26 Why Employees Quit Statistics You Must Know (2024)


Why Employees Quit Statistics

Every employer knows how costly employee turnover is and that it’s better to avoid it. Still, many people quit their jobs for numerous reasons.

Furthermore, some companies and industries have incredibly high turnover rates. Also, it’s important to mention that the coronavirus pandemic accelerated the rates of resigning.

Why does that happen? Both employers and workers would know about the main reasons people quit their jobs because that’s the key to employee satisfaction, engagement, and higher revenues.

We’ve compiled some eye-opening why employees quit statistics about top causes of leaving jobs, employee turnover, how to prevent employees from quitting, and other stats and facts regarding leaving jobs.

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Key Statistics on Employees Quitting Jobs (Editor’s Pick)

  • The computer game industry has a turnover rate of 15.5%.
  • One in four employees around the world quit their jobs in 2021.
  • Three in four UK survey respondents plan to quit their jobs in 2022.
  • 4.5 million US workers left their jobs in November 2021.
  • 66% of US workers would leave their job if they weren’t appreciated enough.
  • 92% of employees would be less likely to quit if their bosses had more empathy.
  • 43% of millennials think their company cares only about profits.
  • There are 13 key signs that an employee is about to quit.
  • Strong management transparency decreases the likelihood of employees leaving their jobs by 30%.

Global Why Employees Quit Statistics

1. Technology (software) is the industry with the highest turnover rate (13.2%).

(LinkedIn)

According to the great resignation 2021 statistics, people resigned in record numbers, especially in the software technology industry. Right after it, there are the retail and consumer products (13%), media and entertainment, and professional services industries (11.4%).

Employees in these industries most likely switch jobs due to increasing demand and compensation.

 

2. The computer game industry has the highest turnover rate in the tech industry (15.5%).

(LinkedIn)

The main reason for high turnover rates in the tech industry, especially in the gaming (15.5%), computer software (13.3%), and Internet industries (14.9%), is high demand. Employers and offers get more competitive, and people are more likely to switch jobs.

 

3. 67% of workers quit their jobs in India because of low salaries.

(Indian Express)

Apart from low salary, some of top reasons why employees quit jobs in India are limited career opportunities (66%), not being valued (65%), relationship with colleagues (64%), and inadequate pandemic health measures (64%).

 

4. Globally, one in four employees quit their job in 2021.

(CNBC)

Last year was incredibly hard both for companies and employees. Many people got fired, but one in four people voluntarily quit their jobs. In 2022, companies should consider investing in employee retention measures, especially for the groups that are more likely to leave.

 

5. Employees reported a 21% increase in burnout between December 2020 and July 2021.

(CNBC)

As overworked employees statistics point out, employees don’t only have problems with burnout. In fact, 17% reported an increase in physical symptoms of stress, such as fatigue or muscle tension.

Many also struggle with added work-life balance challenges and job stress in general. In addition to that, the meQuilibrium report reveals that the percentage of employees who believe their bosses support mental health declined by 10%.

 

6. 82% of survey respondents said they’d be more loyal if they had more flexible jobs.

(Flexjobs)

Job flexibility is undoubtedly one of the emerging trends. According to a survey of over 2,600 respondents, a staggering 76% of employees stated that they avoided offices even when important tasks were in question. The reasons why they were productive at home were:

  • Fewer interruptions (76%) and distractions (75%).
  • Minimal office politics (71%).
  • No commuting (68%).
  • A more comfortable environment (65%).

 

7. Japan will most likely have a shortage of 690,000 care workers by 2040 due to low pay.

(Reuters)

Unhappy employees statistics reveal that Japan’s hourly labor productivity stands at $47.9, roughly 60% of the US level. Job stitching isn’t very common in Japan, but due to the influence of the coronavirus pandemic and little or no increase in salary, many employees will have no choice but to do so.

 

8. According to a survey, three in four UK employees plan to quit their jobs in 2022.

(Independent)

Why employees quit statistics for the UK indicate that three in four survey respondents plan to leave their jobs this year. Many say that the main reasons for quitting are general career changes, along with better salary and more flexibility.

 

9. Only 1.7% of employees quit for job security reasons.

(Manila Recruitment)

It appears that the lack of security in the workplace isn’t what makes most employees leave, as less than 2% quit jobs because they don’t feel safe at work. Apart from that, 7.7% leave for more flexibility and 16.5% because of management.

 

10. Between 10% and 17% of low-wage jobs in Germany wouldn’t even exist at their current wage if employees had more information.

(Business Insider)

Statistics about why do hourly employees quit based on a study show that low-wage workers in Germany don’t know how much money they can make elsewhere. That also explains a quitting boom in the US. Apparently, workers have probably realized that they have better options in other companies and industries.

Why Employees Quit Statistics (US Specific)

11. 4.3 million Americans left their jobs in August 2021.

(Time)

More than four million Americans quit jobs in August last year because of burnout, side projects, poor treatment, and low wages. Data also shows that around 14 million younger workers (aged 20 to 34) weren’t considered a part of the US workforce in September 2021.

 

12. Resignation rates were the highest among mid-career workers during the great resignation.

(HBR)

Job change statistics from an analysis of over 4,000 companies point out that workers aged 30 to 45 had the highest increase in resignation rates during the great resignation. The reasons for that might be greater demand for skilled employees, delays in transitioning, or work overloads.

 

13. A shocking 4.5 million people voluntarily quit their jobs in November 2021.

(Aljazeera)

Why employees quit statistics for 2021 reveal that there was a record number of resignations in November, while job openings were historically high. Aside from hospitality and leisure, the retail industry lost the highest number of employees because of the coronavirus pandemic and its influence.

 

14. One million hospitality and leisure workers quit their jobs in November 2021.

(Business Insider)

In general, low-wage workers were the leading group who quit in November 2021. Nevertheless, it’s important to highlight that many Americans completely lost their jobs because their government relied on unemployment insurance.

 

15. 66% of US workers would quit their job if they didn’t feel appreciated.

(Work Stars)

As the study from Office Team reveals, 66% of the employees would quit if they felt unvalued. Moreover, eight in ten millennials would do the same if their leaders or colleagues didn’t appreciate them.

 

Key Statistics on Quitting Jobs and What Employers Can Do About It

 

16. 92% of employees would be less likely to quit if their bosses showed more empathy.

(BusinesSolver)

Even CEOs think showing empathy leads to better business outcomes (84% of CEOs think so), while 72% of employees claim it increases their motivation. On the contrary, only one in four employees claim that empathy is sufficient.

 

17. Women are more likely to change jobs than men, along with those aged 40 to 45.

(Globe Newswire)

Why employees quit statistics indicate that young workers aren’t the only ones who decide to quit. A worrying fact is that women are more likely to resign because gender parity in many industries is still very depressing.

 

18. In 2021, resignations in the healthcare industry increased by 3.6% compared to the year before.

(HBR)

Unfortunately, healthcare workers have experienced a tremendous increase in demand since the coronavirus pandemic. Therefore, employees are overworked and exhausted, and the pandemic isn’t over yet.

That’s why employers should take a data-driven approach and try to increase employee retention and make the lives of their healthcare workers easier.

 

19. 89% of bosses falsely believe their employees quit because they want higher salaries.

(Medium)

Although most employers think money is the main reason employees quit, it’s far from true. As employee turnover statistics show, only 12% decide to resign because they want a higher salary.

 

20. 50% of employees think work itself has become too stressful, which is another reason for resigning.

(CNBC)

Even if many companies prioritize mental health, employees still feel overwhelmed. Data suggests that half of the employees find work more stressful than before, while 57% felt stressed out on a daily basis during 2020.

 

21. 30% of employees would think about quitting if they were unhappy at work.

(Medium)

Numerous turnover statistics prove that employee satisfaction and happiness decrease turnover rate. Still, 79% of employees thought their bosses didn’t care about how happy they were at work.

We can conclude that managers and employers could easily influence their employees’ decision to quit but choose not to do so for some reason.

 

22. 43% of millennial survey respondents felt like their company cared only about profits.

(O.C. Tanner)

Data from a survey that includes more than 10,000 millennial workers worldwide, 39% of those who worked in only one company felt stuck in their current role, while 69% of those who changed more than ten organizations felt the same.

Other Interesting Statistics on Why Employees Quit

23. 13 key behaviors are the signs that an employee wants to quit.

(SHRM)

Some of the behaviors that indicate that an employee is about to quit are:

  • Decreased productivity
  • Doing the bare minimum
  • Leaving the office early more frequently
  • No enthusiasm for the company’s mission
  • A negative change in attitude

Of course, there are more of them (13 in total). Behavioral changes can reveal a worker’s intentions to leave, and if you notice at least a few, you should be concerned.

 

24. Strong management transparency in companies decreases the likelihood of workers leaving their jobs by 30%.

(Manila Recruitment)

Stats on employee retention point out that management transparency in companies plays a significant role in employee retention. For example, some estimates suggest that 30% of employees are more likely to stay with the company if its management transparency is strong.

 

25. The average age when people retire is 62.

(CNBC)

Retirement is another reason why employees leave their jobs. Some people voluntarily retire before the age of 62. For example, most millennials (those aged 25 to 40) usually plan to retire at the age of 59.

 

26. Only 12% of employees leave their jobs because of money.

(Learn.G2)

Almost 90% of employers think that employees leave their companies because they want more money. Interestingly, it’s not true. Only 12% of employees would leave a job solely for a higher salary.

 

Related Questions

What is the number 1 reason employees quit?

The lack of appreciation and recognition is one of the main reasons employees decide to change their jobs, as 66% of employees reported that they would quit if they didn’t feel appreciated.

Some other things that can make employees quit are bad managers, burnout, lack of flexible work options, poor mental health, unsuitable corporate culture, etc.

 

Why do young employees quit their jobs?

There are many reasons why so many people aren’t a part of the workforce anymore. Some of them are burnout, the influence of the coronavirus pandemic, low pages, and poor treatment. However, the main reasons seem to be the lack of career advancement and low wages.

In 2021, 12.1 million young people quit their jobs between June, July, and August. In addition, The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that 14 million Americans were neither looking for work nor working.

 

How do managers feel when you quit?

It depends on your role and your company’s turnover rate. If you are new or don’t have a specific role in a company, you’ll probably be forgotten soon and replaced quickly. However, if your managers have plans for you or you were the one who did so many of their tasks, they’ll surely feel bad.

Also, many managers might feel rejected, especially those who think they do their job very well. Some of them might even be so frustrated that they would make your last days in the company as horrible as they possibly can.

 

How often do Americans change jobs?

Statista’s research from 2018 shows that 51% of Americans planned to change their jobs in the following one to five years. Since there isn’t any new data on this topic, this percentage may be even higher now.

The coronavirus pandemic has negat]ively influenced many industries and made the situation in companies worse. If we consider how many people quit their jobs in 2021, we can assume that job change in the US is more frequent than ever before.

 

Do bosses care if you quit?

Most bosses only care because it’s costly to replace an employee (it can cost up to $40,000). Therefore, many try to avoid it. Also, their reaction depends on how large the company is and how well an employee does their job.

If skilled employees quit, bosses will most certainly care about it. On the contrary, if an employee is really bad at their job, it’s always better to replace them.

 

When to leave a job for another job?

If you’re unhappy for whatever reason, you should consider quitting. It can be because of burnout (and a salary that doesn’t make you feel it’s worth it), poor management, or no chance for advancing your career. Since you spend around one-third of your life at work, you shouldn’t stay in companies that don’t value your work.

According to why employees quit statistics, the best time to leave a job is when you realize that your superiors don’t value you and that the situation at the workplace won’t change.

 

Conclusion

Times have changed, and company culture and work environment have become as crucial as a high salary. Also, since we have access to more information because of the Internet, it’s much easier to quit a job you don’t like and search for another one.

Employers need to understand that their workers are also human beings and need to feel appreciated. If they treat them well, employees will be more productive and less likely to leave, which can significantly increase the company’s revenues.

The influence of the worldwide pandemic is inevitable, so companies should invest more time in helping their employees avoid strain and burnout, especially in industries that are in high demand.

Getting your employees to feel valued and invested in the business is an important part of keeping them around. Make sure you’re treating all your employees as individuals and not just a number.

It’s also important to give them access to training, opportunities for growth and development, and even just listening to their ideas. When they leave an organization, they’re not just taking their skills with them; they’re also taking their knowledge, which can be invaluable to other companies down the road.

Don’t forget that a happy employee is a motivated employee. It’s up to you to make sure your employees are motivated in the first place, but if you do all this right, you’ll have fewer people quitting on you.

Well, that’s all we’ve got! Thanks for hanging with us through this very long article, and we hope it gave you a few ideas of ways to keep your employees happy and engaged.

If you found this article helpful, make sure to share it in your network. 

Happy hiring!

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