Why Is Work Not Working For Millions of Americans?

Cocoa Griot- Let "auntie" wisdom and energy keep you uplifted!

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My mistakes are not edited out of this podcast, because they remind me I am human. So many people want everything to be perfect, that is not the place where I choose to live and I am happy!

00:12

Good evening and welcome to my humble podcast abode! I am Cocoa Griot an enthusiastic fifty-something who is delighted to talk to you about life, love, and a smattering of other topics. I feel very confident when I share information about topics I am very familiar with on this show. Tonight’s topic is a little different for me because I love my job! Many of you know I work as a professional mentor and I absolutely feel like it is purpose-driven work. I don’t just make a living, I make a difference! I know I am one of the lucky ones when it comes to the work I am blessed to do. Something very interesting happened during the pandemic and many people have separated themselves from employment. This phenomenon is known as the Great Resignation. I decided to check out what the experts are saying caused the Great Resignation. Tonight I am going to share three main reasons some experts say that work is not working for millions of Americans.

01:19

According to Dave Ramsey, one reason people quit their jobs was that the pandemic caused a philosophical reset. People literally realized that life was too short to spend it doing something they did not enjoy. Let's think about how work changed for so many people. There were layoffs, furloughs, working from home hybrid models of work, and the list goes on and on when it comes to the district disruption of the hamster wheel many of us lived on for years. the past gave some individuals time to rethink what work meant to them. After some of us thought deeply about our work. We let it go. Yep, pulled up an Elsa moment right out of the hat. In September 2021 Alone 4.4 million individuals quit their jobs. That is a staggering number. And it's hard to comprehend that many people just said I quit. The reality is that in the first seven months of 2021 25 million Americans separated themselves from their employer. It made me think about this quote. " Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark and professionals build the Titanic Titanic. Okay, I cannot talk tonight.

02:27

Beyond the philosophical reasons, there are other reasons people quit their jobs. Andrew Flowers, a labor economist, offers insight as to why some workers are quitting their jobs and it really boils down to money matters. Mr. Flowers compared the wages of job switchers and people who remained in jobs. Interestingly enough he noted there was significant earnings for people who chose to switch jobs. The fact is that many companies realize that in this current economy wages have to increase to attract and hire new employees. Mr. Flowers stated that companies have to start looking at their salary scales more frequently than on an annual basis in order to stay competitive in the job hiring sphere. Evidence of this is all around in my community. When I saw pizza chains offering $3,000 sign-on bonuses I was shocked!

Before I reveal the final reason some experts are saying work isn’t working for millions of Americans, I want to share a word from tonight's exciting sponsor of this episode.

03:31

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04:33

Back to the topic at hand! Author Jennifer Moss in her book, The Burnout Epidemic, offers some interesting thoughts about why we are seeing mass exoduses from workplaces. The author says there are three main signs that point to people experiencing burnout! Number one is exhaustion. The feeling that you are so fatigued from work that you cannot engage with family, friends, or activities you normally enjoy. She gave an example during a recent interview that you feel like you are walking to the shower with cement shoes on your feet when it is time to get ready for work. A second sign of burnout is that you are disengaged from your work. You question yourself about whether you are even able to accomplish the task you are assigned to do. The work volume may be overwhelming and I think many people are going through this as others leave a job and they remain behind. So many businesses are running short-staffed so this puts an extra burden on the people who do show up for work. The last sign of burnout the author points out is cynicism. Giving up and believing that there is no hope for things to improve can lead to workers walking out the door! Apparently, burnout is a huge factor in why many Americans are leaving their jobs. Now that I have given you insight from some experts, I want to share a few thoughts on why I feel insulated from this phenomenon.

05:52

When it comes to a philosophical reset, I did not have one because I was already engaged in work that was meaningful to me. Although I understand why some Americans did quit based on this principle, I am grateful that was not my path. In terms of job-seeking for better wages, my employer looked at the level of inflation and adjusted wages to help employees stay comfortable financially. A strategy my employer has in place to mitigate burnout involves a few measures. Number one, there is constant communication between my boss and I. We have a scheduled one-on-one weekly, but I can reach out to her any time I feel the need. If my boss detected that I was showing signs of strain in any way, she reminded me that I could take PTO if I needed it. Being mindful of the importance of supporting employees as we are all navigating the mass anxiety brought on by the pandemic is crucial to keep staff in place. Knowing that your work matters and that you matter as a person helps you to stay grounded. I am not critiquing anyone who chose to change their work circumstance during this pandemic. This is a fascinating topic and I am glad I explored some aspects of the Great Resignation. Reflecting on how blessed I am to love and enjoy my work was a worthwhile experience.

07:19

Thanks for listening this evening and as always I wish you good health, good fortune, and a goodnight. Cocoa Griot out!

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