However, there was a change in the usual routine last year. Haner noticed signs of businesses hiring as he commuted to work. McDonald's, Walgreens, and Taco Bell were all looking for staff. It appeared that there was a high demand for workers in Midland, Michigan. Haner started to question why work couldn't be centered around individuals like himself. He found it insane that he, at age 32, left his job at Applebee's to take a remote sales position at a tech company. He took a chance, knowing he could easily find another job if it didn't work out. Last year, over 40 million people left their jobs, especially in retail and hospitality, leading to what has been dubbed the Great Resignation, along with other terms like the Great Renegotiation, Great Reshuffle, and Great Rethink. Despite leaving their jobs, people were not leaving the workforce entirely. They were still required to earn money despite the pandemic stimulus aid ending in the fall, leading to a decrease in savings rates to 6.4% by January, the lowest in nine years. However, workers discovered they could secure better job opportunities with higher pay and stable hours. Flexibility was desired by employees who were receiving more support from their employers. Applebee's emphasized the safety of their workers and guests as a top priority. The company's chief operations officer, Kevin Carroll, stated that aggressive behavior would not be tolerated. Workers nationwide now had more opportunities and were able to reject situations they had previously been forced to endure, such as strict management or customer mistreatment. Bosses had to start paying attention in order to keep businesses operating. Nick Bunker, director of economic research for North America at Indeed’s hiring lab, viewed the situation as people taking advantage of job opportunities to pay their bills, rather than rejecting work. Businesses faced a shortage of workers as vaccines and stimulus money became available, prompting workers to reassess what they wanted from their employers. This did not necessarily result in millions of workers quitting and abandoning their jobs. This meant that workers with low wages were leaving their jobs and going to another business that had a "hiring" sign. It also meant that white-collar workers, empowered by the competitive job market, were expressing their preferences for how and where they work to their employers. Tim Ryan, the US chair of PwC, stated that their employees have significant influence, as the company is undergoing a three-year transition to offer more flexible work options. This includes allowing a large portion of the workforce to work remotely permanently, a move that Ryan estimates will cost $2.4 billion. The scale of this workplace transformation was compared to a 2003 Disney movie by the executive of the 55,000-employee company. "You better, because we’re living in one,'" Ryan continued, with an impressive but slightly inaccurate recollection of Captain Hector Barbossa's dialogue about ghost stories. "We’re living in this incredible shift in the workplace, yet many of us are unaware of it because we are immersed in it every day." Data from the Bureau of Labour Statistics and the census reveals that a significant number of last year's job quitters have actually been job swappers, with a nearly equal correlation between the two. Job switchers have predominantly come from the leisure, hospitality, and retail industries. In leisure and hospitality, the rate of workers quitting has increased to nearly 6% from 4% since the start of the pandemic. In the retail sector, the quitting rate increased significantly from 3.5% to nearly 5%. While white-collar employers continued to face challenges in hiring, they experienced a decrease in resignations. For instance, the resignation rate in finance dropped at the beginning of the pandemic and now stands at just under 2%, while in media and technology it remained relatively stable, also below 2%. When employees changed jobs, they frequently received higher salaries. Wages rose by almost 10% in leisure and hospitality in the past year, and by more than 7% in retail. Workers were able to extend their shift hours, as fewer people working part-time involuntarily decreased. A small number of individuals decided to leave the workforce completely, mostly older men retiring early, but some are now returning to work. The imbalance between retiring baby boomers and the smaller group of young people entering the workforce has led to a tighter labor supply. Overall, people are not ready to stop working, as they cannot afford to do so. In the past year, there was less resignation and more advancement to new jobs, longer hours, and higher wages. Workers did not actually change their attitudes towards work; rather, they changed their expectations. According to Rebecca Givan, an associate professor of labour studies at Rutgers, most people work out of necessity rather than desire. However, workers are now demanding more from their bosses and holding them accountable. Porsha Sharon still remembers the confrontations she witnessed from customers at Buddy's Pizza in Troy, Michigan last year. Sharon recalls an incident where a customer became upset when she asked what kind of pizza they wanted, despite the extensive menu available. Sharon was ridiculed by other customers for wearing a mask and experienced burning pain in her swollen feet after eight-hour shifts at the pizzeria. Despite this, she received an offer in March to work as an administrative assistant at a law firm, a job she had done temporarily in college. Last month, she decided to quit the pizzeria. Sharon believes that unlike the previous generation, who stayed in miserable jobs out of obligation, her generation is not afraid to seek happiness and fulfillment in their careers. She appreciates this difference and is grateful for the opportunities it brings. Katy Dean, the chief operating officer of Buddy's Pizza, a Michigan restaurant chain, expressed how some employees feel overwhelmed by their job and are becoming physically ill due to stress. She mentioned that dealing with abusive customers has become a difficult aspect of the current food service industry. Dean explained that they have empowered managers to remove disrespectful guests from the restaurant. This situation has been labeled as anti-ambition, but it has also sparked a wave of demands from workers for better job conditions, including promotions, stable hours, sick leave, bereavement leave, maternity leave, retirement plans, safety measures, and vacation time. A sign outside of a McDonald's, featured in a viral TikTok video, summed it up by stating, "No one wants to work anymore." Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich responded by saying that no one wants to be taken advantage of anymore. Last year, when millions of people decided to quit their jobs, the impact was felt beyond just the companies and industries involved. While white-collar workers were not quitting at the same rate as those in hospitality and retail, they were still making strong demands of their employers. They were aware that unemployment was low and there was fierce competition for talent. Many employees were making threats to quit rather than actually quitting, as they realized they had bargaining power. One area in which they were exercising this power was in terms of flexibility. The closure of offices resulted in employees feeling a sense of independence that they were not willing to give up. Even high-ranking executives on Wall Street realized that traditional practices were no longer sustainable. Companies like Citigroup, Wells Fargo, and BNY Mellon informed their employees that their return to the office would be a combination of remote and in-person work, rather than requiring them to commute five days a week. Currently, only 8% of Manhattan office workers are back in the office full-time. For example, Lyssa Walker White, 38, decided to change jobs earlier this year because her previous employer expected her to return to the office, which significantly improved her quality of life. Some employers encountered strong pushback when they directed their employees to return to the office for part of the week. Apple, for instance, faced resistance from workers who expressed their opposition to in-person work in a recent open letter. The employees urged the company to stop dictating their office presence and allow them to determine their most effective work arrangements. Despite this feedback, Apple has not altered its hybrid return-to-office policy and declined to provide a response. At various white-collar workplaces, newly established unions have taken on the issue of remote work. The Nonprofit Professional Employees Union, for instance, has seen a significant increase in membership from 12 organizations and 300 workers in 2018 to around 50 organizations and 1,300 workers this year. One member organization successfully negotiated for managers to cover travel expenses for commuting employees, while another secured a commitment from management to provide written justification for any employee required to return to the office. Jessica Kriegel, who heads people and culture at Experience.com, a technology company, recently discussed various challenges faced by HR professionals in dealing with the demands of an empowered workforce at an industry conference. There were stories circulating about employees requesting salary raises four times the amount of their current pay. Some tales included company strategy meetings that were once exclusive retreats in Napa, California, but now included junior staff in town halls. Kriegel mentioned giving a significant raise to a top performer and witnessing another employee climb three levels in just one year, from contributor to director to vice president. Kriegel noted that employees were requesting title changes not necessarily linked to financial promotions, simply to update their LinkedIn profiles. Despite hearing colleagues complain about overworking, the HR director observed her staff advocating for the work they truly desired. "We're starting to see people feeling more empowered and less fearful," she stated. "It's not about being against ambition, but rather having strong ambitions." Haner, who decided to leave Applebee's, recently received a 16% raise, significantly increasing his hourly pay compared to what he earned at Applebee's. When asked by friends about his new job, he enthusiastically talks about the meaningful conversations he has with his manager. Unlike at Applebee's, where he feared asking for time off for his grandfather's funeral would be frowned upon, he was pleasantly surprised to find out that his new company offers bereavement leave. Even though work is still work, the man no longer feels dread when his morning alarm goes off because he is now treated with respect.