The Statistics That Support “The Great Resignation”

Written by Paige Taylor

I think by now we all know about and/or have been impacted in some way by “The Great Resignation” and last week the ABS released some statistics relating to the previous 12 months (February 2021 – February 2022) that support people did reassess their current working arrangements and move employers. 

Let’s have a brief look at some of the statistics:

• In the previous 12 months we have seen the highest job mobility rate in Australia since February 2012 with 9.5% of employed people changing their employer or business.  This equates to 1.3 million people changing jobs and is an increase of 300,000 more people than the year before (Feb 2020-Feb 2021) and 220,000 more than the year prior to the pandemic (Feb 2019- Feb 2020).
• There was a 2.4% increase for women compared to a 1.6% increase in men changing jobs than in the previous 12 months.
• Job mobility increased in all occupations groups with the largest being clerical and administration workers with an increase 3.3% and machinery operators and drivers 2.7%. 
• Almost all industries saw a rise in job mobility in the second year of the pandemic with the largest in Professional, Scientific and Tech services with an increase on the previous 12 months of 4.3% and wholesale trade of 4.1%.  The only industry that saw a decline was mining with a slight fall on 0.5%.
• 57% of people were more likely to change industries than occupations and 36% were more likely to change jobs with more hours than the same number of hours or less.

If your business has approximately 20 people, this is almost 2 people in 12 months.  What is those 2 people were your best performers that had been with you for many years.  What is the real cost of losing those people?  You must recruit and then train; you lose knowledge of the business and industry that could take years for someone new to establish.  You lose friendships and relationships that have been built and established. 

Has your business been impacted by “The Great Resignation”, maybe you saw an increase in employees leaving or maybe you were lucky and able to retain your talent?

If you would like any assistance in supporting your HR needs, please email me at paiget@avenue2hr.com.au or phone 0418 994 820