Survey: 1 in 4 Americans plan to quit their jobs this year

The so-called Great Resignation that disrupted the 2021 workforce will be back for an encore in 2022, according to a new survey by ResumeBuilder.com.

In a late December poll of 1,250 employed American adults, 23% of respondents plan on securing a new job this year and 9% are starting the new year with a new position.

Slightly more than half of respondents (52%) anticipate quitting their current job during the first half of the year, with 26% planning to quit by March. One in four remote workers said they were looking for a new job in 2022, with 24% indicating they”™ll seek a different employment situation. By comparison, 23% of fully in-person workers and 21% of those with hybrid work arrangements are also on the lookout for new employment this year.

Within different sectors, the retail and food and hospitality industries might see the greatest turnover, with 31% of retail workers and 26% of food and hospitality workers intending to find new employment. Other industries that will see about one-quarter of their workforce heading for the exit include education (23%), office and administrative support (23%), and business and finance (22%).

Within the employment ranks, 23% of employees in non-management roles and 17% of workers in upper management will be on the hunt for a new opportunity this year. Furthermore, 32% of employees who are looking for new jobs are seeking employment in a different industry ”“ and among the top industries that are attracting new talent are computer and information technology (11%), healthcare (11%), media and communications (9%), retail (9%), community and social services (8%) and business and finance (8%).

But why are so many people ready to move into a new role? Half of the respondents said they were in search of better pay and benefits, while 42% said they desired a position they are more passionate about and 32% cited poor working conditions at their current job.