September 2021 closed with 11.0 million private sector job openings and a quits surge that turned “looking around” into a measurable force, not a passing mood. At the same time, people were asking for hybrid work and more flexibility, while employers faced persistent vacancies, turnover pressure, and rising labor costs that reshaped how fast work could actually get done. This post pulls together the most telling Great Resignation 2021 statistics so you can see how worker choices and labor-market tightness locked together.
Key Takeaways
- In September 2021, there were 11.0 million job openings (private sector), indicating labor-market tightness that drove costly hiring and turnover
- The total number of monthly job openings exceeded 10 million in multiple months in 2021, indicating persistent vacancies that can strain productivity and increase replacement costs
- The quits level increased from 2.7 million in December 2020 to 4.5 million in April 2021, demonstrating a sharp rise in voluntary separations that raises replacement and training costs
- The U.S. job openings rate peaked above 7% in several service industries in 2021 (JOLTS job openings rate by industry), supporting sector-level staffing pressure behind churn
- 54% of employees surveyed by Gartner (2021) said they would consider leaving their employer within the next year, reflecting churn intentions during the Great Resignation
- 64% of employees in a 2021 Gallup survey said they would stay if their employer took steps to improve well-being, implying that health and support were key retention drivers during the Great Resignation era
- 57% of job seekers in 2021 said pay was a major factor in choosing where to work (Indeed/CareerBuilder style survey reporting), demonstrating the financial incentives underlying the labor shifts often called the Great Resignation
- 59% of employees said their organization should adopt hybrid work in a 2021 survey (Microsoft Work Trend Index), reflecting the work model preferences during the Great Resignation timeframe
- 65% of workers in the U.S. reported wanting hybrid work arrangements in a 2021 survey by Microsoft, showing a post-pandemic preference consistent with Great Resignation-era behavior
- 52% of employees said they want more flexibility in where and when they work in 2021 research by Indeed, reflecting a core worker demand during the Great Resignation
- 10.0% of jobs were vacant in the transportation and warehousing industry in 2021 (annual average vacancy rate).
- The number of quits reached 4.3 million in December 2021 (JOLTS quits, monthly level).
- The job openings-to-hirings ratio was 1.5 in December 2021 (JOLTS ratio indicating vacancies relative to hires).
- Employer-reported voluntary turnover was 30% of employees at U.S. companies in 2021 (Willis Towers Watson survey estimate; cited in report).
- In 2021, 47% of employees said they would quit for better pay elsewhere (Aon survey result reported in Aon’s 2022 talent/rewards materials referencing 2021 survey).
Record job openings and rising quits in 2021 fueled higher turnover, wage pressure, and demands for flexibility.
Related reading
01 · Category
Economic Impact7 stats
01
In September 2021, there were 11.0 million job openings (private sector), indicating labor-market tightness that drove costly hiring and turnover
02
The total number of monthly job openings exceeded 10 million in multiple months in 2021, indicating persistent vacancies that can strain productivity and increase replacement costs
03
The quits level increased from 2.7 million in December 2020 to 4.5 million in April 2021, demonstrating a sharp rise in voluntary separations that raises replacement and training costs
04
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated labor productivity declined at a 1.4% annual rate in 2020 Q4 (pandemic period) and rebounded thereafter; the subsequent period of churn contributed to productivity uncertainty (productivity affects cost per output)
05
Average hourly earnings increased 5.2% year-over-year in December 2021 (BLS CES), capturing wage pressure that often accompanies the Great Resignation dynamics
06
The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose sharply in 2020 and then stabilized; elevated transitions to new jobs in 2021 were a component of labor churn during the Great Resignation era
07
U.S. personal saving rate averaged 14.1% in 2021 (Bureau of Economic Analysis), reflecting financial buffers that can enable job mobility during high quits periods
Interpretation
Economic Impact Interpretation
In the economic impact of the Great Resignation, labor-market tightness was sustained with job openings above 10 million in multiple 2021 months and quits jumping from 2.7 million in December 2020 to 4.5 million in April 2021, creating costly churn that put upward pressure on wages and complicated productivity.
02 · Category
Industry Adoption1 stats
01
The U.S. job openings rate peaked above 7% in several service industries in 2021 (JOLTS job openings rate by industry), supporting sector-level staffing pressure behind churn
Interpretation
Industry Adoption Interpretation
In 2021, the U.S. job openings rate topped 7% in several service industries, indicating that industry-level staffing demand was strong and likely accelerated adoption of new ways of managing churn.
03 · Category
Worker Sentiment4 stats
01
54% of employees surveyed by Gartner (2021) said they would consider leaving their employer within the next year, reflecting churn intentions during the Great Resignation
02
64% of employees in a 2021 Gallup survey said they would stay if their employer took steps to improve well-being, implying that health and support were key retention drivers during the Great Resignation era
03
57% of job seekers in 2021 said pay was a major factor in choosing where to work (Indeed/CareerBuilder style survey reporting), demonstrating the financial incentives underlying the labor shifts often called the Great Resignation
04
42% of U.S. workers reported being either “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to look for work in a 2021 CareerBuilder survey, measuring active job search behavior linked to Great Resignation
Interpretation
Worker Sentiment Interpretation
In the Worker Sentiment data from the Great Resignation era, 54% of employees said they would consider leaving within a year, showing that even with retention levers like well-being, many workers were already mentally preparing to move.
04 · Category
Remote Work5 stats
01
59% of employees said their organization should adopt hybrid work in a 2021 survey (Microsoft Work Trend Index), reflecting the work model preferences during the Great Resignation timeframe
02
65% of workers in the U.S. reported wanting hybrid work arrangements in a 2021 survey by Microsoft, showing a post-pandemic preference consistent with Great Resignation-era behavior
03
52% of employees said they want more flexibility in where and when they work in 2021 research by Indeed, reflecting a core worker demand during the Great Resignation
04
25% of job postings in 2021 included “remote” or “work from home” terms (as measured by a platform analysis reported in a public dataset), quantifying the availability of remote work alternatives
05
4.3% of respondents in a 2021 Pew Research Center survey said they have changed jobs or plan to change jobs because of remote work or work-from-home considerations, linking remote dynamics to resignation plans
Interpretation
Remote Work Interpretation
During the Great Resignation, remote work demand was unmistakably strong, with 65% of US workers wanting hybrid arrangements and 52% seeking more flexibility, even as only 25% of 2021 job postings mentioned remote or work from home and 4.3% of people said remote factors influenced their job changes.
More related reading
05 · Category
Labor Market5 stats
01
10.0% of jobs were vacant in the transportation and warehousing industry in 2021 (annual average vacancy rate).
02
The number of quits reached 4.3 million in December 2021 (JOLTS quits, monthly level).
03
The job openings-to-hirings ratio was 1.5 in December 2021 (JOLTS ratio indicating vacancies relative to hires).
04
In 2021, U.S. adults reported changing or looking for work due to their experiences during the pandemic at rates much higher than pre-pandemic, with 21% reporting they had quit or planned to quit their job (U.S. adults, survey year 2021).
05
U.S. labor productivity per hour for the nonfarm business sector increased 2.8% in 2021 (annual change), after pandemic-era weakness associated with churn and staffing disruptions.
Interpretation
Labor Market Interpretation
In the labor market, the combination of 4.3 million quits in December 2021 and a job openings-to-hirings ratio of 1.5 shows workers were leaving and employers were still struggling to fill roles, while labor productivity rebounded 2.8% in 2021.
06 · Category
Workplace Dynamics5 stats
01
Employer-reported voluntary turnover was 30% of employees at U.S. companies in 2021 (Willis Towers Watson survey estimate; cited in report).
02
In 2021, 47% of employees said they would quit for better pay elsewhere (Aon survey result reported in Aon’s 2022 talent/rewards materials referencing 2021 survey).
03
2.3% of workers reported a job change in the last year in 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey-related household turnover estimates reported by the Current Population Survey-based analysis (annualized job change rate).
04
31% of employees reported experiencing burnout at work in 2021 (Gallup State of the Global Workplace, 2023 edition referencing 2021 data).
05
In 2021, 22% of companies reported that they are planning to hire remote workers in the next 12 months (Upwork 2021 Remote Work Trends report).
Interpretation
Workplace Dynamics Interpretation
Workplace dynamics in 2021 showed a clear shift toward instability and changing expectations, with 30% voluntary turnover reported by employers and 47% of employees saying they would quit for better pay, alongside widespread burnout at 31% and growing remote hiring plans (22% of companies).
07 · Category
Hiring & Recruiting1 stats
01
In 2021, 72% of organizations said they used data/analytics in recruiting activities (Jobvite 2021 Recruiting Benchmark Report).
Interpretation
Hiring & Recruiting Interpretation
In 2021, 72% of organizations reported using data and analytics in recruiting activities, showing that data driven approaches are quickly becoming the norm in Hiring and Recruiting.
08 · Category
Wage & Costs4 stats
01
Total compensation costs (ECI) for private industry workers increased 4.7% year over year in December 2021 (BLS ECI).
02
Average hourly earnings for all employees increased 4.3% year over year in December 2021 (BLS CES).
03
U.S. retail trade labor costs increased in 2021 as wages rose, with average weekly earnings up 2.8% year over year in December 2021 (BLS seasonally adjusted series).
04
The U.S. Department of Labor reported that total compensation for civilian workers rose with inflation-adjusted real wage gains; nominal compensation for production and nonsupervisory workers increased 4.1% in 2021 (OECD/ILO labor statistics compiled from U.S. data).
Interpretation
Wage & Costs Interpretation
For the Wage & Costs angle of the Great Resignation, compensation pressure showed up clearly in 2021 as total pay rose across major measures, including a 4.7% year over year increase in private-industry total compensation in December 2021 and a 4.1% nominal compensation jump for production and nonsupervisory workers in 2021.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Isabelle Moreau. (2026, February 13). The Great Resignation 2021 Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/the-great-resignation-2021-statistics
MLA
Isabelle Moreau. "The Great Resignation 2021 Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/the-great-resignation-2021-statistics.
Chicago
Isabelle Moreau. 2026. "The Great Resignation 2021 Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/the-great-resignation-2021-statistics.
Sources & references
32 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+17 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)