for even considering a life beyond our career.”

So what do you do when you realise that success is not making you happy? Even if it’s something you wholeheartedly want, resignation is daunting.

“Giving up our careers creates a lot of change in our lives and truly learning how to feel more accepting of change is a skill that requires practice,” Dr Sophie Mort, a mental health expert for the Headspace app, says. “We can start by creating the space and time to reflect on and explore what we love and enjoy. Once we’ve spent some time reflecting, we might consider taking a local beginner class to try something new.” 

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She urges people to approach these new experiences with an open mind and go into them with zero expectations of being good at or even enjoying them. “This is simply a time to help us reconnect with ourselves and enjoy things outside of work,” she explains.

“We can use this time to explore and find new interests and passions that bring us joy – which is truly an incredible opportunity. It’s a time to reflect and ask ourselves important questions about our desires and needs, and what we want our lives to look like in all areas, not just work.”

To figure out what you might want to do, either hobby or work-wise, start by asking yourself some simple questions: What activities have I enjoyed in the past? What have I always been curious to do but never tried?

Skinner has found a whole host of things to do. As well as working as a therapist, she teaches and sits on the youth board of the UK’s national social mobility charity. She’s also written two books. In short, she’s not slowed down. But she has found more enjoyment in a career that genuinely brings her happiness – and gives her time for a few lie-ins and late nights.

Johnson reminds us that, “Happiness isn’t a destination we arrive at once we’ve ticked off enough boxes. What we can learn from this shift, from all these resignations, is the importance of balance and self-awareness. It’s not necessarily about abandoning ambition, but rather expanding our definition of what a rich, successful life looks like.” 

And that doesn’t have to mean resigning. “Maybe success isn’t just about that corner office, but also about the joy of a weekend hike or the satisfaction of mastering a new recipe.”

Whether you’re resigning or just cutting down on hectic work hours, it’s likely you’ll experience work guilt. Unfortunately, it’s become the norm. “We’ve been led to believe that being constantly busy is a standard we should all strive to reach,” Dr Mort says. 

To ease the guilt, she adds, “it’s important to remember that our value isn’t defined solely by our productivity and output.”

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