Increased resignations from health workers is putting additional pressure on the American health system, according to research released by the Harvard Business Review.
According to the research, there have been 3.6% more resignations over the past year within the healthcare sector compared to the previous year, leading to mass vacancies and rampant understaffing in American hospitals.
The phenomenon – dubbed the “Great Resignation” – was high among employees who worked in fields that had experienced extreme increases in workload due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This has led to increased stress and burnout from within the workforce.
The research found that increased resignations were highest among mid-career professionals, with the increase most stark in the 30-45 year-old cohort.
Interestingly, the research found that resignation had decreased in the 25-30 and 60-70 year old cohort, which could be attributed to the increased financial uncertainty brought about by the pandemic.
The researchers indicated that it was a ripe time for the sector to implement retention policies to address the drain that the “Great Resignation” was causing on the workforce.
“Many of these workers have simply reached a breaking point after months and months of high workloads, hiring freezes and other pressures,” the researchers said.
“Adopting a retention strategy isn’t easy, but it’s worth the effort to do it right, especially in the current market”.