The discourse of the 'great resignation'. Introducing a research project

Background. The ‘Great Resignation’ is a phenomenon where many people voluntarily leave their jobs, which has been occurring for a few years and peaked in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, resignees are leaving long-term, stable jobs driven by factors beyond economics, such as work-life balance and quality of life. Aims. The economic aspects of the Great Resignation have been extensively studied, but there are limitations to these studies as the phenomenon is ongoing and the focus has been primarily on economic and financial aspects. This presentation aims to provide an overview of a project that proposes looking at the phenomenon from a different perspective, by examining the narratives of the individuals involved in the phenomenon. Methods. The project employs a pluralistic approach, utilizing corpus-driven linguistics, narrative studies, and other research tools. It integrates methods from applied linguistics, statistics, anthropology, sociology, and socioeconomics for data collection and analysis. Expected results. The research project aims to understand the values behind job resignations, offering an academic and social understanding of the phenomenon. The collected interviews will contribute to further investigations and interdisciplinary research. The project also seeks to propose theoretical models for interpreting social phenomena based on self-constructed identities. Outputs include a corpus of interviews, a web platform, and analysis of existing and emerging discourses, which can serve as a connecting tool for the social actors involved.