Last year, a change occurred in the job market that caught Haner's attention. He noticed signs advertising job openings at various establishments as he drove to work. McDonald's, Walgreens, and Taco Bell were all looking to hire new employees. 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 absurd and decided to leave his job at Applebee's to take on a remote sales position at a tech company. Despite the risks, Haner was confident he could find another job if needed. Last year, over 40 million people left their jobs, particularly in retail and hospitality, sparking what was dubbed the Great Resignation, followed by various other terms like the Great Renegotiation, the Great Reshuffle, and the Great Rethink. However, these individuals were not completely abandoning the workforce. They were still required to earn money. A large portion of the pandemic financial assistance ended by the autumn, causing savings rates to decrease to 6.4%, the lowest in nine years, by January. However, workers discovered that they could discover more profitable ways to make a living, such as higher pay and stable hours. Flexibility was a key factor for employees, who were demanding more from their employers and seemed to be receiving it. Applebee's emphasized that the safety of its workers and guests was a top priority, with the chief operations officer, Kevin Carroll, stating that aggressive behavior was not allowed. Workers across the country were enjoying a wealth of opportunities and were able to reject things they had previously been required to endure, such as strict bosses or customer mistreatment. Bosses had to start paying attention in order to keep businesses running. Nick Bunker, director of economic research for North America at Indeed’s hiring lab, viewed the increase in job opportunities as workers taking advantage of the situation to meet their financial needs. As vaccines and stimulus money became available, businesses struggled to find workers. Workers used this opportunity to reevaluate their expectations from their employers, but this did not mean that they were quitting their jobs en masse. It meant that low-wage workers would leave their current jobs and go to another business that was hiring. It also meant that white-collar workers, taking advantage of the tight labor market, were able to dictate how and where they wanted to work. Tim Ryan, the US chair of PwC, stated that their employees had the power, as the company was undergoing a three-year transition to allow for more flexible work, including permanently remote options. This transition, which is estimated to be a $2.4 billion investment, was so significant that the executive had to liken it to a 2003 Disney movie, specifically quoting a line from "Pirates of the Caribbean." Ryan continued by stating that we are currently experiencing a significant transformation in the workplace, but many people are not aware of it because they are living in it every day. Data from the Bureau of Labour Statistics and the census indicates that many of last year's job quitters are actually job swappers, with a nearly 1-to-1 correlation between quitting and swapping. The majority of job switchers have been in industries such as leisure, hospitality, and retail, with the rate of workers quitting in leisure and hospitality increasing from 4% to nearly 6% since the start of the pandemic. In the retail sector, the resignation rate increased to almost 5% from 3.5%. While white-collar employers continued to have difficulty hiring, they experienced a decrease in resignations. In finance, the resignation rate dropped at the beginning of the pandemic and is now slightly below 2%, while in media and technology it remained consistent at below 2%. Job switchers often received higher pay, with wages rising by almost 10% in leisure and hospitality and over 7% in retail over the past year. Workers were able to extend their shift hours and reduce the number of part-time workers. Few individuals left the workforce completely, mainly older men retiring early, some of whom are returning to work. The retirement of baby boomers and fewer young people entering the workforce have led to a tighter labor supply. Overall, people are continuing to work due to financial necessity. Last year saw fewer people giving up on work and more transitioning to new jobs with higher pay and more hours. Workers have not changed their feelings towards work, but rather their expectations have changed. According to Rebecca Givan, an associate professor of labour studies at Rutgers, most people work out of necessity to live. However, workers are now demanding more accountability from their bosses. Porsha Sharon, 28, still remembers the confrontations she witnessed from customers at Buddy's Pizza in Troy, Michigan, last year. One incident involved a customer who became upset when asked which kind of pizza she wanted, despite the extensive menu. Sharon was ridiculed by other customers for wearing a mask and experienced pain in her feet after long shifts at the pizzeria. In March, she received an offer to work as an administrative assistant at a law firm, a job she had done temporarily in college. Last month, she decided to leave the pizzeria. Sharon believes that the younger generation is not willing to stay in miserable jobs like the previous generation did, and she appreciates this change. Katy Dean, the chief operating officer of Buddy's Pizza in Michigan, expressed how some employees feel overworked and unwell due to abusive customers. She stated that their restaurant empowers managers to ask disrespectful guests to leave. This situation has been labeled as anti-ambition, but it has led many workers to demand better job conditions, such as promotions, stable hours, sick leave, and retirement plans. A viral TikTok featured a sign outside a McDonald's saying "No one wants to work anymore," reflecting the frustration felt by many workers. Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich responded by stating that nobody wants to be taken advantage of anymore. Last year, when millions of people decided to quit their jobs, the impact extended beyond just the companies and industries involved. While white-collar workers were not leaving their jobs as rapidly as those in hospitality and retail, they still made strong demands of their employers, aware that unemployment is low and there is fierce competition for talent. Many employees are now threatening to quit rather than actually quitting, as they realize they have bargaining power and are using it, especially when it comes to flexibility. The closure of offices resulted in employees feeling a sense of independence that they were not ready 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 announced a hybrid return to the office, allowing employees to work from home instead of commuting five days a week. Only 8% of Manhattan office workers are currently back in the office full-time. One employee, Lyssa Walker White, 38, decided to switch jobs earlier this year because her old employer expected her to return to the office, leading to a significant improvement in her quality of life. Some employers encountered resistance when they asked their employees to return to the office for at least part of the week. For example, Apple faced opposition from workers who wrote an open letter expressing their strong disapproval of in-person work requirements. The employees asked the company to stop trying to dictate their office attendance, stating that a one-size-fits-all solution does not work for everyone. Despite the pushback, Apple has not commented on the situation and continues to enforce its hybrid return-to-office policy. In other professional settings, newly established unions have taken on the issue of remote work. The Nonprofit Professional Employees Union, for instance, has seen significant growth in membership from 12 organizations and 300 workers in 2018 to approximately 50 organizations and 1,300 workers in the current year. One member organization successfully negotiated for managers to cover travel expenses for employees who must commute. Another organization convinced management to provide written justification for any employee mandated to return to the office. Jessica Kriegel, head of people and culture at Experience.com, a technology company, recently discussed various challenges and successes with colleagues in human resources at an industry conference. Stories circulated about individuals requesting raises that were four times the amount of their current salaries. There were also stories about company strategy meetings that used to take place in private retreats in Napa, California, but now included junior staff in town hall meetings. Kriegel mentioned that she had given a significant raise to a top performer and had witnessed another individual climb through three promotions in just one year, going from a contributor to a director to a vice president. Kriegel noted that some employees were requesting title changes even if they were not associated with financial promotions, simply to update their LinkedIn profiles. She observed that even entry-level employees were being given director-level titles. Therefore, the human resources director is skeptical when hearing colleagues complain about people working too much, as she sees her staff actively seeking out the type of work they desire. She mentioned that people are beginning to feel more secure and not as fearful. It's not about being against ambition, but rather about having great ambition. Haner, who used to work at Applebee's, recently received a 16% raise at his new job, which has significantly increased his hourly pay compared to what he made at Applebee's. When asked about his new job, he talks about the meaningful conversations he has with his manager. When he needed time off for his grandfather's funeral, something that may have been frowned upon at Applebee's, he was informed that his company provides bereavement leave. Even though work is still work, the feeling of dread that used to accompany his morning alarm has been replaced by a new feeling: "They treat us with respect."