Adding to Jobless Woes, Little Turnover in the Workplace

The low turnover rate is probably one reason long-term unemployment has become a major problem. Most job openings occur because employees resign, presumably because they find a better job or believe they will be able to do so. The vacated jobs are available to be filled, perhaps by people who had been unemployed.

Presumably the number of employees unhappy with their current jobs has not declined, but over the most recent 12 months, 13 million fewer people quit jobs than did so during the year before the recession began at the end of 2007. Many of those who did not resign may be unhappy and frustrated that they are not able to change jobs.

DesperateInRI wrote:

The low turnover rate is probably one reason long-term unemployment has become a major problem. Most job openings occur because employees resign, presumably because they find a better job or believe they will be able to do so. The vacated jobs are available to be filled, perhaps by people who had been unemployed.

Presumably the number of employees unhappy with their current jobs has not declined, but over the most recent 12 months, 13 million fewer people quit jobs than did so during the year before the recession began at the end of 2007. Many of those who did not resign may be unhappy and frustrated that they are not able to change jobs.

I would hope that any intelligent person, no matter how displeased with his or her current position, would take the time to think long and hard about a career change with the economy the way it is. There are no guarantees right now and a fairly stable company could be anything but within months. Unless you were faced with harrassment or working doing something where you could be held liable if things weren't quite right, I would not recommend making a move until things pick up favorably all across the country.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/16/business/economy/fewer-firings-not-necessarily-good-news-for-labor-market.html?src=recg