Last Updated: March 30, 2026
This article originally appeared in The Tennessean.
There’s a new catch phrase sweeping the nation.
If you run a restaurant, hotel, healthcare company, or tech firm there’s no doubt you’ve heard it. And if you work in one of these fields you may have uttered it yourself.
Over the past few months, the phrase “I quit” has become more popular than ever before.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in July, nearly 4 million Americans quit their jobs. And surveys of those who have not quit show that the trend is likely to continue. Quitting has become so popular that business leaders have already given it a name, “The Great Resignation.”
So, what’s behind this new trend? Is it a fad or a new norm that’s here to stay?
To understand why so many people are quitting their jobs, we must look no further than the start of the pandemic a year and half ago. As the vaccines have rolled out and life has begun to (sort of) return to normal, several factors have converged to land the job market where it is today.
