I can believe this. More than ever, me and my friends may bitch about work sometimes, but then we say, "At least we have jobs."

I think it was BLS that also recently said that fewer folks are retiring, especially government workers. No surprise there considering many of them took a big hit on their 401k.

Well, when the government doesn't care if you show up, work at all, or do anything during the day, and you keep getting raises and promotions, why go into the marketplace where none of that is true?

The BLS is BS.

[img.ragea.net]

They're getting fired before they have a chance to quit.

i am absolutely shocked by this

that's a bit misleading. I'd guess that the total number of quits (numerator) hasn't changed so much as the total number of separations (denominator).

Surprise, surprise, because usually (not always) a person quits only when they have another job lined up. If there are fewer jobs available to fill, one is going to have a hard time looking for something new.

(I know, I know, it's not rocket science).

@tedyc03: There are private institutions that do the same.

@alysbrangwin:

Only ones where the workers are unionized, otherwise lazy people who dont work usually get fired.

Actually people are simply being laid off in droves before they get the chance to quit or those who have not been laid off are too afraid to quit because there aren't many alternatives to finding an equally or higher paying job (at least this is my current situation). Layoff can at least=severance package and hopefully a good reference (in some circumstances), whereas quitting=nada.

I'm 19, working a Grocery Store job so I have the money for my College tuition and the hours are terrible. It's around two-three four hour shifts a week. I've asked repeatedly for more hours but nothing comes of it. Considering how tight jobs are right now I've stayed with it just because.

@Cat_In_A_Hat: Mass layoffs usually cause an increase in people quitting as well because they feel less secure in their jobs.

This drop is caused by no other jobs being available.

@ndonahue: I was just thinking this, but you said it much more mathematically than I would have.

@samurailynn: I'm not following how that would work when it's expressed as a percent, though, since that's using a constant denominator.

@tedyc03:

I do government work as a contractor. I'm at the federal offices quite often. I promise they're probably working harder than lots of non-federal workers. And we're hiring. 'Cause there's more work to do. That's a cute myth about the feds but not entirely accurate.

It did suck when I quit my job is Nov '08 for this one and was forced to sell on my 401K at a 16% loss, but I'm young and have plenty of time to recover so I'm not too worried.

What does this have to do with Consumerism? Seems like this site is straying further and further away from useful and practical consumer advice towards more political activism and agendas.

@Cat_In_A_Hat: That's the case here. I'm out of a job, but the people who kept theirs are nervous, and you bet they're going to be looking for a new job in case.

@Patrick Mcgranaghan: Everyday citizens are consumers, and what happens to consumers when they don't have jobs and can't spend money or provide for their families?

@pecan pi: Exactly. In the places where I've worked it has become very common for people to keep their current jobs, and spend their time at work looking for a new job. Just buying time until the inevitable happens.

@Patrick Mcgranaghan: It's the economy, stupid.

It certainly isn't political activism, whatever it is.

@floraposte: The denominator isn't constant though. There are (most likely) many more total separations recently than in previous times.

@lalaland13: Nobody should have to be happy that they have a job, nobody. Damn recession!

@theblackdog: Big time. My dad will have to take his early retirement late because of that. And he's going to have to move to a 3rd world country, but that's another story.

@Patrick Mcgranaghan: Consumerism requires income (unless you're doing it wrong).

@Patrick Mcgranaghan: Also the point of consumerist is for consumer activism, for people to be more aware of the things that are going on in the world. The state of the economy is definitely something that is important.

In Soviet America, job quits you!

@samurailynn: Are we at cross purposes, maybe? The denominator in a percent is always 100, so it is constant.

Ah, I think I've got what you're saying--it's not that quitting is down, it's that layoffs are up, basically. Gotcha.

@Patrick Mcgranaghan: Yeah, and prisoners are consumers too...okay

@Stephanie Young: Any chance you can convince the feds to move some of those hard workers to my post office?

@undefined: Prisoners maybe, but Consumerist regularly posts career-related articles.

@tedyc03: don't forget fat, juicy pensions.

Is that Kid or Play in the picture? I always get those two confused.

@undefined: @Yossarian: Unlikely as that's not a federal agency, and people choose the feds for a reason. I'm okay with private companies right now but I'd go federal if given the chance.

that photo is funny!!! is this blog getting funny?????

@Patrick Mcgranaghan: I disagree!!!!!! this post is great and furthermore this blog needs a shot of personality. i'm no longer embarrassed to have it on my hotlinks

Here in L.A., an over-the-road trucking company had a job fair for potential drivers. This company couldn't get drivers for nothing a couple of years ago. Today? Overflow crowd.

Another "industry" that is seeing a huge increase in "applicants?" The legal whore houses in Nevada. No joke.

I'm surprised that 40% are still quits. That seems really high considering how fast we are shedding jobs and how many companies have hiring freezes.

In other news, there are only twelve people still employed in the United States. All twelve work at the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, none of who seem to want to quit their job.

@lalaland13: A friend of mine walked out of his job a few months ago and hasn't been able to find one since. :-( It's really been weighing on his self-esteem and is causing some serious depression. Sad thing is...it tends to be a lifelong habit....(walking out.)

@Patrick Mcgranaghan: maybe prisoners are not consumers, but California tax payers pay the state a lot of money to keep them confined, so you could say they are consumers of a "dirt bag confinement service" that is getting ready to leave them high and dry. And as far as the job story, job #'s/ confidence often correlates with consumer confidence, and if consumer confidence isn't something "consumerist", I don't know what is.

@Patrick Mcgranaghan: Am I missing something? The OP has nothing to do with prisoners.

People not quitting their jobs has some drawbacks. I read in the legal field that lawfirms are laying off lots of people because the 'normal attrition rate' of attorneys has gone down so much. Few companies are hiring new people, so fewer people leave their old job for a new job, so fewer people are quitting their job, means the company may do more layoffs, which increases unemployment and uses state funds for unemployment pay. the vicious cycle continues.

@Trojan69: I understand that military recruiting has gotten a whole lot easier as well.

@Plates: Oh... that's coming sooner than you think. LOL

So this proves that 35% of people quit work because they think their company blows so bad they can't stand it. The rest of them are quitting for another job, either for more money/benefits, or for the same/less money and a better work environment.

35% is a staggering number and shows just how horrible some (many?) work environments actually are.

@lalaland13: Word. I may not enjoy my job 100% of the time, but it's better than being in OprahBabb's friend's situation (no offence to your friend).

@shepd: Let's also remember that sometimes it isn't the environment so much as the fit. If you are not a morning person, a job that has you always show up at 7 am every day is going to frustrate you. If you are creative, but your job doesn't require it at all, you may quit rather than blow your brains out. Of course, I have met some employees who the simple act of actually coming to work at all makes them miserable.

@tedyc03: Depends on the agency and branch, there are some groups that work their asses off. I'm in the same building as the Customer Service Center that handles all calls from borrowers and those people work hard and have long hours. Even in branches that aren't as hard working, it's usually the case that (like pretty much every other workplace) there's a few who work very hard, a majority who do a mediocre job, and handful of slackers.

But I can tell you that at least in our agency they most certainly DO care if you show up. Time card fraud is one of the few things a Civil Service worker can do that the Union will not defend them over. Pretty much guaranteed to be fired for that.