Who is the president of the United States? What is the square root of 64? How do you say “cheese” in French? 

These questions have one thing in common: clear-cut and objectively defined correct answers (which you can Google). 

But the most important questions in life, for example: “Should I quit my job?” do not. Still, this doesn’t stop us from asking them all the time. 

Among the many work trends we are seeing during this pandemic, there’s been a significant increase in people’s intent to quit their jobs. This time period has even been referred to as the “Great Resignation,” though job quitting rates have been on a steady rise during the past decade.

Still, it’s safe to assume that the terrible economy that characterized 2020 and the earlier part of 2021 resulted in people “putting up” with jobs they would have otherwise tried to leave. Now, as the economy recovers and more opportunities arise—8.1 million to be exact—there is a growing interest from those same people to depart, or at least explore their options. There has also been a change in the main reasons people decide to quit. This year, flexible work arrangements are a major driver.

A recent EY survey distributed to over 15,000 people across 16 countries found that more than half of respondents (54%) would consider leaving their jobs post-COVID if they aren’t given enough say around where and when they work. Millennials and Gen Z are more prone than older generations to prioritize this perk due to benefits like no commute, cost savings, and less exposure to the virus. This is a big change since 2019 when only 2% of Americans considered the lack of a flexible schedule reason enough to leave their jobs. 

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