TAMPA, Fla. — The pandemic has changed a lot of things. It's changed the way many people look at their priorities and the role work plays in their lives.
It's shifted the thinking of many workers, pushing them to look for new jobs with better pay or better benefits or values that more closely align with their own.
According to new data from Robert Half, a global human resources consulting firm, about 39 percent of professionals in Tampa plan to look for new jobs in the first half of 2022. Approximately 36 percent of local workers say they plan to quit their jobs without having another one lined up.
"Right now people are evaluating, 'Should I stay in the field I'm in, should I look for something new or is my career moving in the right direction?' That is what's really spawning the Great Reshuffle, the Great Resignation — either or both are happening," said Chad Leibundguth from Robert Half.
He says right now, unlike any other time, employees are in command. People are able to choose what they want from their jobs, from the industry to the type of work schedules to even where they work.
Companies on the other hand are forced to enact policies and procedures to retain employees and attract talent.
Even if you're in a position you like, Leibundguth says now is a great opportunity to talk to your employers about growth and development, "If you don't feel like your career is moving, or you're being compensated fairly or you're not happy with your current situation, have a conversation and talk about those concerns and you might find that changes can be made and companies don't want to lose great people."
There are a number of job fairs happening across Tampa Bay right now as companies are scrambling to hire workers in our growing community.