The Great Resignation is Here, and I’m Here for It
Disclaimer: I have an amazing job. I get to work with a smart group of people every day to invent and innovate in healthcare for patient benefit. It’s an incredibly fulfilling job that is the perfect marriage of the most powerful skills in my arsenal and my purpose. Invention and innovation are all about experimentation that is powered by learning from the exhilarating highs of our stellar successes and the gut-wrenching lows of our spectacular failures all in the pursuit of what has yet to be imagined. This is why I find the Great Resignation so very compelling and our analysis of it so very underwhelming.
We are in the midst of an amazing human experiment - and yet almost every article I read on the phenomenon elects to focus on the impact to the worker and workplace, instead of the impact on the world.
When we talk about the gloom and doom of talent bleeding from our great corporate institutions and the shift of power from employers back into the hands of employees, it feels a bit like we are missing the point. The pandemic brought us many difficult issues, but I believe the Great Resignation is not one of them. Rather, it is a magnificent light of hope and opportunity that will change not just our work but also our world to produce impacts that will echo decades into the future. Here are four outcomes to look forward to:
Impact on Invention
What happens when millions of people who are no longer satisfied in their current careers must be tenacious and creative in new ways when the safety net of a 401K and health insurance is no longer available? This will offer a pivot moment where integrity and creativity come together to produce meaningful inventions. As I write this, some of our most talented intellects, creators, and leaders who before the Great Resignation might never have found themselves in the same room are forming hives of innovation to tackle some very hard problems. The result will be the acceleration of inventions and ideas that will make what was once an unheard-of timeline - like the fast-paced development of the Covid-19 vaccinations - look like a stroll through the park.
Impact on Diversity and Inclusion
What happens when the talent drain is suddenly opened, forcing businesses to look for talent in places they haven't before? Is it possible that a recruiting command might overcome the racist preconceptions that have systematically plagued our institutions in both public and private sectors for centuries? Diversity of thought is an essential piece of any successful company culture that wants to attract top talent and produce groundbreaking products and services. I predict that this period will be known as a golden era for overlooked pockets of ability, and outdated barriers to inclusion in our organizations such as education background, neurodivergent skills, geography, and gender identity will be lowered.
Impact on Health
What happens when everyone is swinging on a pendulum between lonely workdays from home where there never seems to be an end and the pleasure that comes with working in a day without traffic, as well as more time for loved ones and personal pursuits? We receive a masterclass in what we need individually and as a society to be well, and that includes healthy workplaces. The pandemic fueled our addictions but then gave rise to the strong and sober. It gave us a crash course on health literacy and the value of participating in clinical research. It brought light to the darkness of mental health, reminding us that we have to care for our bodies and our minds. This created a new calculus for everything in our lives - including how our work either contributes to our wellness or detracts from it. I believe we will look back on this period of departures as a watershed moment when individuals chose to put their health first and our workplaces followed suit.
Impact on the Earth
What happens when workers suddenly stop getting on planes, decide they no longer want to go into that big office in the city, and realize the gig economy may not pay better, but allows for life on their terms? Companies start to reduce the footprint of their physical buildings and recognize that meeting in Basel isn't essential travel. The result is a perfect storm for climate change and The Great Resignation, it turns out, might just be great for our Earth!
It's Not Just About Us
The Great Resignation isn't just about what we need for our health and happiness. The Great Resignation is about inventing the future, allowing more people to participate fully in that future, and what we can do for our communities and the earth which we all depend on.