Course outline
Module 1
Module 1: Defining the Great Resignation
Defining the Great Resignation
Knowledge check
Q1. Which term is most commonly used to describe the surge in voluntary employee departures that began in 2021?
- A. The Great Recession
- B. The Great Resignation ✓
- C. The Great Migration
- D. The Great Reshuffle of Retirement
Why: The Great Resignation is the widely used term for the record-high rate of voluntary quits in the United States and other countries beginning in 2021, as workers left jobs in large numbers.
Q2. What type of separation from employment is at the center of the Great Resignation?
- A. Layoffs initiated by employers
- B. Voluntary quits initiated by employees ✓
- C. Mandatory retirements
- D. Terminations for performance reasons
Why: The phenomenon is defined by employees voluntarily leaving their jobs, as opposed to being laid off, fired, or retiring due to age or policy requirements.
Q3. Which economic indicator, tracked monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, is most directly used to measure the Great Resignation?
- A. The Consumer Price Index
- B. The quits rate from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) ✓
- C. The unemployment rate
- D. Gross domestic product growth
Why: The JOLTS quits rate measures the percentage of employees who voluntarily left their jobs in a given month, making it the primary data source for tracking the Great Resignation.
Q4. Which of the following is generally considered a contributing factor to the Great Resignation?
- A. A sharp decline in job openings across all sectors
- B. The pandemic prompting reevaluation of work priorities and flexibility ✓
- C. A rise in mandatory retirement ages
- D. Government bans on remote work
Why: The COVID-19 pandemic led many workers to reconsider their priorities, including the value of remote work, flexibility, health, and caregiving, and many were willing to change jobs as a result.
Q5. Why did the Great Resignation affect employers in the labor market?
- A. It caused a surplus of skilled workers to flood the market
- B. It created labor shortages and increased difficulty in filling positions ✓
- C. It eliminated the need for hiring managers
- D. It reduced wages across all industries
Why: As large numbers of workers left jobs, many employers struggled to find and retain staff, leading to labor shortages, higher turnover costs, and competition for talent.
Module 2
Module 2: Who Quit and Why
Who Quit and Why
Knowledge check
Q1. The 'Great Resignation' refers to a surge in voluntary employee departures that peaked in which period?
- A. 2008-2009, during the global financial crisis
- B. 2021-2022, following the COVID-19 pandemic ✓
- C. 1990-1991, during the early 1990s recession
- D. 2000-2001, after the dot-com bubble burst
Why: The Great Resignation peaked in 2021 and into 2022 in the United States, as workers left jobs in large numbers after the initial shock of the COVID-19 pandemic had passed and labor markets reopened.
Q2. Which economic measure, tracked monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, was used to show the rise in voluntary job departures?
- A. The unemployment rate
- B. The labor force participation rate
- C. The quit rate ✓
- D. The job openings rate
Why: The quit rate, reported in the JOLTS (Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey), measures the percentage of employees who voluntarily leave their jobs in a given month and was the key indicator of the Great Resignation.
Q3. Which group of workers showed some of the highest quit rates during the Great Resignation, according to survey data?
- A. Workers aged 65 and older
- B. Workers in the leisure and hospitality sector ✓
- C. Federal government employees
- D. Agricultural workers
Why: Leisure and hospitality, including restaurants and hotels, consistently recorded some of the highest quit rates, reflecting low pay, demanding conditions, and workers' willingness to seek better opportunities once demand for labor surged.
Q4. A commonly cited reason workers gave for quitting during this period was:
- A. A desire to retire early with full pension benefits
- B. Seeking better pay, flexibility, or a greater sense of purpose in their work ✓
- C. Being forced out by employers through mass layoffs
- D. Relocating abroad for government-mandated reasons
Why: Surveys from the period, including Microsoft's Work Trend Index and Pew Research Center studies, found that workers often cited better pay, flexible or remote work options, and a desire for more meaningful or fulfilling work as their main motivations.
Q5. Why is the Great Resignation considered a voluntary movement rather than a result of layoffs?
- A. Because employers were required by law to offer resignation packages
- B. Because workers chose to leave their jobs on their own initiative rather than being terminated ✓
- C. Because most resignations were part of government retirement programs
- D. Because unemployment insurance was eliminated during this period
Why: The term describes employees voluntarily quitting, as distinct from involuntary separations such as layoffs or firings, which is why quit rates rather than layoff rates were the central measure of the phenomenon.
Module 3
Module 3: Pandemic Shocks to the Labour Market
Pandemic Shocks to the Labour Market
Knowledge check
Q1. What is the term commonly used to describe the surge in voluntary job quits in the United States and other economies during 2021 and 2022?
- A. The Great Recession
- B. The Great Resignation ✓
- C. The Great Migration
- D. The Great Reallocation
Why: The Great Resignation refers to the record-high rates of voluntary job quitting that followed the easing of pandemic restrictions, with millions of workers leaving jobs across many sectors.
Q2. Which of the following was a commonly cited factor driving workers to leave their jobs during the pandemic period?
- A. A sharp fall in wages across all sectors
- B. Reassessment of work priorities after pandemic-related disruption, including desire for flexibility ✓
- C. A government mandate requiring workers to change employers
- D. A decline in the availability of childcare that forced all parents out of work
Why: Many workers reconsidered their priorities during the pandemic, placing greater value on flexibility, health, caregiving, and meaningful work, which made them more willing to switch or leave jobs.
Q3. What typically happens to workers' bargaining power when the number of job vacancies greatly exceeds the number of unemployed people?
- A. It falls because employers hold all the leverage
- B. It rises because workers have more outside options and employers compete for labour ✓
- C. It remains unchanged because wages are set by law
- D. It disappears entirely because unions are abolished
Why: When labour demand outstrips supply, workers can more easily find alternative employment, which strengthens their ability to negotiate pay and conditions and pushes employers to compete for staff.
Q4. Which economic concept describes the movement of workers between jobs, sectors, or regions, often triggered by shocks such as a pandemic?
- A. Labour reallocation ✓
- B. Fiscal drag
- C. Quantitative easing
- D. Price elasticity
Why: Labour reallocation describes how workers shift across jobs and sectors in response to changing demand, and the pandemic accelerated this as some industries contracted while others, such as logistics and online retail, expanded.
Q5. Why did the pandemic lead to a significant shift in labour demand across sectors?
- A. Consumer spending moved away from goods toward services, reducing demand for in-person hospitality and increasing demand for goods delivered online ✓
- B. Consumers stopped spending money entirely for two years
- C. All sectors experienced identical declines in demand
- D. Governments banned hiring in every industry
Why: Lockdowns and health concerns changed spending patterns, hurting in-person hospitality and travel while boosting demand for home-delivered goods, warehousing, and remote-work services, which reshaped where labour was needed.
Module 4
Module 4: Wages, Bargaining Power and Job Switching
Wages, Bargaining Power and Job Switching
Knowledge check
Q1. During the Great Resignation, what was the primary reason many workers gave for quitting their jobs?
- A. Mandatory retirement policies
- B. Seeking better pay, flexibility, or a more fulfilling role ✓
- C. Government relocation programs
- D. Reduced demand for their skills
Why: Surveys from the period consistently found workers quitting for higher pay, greater schedule flexibility, and better work-life balance or meaning in their work.
Q2. Which economic condition most directly increased workers' bargaining power during the Great Resignation?
- A. A sharp rise in unemployment
- B. A tight labor market with many job openings relative to job seekers ✓
- C. Falling consumer prices
- D. Expanded union membership requirements
Why: When job openings greatly exceeded the number of unemployed workers, employers had to compete for staff, giving workers more leverage to negotiate wages and conditions or switch jobs.
Q3. What is 'job switching' in the context of labor economics?
- A. Moving between two jobs at the same employer
- B. Leaving one employer to take a job with a different employer ✓
- C. Changing careers entirely into self-employment
- D. Temporarily leaving the labor force to study
Why: Job switching refers to voluntarily moving from one employer to another, which is a key mechanism through which workers can capture higher wages.
Q4. Why did many employers raise wages more aggressively during the Great Resignation period?
- A. To comply with a federal wage ceiling
- B. To reduce the costly turnover of workers and attract scarce talent ✓
- C. Because productivity fell sharply
- D. To offset tariffs on imported goods
Why: Replacing workers is expensive in recruiting, training, and lost productivity, so employers raised pay and benefits to retain staff and attract new hires in a competitive market.
Q5. Which statement best describes the relationship between job switching and wage growth?
- A. Workers who switch jobs typically experience wage losses
- B. Job switching has no measurable effect on wages
- C. Workers who switch jobs often gain larger pay increases than those who stay put ✓
- D. Wages only rise for workers who remain with one employer
Why: Research and data from the period showed that job switchers often secured bigger wage gains than stayers, which reinforced the incentive to move and the bargaining power of mobile workers.
Module 5
Module 5: Remote Work and the Shifting Workplace
Remote Work and the Shifting Workplace
Knowledge check
Q1. What term is commonly used to describe the surge in voluntary employee departures that began in 2021?
- A. The Great Recession
- B. The Great Resignation ✓
- C. The Great Migration
- D. The Great Reshuffle of Retirement
Why: The Great Resignation refers to the historically high rate of voluntary quits in the United States and other countries beginning in 2021, as workers left jobs in large numbers after the pandemic disrupted the labor market.
Q2. Which of the following was a major factor that encouraged many workers to reconsider their jobs during the Great Resignation?
- A. A sharp decline in remote work options
- B. Greater flexibility and the expanded availability of remote work ✓
- C. Mandatory return-to-office policies across all industries
- D. Reduced access to health benefits
Why: The pandemic showed many workers that remote and flexible arrangements were feasible, so they began seeking employers who offered these options or left for roles that did.
Q3. Which economic condition helped make the Great Resignation possible?
- A. A labor market with high unemployment and few job openings
- B. A tight labor market with many job openings and strong demand for workers ✓
- C. A collapse in consumer spending
- D. A freeze on all hiring by employers
Why: Job openings were very high relative to the number of unemployed people, giving workers more bargaining power and making it easier to find a new job after quitting.
Q4. What is 'quiet quitting,' a concept that emerged alongside discussions of the Great Resignation?
- A. Leaving a job without giving any notice
- B. Doing only the minimum required work without going above and beyond ✓
- C. Secretly applying for jobs while still employed
- D. Refusing to attend any meetings
Why: Quiet quitting describes employees who stay in their jobs but limit their effort to what their role formally requires, rejecting the expectation of extra unpaid commitment.
Q5. Which of the following best describes a lasting shift that the Great Resignation helped accelerate in the workplace?
- A. A return to pre-pandemic office schedules for all workers
- B. A growing acceptance of hybrid and remote work arrangements ✓
- C. The complete elimination of employee benefits
- D. A decline in the importance of workplace wellbeing
Why: Many organizations adopted hybrid and remote models permanently, reflecting employee demand for flexibility and changing views on where and how work gets done.
Module 6
Module 6: Burnout, Wellbeing and Organisational Culture
Burnout, Wellbeing and Organisational Culture
Knowledge check
Q1. What term describes the wave of voluntary employee departures that surged across many economies from 2021 onward?
- A. The Great Retirement
- B. The Great Resignation ✓
- C. The Great Reshuffle
- D. The Great Recession
Why: The Great Resignation refers to the historically high rates of voluntary quits by employees, particularly visible in the United States and other economies from 2021 onward, and it is distinct from the 2007–2009 Great Recession.
Q2. Which of the following is a commonly cited driver of employees leaving their jobs during the Great Resignation?
- A. A sudden rise in mandatory retirement ages
- B. Burnout and a desire for better work-life balance ✓
- C. A nationwide ban on remote working
- D. Reduced demand for skilled labour across all sectors
Why: Many surveys found that burnout, exhaustion and a desire for better work-life balance, flexibility and meaning at work were among the most frequently cited reasons for quitting.
Q3. In the context of workplace wellbeing, what does burnout typically refer to?
- A. A temporary bout of illness caused by a virus
- B. Chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed, marked by exhaustion, cynicism and reduced effectiveness ✓
- C. A contractual dispute over working hours
- D. A planned period of paid leave taken by staff
Why: The World Health Organization defines burnout as an occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed, characterised by exhaustion, mental distance or cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy.
Q4. Which aspect of organisational culture is most strongly associated with employee retention?
- A. Strict hierarchical control over all decisions
- B. Psychological safety and supportive leadership ✓
- C. Frequent changes to job titles without changes in responsibility
- D. Minimising communication to reduce distractions
Why: Research consistently links psychological safety, feeling valued and supportive management with lower turnover intentions, while toxic or unsupportive cultures tend to drive people out.
Q5. Why might an organisation's focus on wellbeing alone be insufficient in addressing the causes of the Great Resignation?
- A. Wellbeing programmes are always illegal in the workplace
- B. Wellbeing initiatives cannot be measured, so they have no effect
- C. Individual support can be undermined if workload, pay, and management practices that cause stress remain unchanged ✓
- D. Employees never respond to any form of wellbeing support
Why: Wellbeing support is less effective when the underlying structural causes, such as unsustainable workloads, low pay, poor management or lack of autonomy, are left unaddressed, so organisational change is also required.
Module 7
Module 7: Long-Term Effects and What Comes Next
Long-Term Effects and What Comes Next
Knowledge check
Q1. What term is most commonly used to describe the wave of voluntary employee departures that began in 2021 in the United States?
- A. The Great Recession
- B. The Great Resignation ✓
- C. The Great Migration
- D. The Great Reshuffle
Why: The Great Resignation is the widely used term for the surge in voluntary quits that began in 2021, when millions of workers left their jobs during and after the pandemic.
Q2. Which of the following was a commonly cited factor that encouraged workers to leave their jobs during the Great Resignation?
- A. A decline in remote work options
- B. Reassessment of priorities after the pandemic, including desire for flexibility and better pay ✓
- C. Mandatory retirement age policies
- D. A sharp increase in unemployment benefits being cut
Why: Many workers reassessed their priorities during the pandemic, seeking more flexibility, meaningful work, better pay, and improved work-life balance, which prompted them to change or leave jobs.
Q3. What is one long-term effect of the Great Resignation on employers?
- A. Employers stopped offering any benefits to employees
- B. Employers increased investment in retention, flexibility, and employee experience ✓
- C. Employers eliminated all hiring for entry-level roles permanently
- D. Employers returned to fully in-person work with no exceptions
Why: Many organizations responded to high turnover by investing more in retention strategies, flexible work arrangements, career development, and improving overall employee experience.
Q4. Which concept describes the shift in how many workers now view their careers, valuing autonomy and fit over long tenure with a single employer?
- A. Job hugging
- B. Quiet quitting
- C. Career mobility and job switching as a norm ✓
- D. Hard retirement
Why: The Great Resignation accelerated a broader shift toward viewing job changes as a normal part of career growth, with workers more willing to move between employers to find better fit and opportunities.
Q5. Why is the Great Resignation considered a point of ongoing debate among economists and HR researchers?
- A. Because it had no measurable impact on the labor market
- B. Because it is unclear how much of the change was temporary versus lasting, and how much was driven by factors like pandemic-era savings and labor shortages ✓
- C. Because it only affected workers in a single industry
- D. Because the government officially banned voluntary resignations
Why: Researchers continue to debate how lasting the changes will be and how much was caused by pandemic-era factors such as savings, government aid, and health concerns versus deeper shifts in worker values.