A Descriptive Analysis of the Great Resignation and the Great Return
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Event Website
https://source2022.sched.com/
Start Date
19-5-2022
End Date
19-5-2022
Keywords
Great Resignation, Labor Force Participation Rate, Prime-age Workers, Diversity
Abstract
An event dubbed the “Great Resignation” began in April 2021 in the United States and is described as a phenomenon associated with significant increases in the number of people quitting their job. The quitting rate remained elevated throughout the year, with acceleration recorded in September and November 2021. The industries most affected by the “Great Resignation” include hospitality, retail, business services, and healthcare (primarily nurses). In this paper, we use monthly data from the Current Population Survey for March 2019 to February 2022 to analyze the changes in labor force participation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, we use descriptive statistics to examine how trends in labor market data for 2021 compare with pre-pandemic levels. We compare these statistics across gender, age (prime-age workers versus workers aged 55 and older), educational attainment, and industry. Increases in the labor force participation rate and declines in the unemployment rate since the beginning of 2022 point to labor market recovery. As a result, we also investigate these recent trends to determine if the groups and industries (e.g., prime-aged workers and the retail and hospitality industries) affected by the great resignation are driving the current increase in labor force participation.
ReSOURCE 2022 award winner.
Recommended Citation
Schuler, William and Seibel, Ian, "A Descriptive Analysis of the Great Resignation and the Great Return" (2022). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 8.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2022/COB/8
Department/Program
Economics; Public Policy
Additional Mentoring Department
Economics
A Descriptive Analysis of the Great Resignation and the Great Return
An event dubbed the “Great Resignation” began in April 2021 in the United States and is described as a phenomenon associated with significant increases in the number of people quitting their job. The quitting rate remained elevated throughout the year, with acceleration recorded in September and November 2021. The industries most affected by the “Great Resignation” include hospitality, retail, business services, and healthcare (primarily nurses). In this paper, we use monthly data from the Current Population Survey for March 2019 to February 2022 to analyze the changes in labor force participation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, we use descriptive statistics to examine how trends in labor market data for 2021 compare with pre-pandemic levels. We compare these statistics across gender, age (prime-age workers versus workers aged 55 and older), educational attainment, and industry. Increases in the labor force participation rate and declines in the unemployment rate since the beginning of 2022 point to labor market recovery. As a result, we also investigate these recent trends to determine if the groups and industries (e.g., prime-aged workers and the retail and hospitality industries) affected by the great resignation are driving the current increase in labor force participation.
ReSOURCE 2022 award winner.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2022/COB/8
Faculty Mentor(s)
Tennecia Dacass