In September 2021, 4.4 millions of Americans voluntarily resigned from their jobs, marking a sharp increase from the previous year. This phenomenon, known as the “Great Resignation,” originated in the U.S. and spread to Europe, reflecting a shift in how work is perceived after the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic led many to reassess their professional priorities, with Millennials and Gen Z individuals seeking better work-life balance and more meaningful, fulfilling jobs. This shift resulted in behaviors such as “quiet quitting” or outright resignations. This scoping review aims to examine the main factors contributing to the phenomenon and the countermeasures implemented at both the company and government levels to address this issue. The primary causes include a lack of flexibility, insufficient wages, and limited growth opportunities. In response, many companies are reviewing their policies to enhance employee retention.

The great resignation: A scoping review / L. Leonelli, R. Contiero, M. Milotta. - In: SOCIOLOGIA DEL LAVORO. - ISSN 0392-5048. - 2025:171(2025), pp. 33-54. [10.3280/sl2025-171002]

The great resignation: A scoping review

L. Leonelli
Primo
;
R. Contiero
Secondo
;
M. Milotta
Ultimo
2025

Abstract

In September 2021, 4.4 millions of Americans voluntarily resigned from their jobs, marking a sharp increase from the previous year. This phenomenon, known as the “Great Resignation,” originated in the U.S. and spread to Europe, reflecting a shift in how work is perceived after the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic led many to reassess their professional priorities, with Millennials and Gen Z individuals seeking better work-life balance and more meaningful, fulfilling jobs. This shift resulted in behaviors such as “quiet quitting” or outright resignations. This scoping review aims to examine the main factors contributing to the phenomenon and the countermeasures implemented at both the company and government levels to address this issue. The primary causes include a lack of flexibility, insufficient wages, and limited growth opportunities. In response, many companies are reviewing their policies to enhance employee retention.
Great Resignation; factors; measures; sectors
Settore ECON-08/A - Organizzazione aziendale
2025
Article (author)
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
LeonelliLaura_TheGreatResignationAScop_20250926155710.pdf

accesso riservato

Tipologia: Publisher's version/PDF
Licenza: Nessuna licenza
Dimensione 288.49 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
288.49 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/1184942
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 0
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
  • OpenAlex 0
social impact