Listeners, it’s time to talk about the Great Resignation.
That’s the name used to describe this moment in time as a large number of American workers quit their jobs at unprecedented rates.
“I also like a lot of other great R-words. I use the Great Reshuffling to talk about the uptick in migration and business formation. I talk about the Great Rudeness when it comes to the fact that a lot of people have been sort of locked in their houses for the last year or at least going out less, or, you know, being rather jerkish to flight attendants and waitstaff. And I also call it the Great Reset, because … I think a lot of people are not only rethinking what exactly they want to do for eight hours a day in their next job, they’re also thinking about rethinking about their relationship with work,” said Derek Thompson, who has been writing about this phenomenon for The Atlantic.
According to the Labor Department, 4.3 million workers left their jobs in August. The quits rate, as it’s called, is up to 2.9%, the highest since the department started keeping track. We usually look at the quits rate as an indicator about how optimistic workers are feeling about their ability to find another job.
On the show today, we’ll talk about the reasons driving people to leave their jobs right now, why it might actually be a good thing for the American workforce and what it means for our complicated relationship with work.
In the News Fix: a portrait of some of the underrepresented voices in our economy and what happened when they banded together. Plus, we’ll highlight a couple of the less talked about parts of the infrastructure package.
Also, after one of our hosts (it was Kai) reveals his dislike for the Great Resignation moniker, some listeners call with their own suggestions. And what a pup taught a “Make Me Smart” listener about her love for dogs.
When you’re done listening, tell your Echo device to “make me smart” for our daily explainers. This week we’re doing the numbers on health insurance and explaining HIPPA and the problems with being underinsured. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter! You can find the latest issue here.
Here’s everything we talked about today:
- “The Great Resignation Is Accelerating” from Derek Thompson in The Atlantic
- “The Religion of Workism Is Making Americans Miserable” also from Thompson in The Atlantic
- “‘The Great Resignation’ Misses the Point” from Wired
- “Inside the fast-food workers’ rebellion at a McDonald’s in Bradford, Pa” from The Washington Post
- “Congress’ new mandate to carmakers: Figure out a way to stop drunk driving” from NPR
- ICYMI: Our episode on Modern Monetary Theory
None of us is as smart as all of us.
No matter how bananapants your day is, “Make Me Smart” is here to help you through it all— 5 days a week.
It’s never just a one-way conversation. Your questions, reactions, and donations are a vital part of the show. And we’re grateful for every single one.
