Does the "Great Resignation" Exist in Academia?

Hello Qualitative Mind,

In 2020 I joined the board of the Emerging Health Leaders (EHL Edmonton Node) as a volunteer and was responsible for marketing and communications during my term. The events and networking opportunities we offered for almost two years were solely virtual until a few weeks ago when we hosted the first in-person event since 2019! 

“According to some newspaper articles I found online, approximately 4 million people in the US alone left their jobs during the pandemic, with a high proportion shifting their career in a 180-degree fashion.”

The event’s name, “Facing the Great Re-evaluation,” was a spin of the “Great Resignation” that has been observed in North America since 2021. According to some newspaper articles I found online, approximately 4 million people in the US alone left their jobs during the pandemic, with a high proportion shifting their career in a 180-degree fashion. For the EHL event, we had a panel of two coaches with very different backgrounds who talked about factors to consider when thinking about changing jobs, making major career changes and/or addressing discomfort and dissatisfaction in the workplace. It was a fun event where the audience got to hear many key reminders about life priorities and nuggets of wisdom about career paths.

When I left the event and talked about it with friends and colleagues, I caught myself wondering whether the great resignation is also happening in academia, where extensive fundings cuts and higher teaching requirements are the current reality. I cannot say I did any research on this so what I’m sharing here are my practical observations on the topic. 

I think that because tenure-track academic positions aren’t easy to come by it’s much harder for those in academia to move to other positions and career paths without years of consideration and preparation. Career changes and the “great resignation” can still happen but, dare I say, at a slower pace and lower volume?! I don’t think I want to get into labelling my speculation as good or bad. Yet, I must say I’ve also heard from friends in academic circles how they’re tired, emotionally burnt out, and struggling with their post-pandemic return to campus. And I’m not surprised. 

If you’re in academia and wondering what’s next for you, you aren’t alone. While you might not be one considering jumping on the “great resignation” bandwagon, I’d still suggest spending some quality time on the “great re-evaluation.” What does this mean? To me (and I believe this is a very personal process), it means reflecting on the projects and work practices you had (or didn’t have) this past 2.5 years. By doing this, you’ll probably recognize how much the pandemic shaped your life and affected your wellbeing. In addition to that, you’ll probably identify things that you actually did better and enjoyed in the virtual, stay-home world. The question to ask yourself is, how much of that should I or can I keep because it’s serving me well?

This is the point where things become a bit more complex. Although some aspects of the virtual, stay-home world feel easier to manage, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re serving your career and mental health well. You might be missing out on personal connections, networking, and opportunities that were part of your pre-pandemic life. Yet, it’s hard to re-initiate certain habits and I think most of us can attest to that. 

I hope this blog post encourages you to use these summer months to pause and re-evaluate. It’s my wish for the Quali Q community that each of you find the courage and strength to shape your academic (or non-academic) careers in ways that are meaningful to you. 

As for me, I’m planning on spending some time this summer thinking of ways to serve you while I’m on maternity leave. As many of you know, I have an outstanding support person (Jess) when it comes to running Quali Q, and I expect things will run smoothly while I adjust to having a newborn in our home. Still, I need to plan for my leave and will be doing that in July and August. During these months, we’ll re-share Quali Q blog posts we like that can set the tone for your summer, as well as help you plan for the fall.

Take good care and stay tuned for new content and baby updates in September!

~ Maira