Quitter's remorse is a phenomenon that's more common than you might think. It's the lingering doubt and regret that follows after resigning from a job. Let's delve into the experiences of workers who've faced this predicament and explore potential coping strategies.
Plenty of workers are happy in their new positions amid the Great Resignation
But in hindsight, not everyone is pleased with their decisions
- According to a March survey of around 2,000 US workers who quit their job in the past two years, about one in five said they regretted doing so.
- Likewise, employees also expressed remorse for their new role: only 26% of job-switchers stated they liked it enough to stay.
When you think about quitting, you’re actually weighing up a complex set of pros and cons, comparing your current role to a potential one
It’s best to go through the decision “very slowly and deliberately”, he says – though not every worker has the latitude to do so
- The tight labour market also means a worker who is still somewhat happy with their current employer, yet bears some frustrations, may be tempted to simply switch jobs and take a salary hike
- If everyone else is leaving…
- Millions of workers scattering to new positions en masse may also persuade a candidate to feel as though they have to move on
Feeling out-of-sorts in a new role, and sometimes pining for an old job, is a process that can take up to two years while an employee builds up their social capital.
In most cases, Klotz recommends it’s often best to acknowledge and then push through feelings of regret.
