Workers “kiss” in a stagnant labor market, but growing resentment means that they could bail out as soon as the next great resignation comes

The “great resignation” of the pandemic era saw 47 million people leave their job in 2021 and 50 million more in 2022 while they were looking for flexible working conditions and a higher salary. While job offers and turnover returned to pre-cook levels in 2023, the massive exodus of workers went to “big stay”.

Today, while tariff uncertainty threatens business growth plans and investment capital is slows down – without mentioning progress in the fears of AI employees to be moved – workers remain with additional anxiety. They fear that if they leave, they could not find options elsewhere, according to the consulting firm Korn Ferry. This act of “work work” hung their positions to their “dear life” positions.

“Given all the activities that occurred after the case, then some of these constant layoffs, people expect and sit on seats and hoping that they have more stability,” said Stacy Decesaro, Korn Ferry management consultant, told Korn Ferry, Stacy Decesaro Fortune.

Since the fourth quarter of 2024, the Eagle Hill Consulting employee retention index has indicated that growing employees have intended to stay in their current employment in the next six months. The Council also experienced a 4.4 -point drop in its market opportunity indicator in the last quarter, indicating a sharp drop in employee perceptions on the labor market. The American wage bill has increased only 73,000 in July and increased on average only 35,000 in the last three months.

“No one wants to leave unless it is very unhappy or miserable in their work or does not feel so unstable by the company,” said Decesaro.

Growing employees of employees

It is not because more employees remain that they are satisfied. A November 2024 report from Glassdoor revealed that 65% of employees said that they are “stuck” in their current posts, including 73% of technology positions. With fewer alternatives, sitting tight at work, for many, has led to the cabin fever.

“It is not an accident that trends like” Quiet leaves “resonates now,” wrote Daniel Zhao, principal economist in Glassdoor, in the report. “While workers feel stuck, the repressed resentment ends below the surface and the disengagement of employees increases.”

In addition to the dark work prospects elsewhere, employees are also struggling with a rotating door to the management of the company, which has exacerbated feelings of discomfort and to disconnect from the vision of a company, said Decesaro. Some of his clients said they had worked on three different business presidents in the 18 months.

CEO turnover rates have reached their highest level for decades, departures jumping from 12% from June 2024 to 2025, according to data from the executive investment company Challenger, Gray & Christmas, reaching the highest levels since the start of the company which began to follow turnover in 2002.

In other cases, said Decesaro, a new management has given the employees hope, encouraging them to stay much longer, even if their workplace culture does not end up changing the best.

Together, these factors have led to the rise of the “silent crack”, the employees reaching a point of rupture and mentally verifying. The drop in productivity following the disengagement of employees cost $ 438 billion to the world economy in 2024, according to the report on the state of the Gallup workplace in 2025.

“ Great resignation ” redux

Employees can have few other career options now, but once market conditions are approving, this silent dissatisfaction without any doubt already seen for employers, Decesaro said: another great resignation arrives.

“Once the market has improved, I think it’s going to be super active because there is a lot of repressed demand like” I have been miserable here for some time, but I’m just waiting for a better opportunity or a better market to move “,” said Decesaro.

If employers want to ensure that their workers do not leave as soon as they see other career options, they should focus on finding opportunities to open communication doors between management and base workers, as well as take the time to bring together and listen to workers’ comments, according to Decesaro.

With some fully distant jobs, there should be a continuous effort to meet once a year or a quarter to create a coherent corporate culture.

“It will be a turnover of fruit baskets,” said Decesaro. “But if you have invested in your people by then and when it happens, people will be reluctant to leave.”