Most employers say they expect less than 9% of employees to quit after COVID restrictions disappear. They might be in for a surprise.

quit job — Millions of people are quitting, but most employers believe less than 9% of their employees will quit after COVID-19 restrictions lift.
Anton Mikhmel StudioNW/Shutterstock

Most employers think less than 9% of staff will quit their jobs after COVID restrictions lift.
However, millions of workers have already quit their jobs as part of the "Great Resignation."
The survey also said remote workers report the most exhaustion, and employers support hybrid work.
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Despite millions of people resigning during a tightening labor market and the trend of "rage quitting," the majority of human resources professionals and executives believe that less than 9% of employees will resign once pandemic-related restrictions lift, according to a survey done by TINYpulse.

Employers might be in for a surprise, however, since 40% of employees have said they've considered quitting their jobs, according to Microsoft research.

"Either people leaders are on to something and calling employee's bluff or they have a rude awakening ahead," Elorya Voyles, a scientist at TINYpulse, said.

The millions of people leaving their jobs are part of a trend that has been dubbed the "Great Resignation." More people are retiring early after seeing stimulus checks and better unemployment benefits, leaving their jobs for better positions elsewhere, and are quitting after experiencing pandemic and remote work-related burnout, Insider's Juliana Kaplan and Andy Kiersz reported.

The same survey indicated that almost 40% of human resources leaders reported that it was more difficult to fill open positions during the pandemic.

In addition, the trend of "rage-quitting" among workers who have become increasingly fed up with their jobs during the pandemic has also snowballed, as workers face risks from COVID-19 and increasingly hostile customers.

Out of the employers surveyed, around a quarter believed that none of their employees will quit, while a fifth believed that 10%-20% of employees will resign.

The respondents also said that hybrid work arrangements are here to stay, with 63% saying that hybrid work produces the best performance. Similarly, 56% of workers surveyed by LinkedIn preferred hybrid work over completely in-person or remote work.

The TINYpulse survey also found that remote workers have the highest levels of fatigue, with 86% of remote employees reporting emotional exhaustion, compared to only 69% of in-person employees.

As more offices reopen, a growing number of companies, like IBM and LinkedIn, are allowing employees to choose how much time they want to spend in the office.

But even though employers and employees may see eye-to-eye on hybrid work, Voyles said employers should try to check in with employees and take action, like conducting stay interviews, to avoid a "turnover tsunami."

"The disparity between people leader's predictions and employees' perspective indicates a significant disconnect between people leaders and employees," she said. "The disconnect is likely exacerbated by distance due to remote and hybrid work. People leaders may be blindsided by employee turnover."

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