The Great Resignation Is Now the Great Regret

The overwhelming majority of the 47 million workers who left their job in 2022’s epic Great Resignation regret the move.

Eighty percent are sorry they took a new job, according to a survey by payroll provider Paychex. That jumps to 89% of Gen Zers but ticks down to 77% of Millennials.

You could call it the Great Regret.

The camaraderie of their co-workers is what they miss most, cited by 29%, followed by their salary (27%) and bonuses (23%).

Job hoppers’ two biggest disappointments with their new gig are the work environment and work/life balance. Only 54% said their mental health has improved since taking their new job, and a mere 43% say they are satisfied with their work/life balance.

Just 11% are satisfied with their new salaries.

Nearly one-quarter, 22%, said they miss the management at their old workplace, and 21% miss the company culture.

“It turns out that company culture and workplace loyalty means a lot to employees and employers alike,” Paychex says. This is especially true for workers who left small and medium businesses.

Employers who left large businesses find that their former employer actually offered appealing work/life balances.

The survey comes at a time when workers, especially those in technology and banking, are facing mass layoffs. In January alone, technology corporations laid off 103,000 workers.

Paychex’s findings are based on a survey of 825 employees and 354 employers on Oct. 10 and Oct. 11, 2022.