Quits rates have steadily cooled since the post-pandemic surge
The wave of workers voluntarily leaving their jobs during the Great Resignation appears to be fading. The chart tracks annual average quits rates across selected U.S. industries from 2021 to 2025.
The overall pattern shows a broad decline in resignations after the peak years of 2021 and 2022. While quits rates remain elevated in some sectors, the sharp post-pandemic surge has weakened considerably.
Hospitality-related industries saw the largest resignation wave
Accommodation and food services recorded the highest quits rates throughout the period. The industry peaked at roughly 5.7% in both 2021 and 2022 before falling to about 4.1% in 2024.
By 2025, quits edged slightly higher to around 4.2%, but remained well below the earlier peak.
Leisure and hospitality followed a similar pattern, declining from approximately 5.4% in 2021 to 3.8% by 2025.
These sectors experienced the strongest resignation pressure during the labor market upheaval following the pandemic.
Most industries experienced gradual declines
Retail trade fell from roughly 4.1% in 2021 to about 2.6% in 2025. Professional and business services declined from around 3.3% to 2.2% during the same period.
Manufacturing also cooled steadily, dropping from approximately 2.3% in 2021 to about 1.4% in 2025.
Government consistently maintained the lowest quits rates, remaining below 1.0% across all years shown.
The broad downward trend suggests workers became less likely to voluntarily leave jobs as labor market conditions normalized.
Why the Great Resignation faded
The initial surge in resignations was driven by strong labor demand, wage competition, burnout, and changing worker preferences after the pandemic.
As hiring slowed and economic uncertainty increased, workers became more cautious about changing jobs. Employers also reduced aggressive recruitment activity compared to the peak labor shortage period.
Higher interest rates and slower economic growth likely contributed to lower worker mobility across industries.
What this means for workers and employers
The data suggests the labor market has become more stable compared to the peak resignation years.
For employers, lower quits rates may reduce hiring pressure and turnover costs. For workers, however, fewer resignations could also mean reduced bargaining leverage compared to the unusually strong labor market seen earlier in the decade.
The broader takeaway is clear. America’s Great Resignation was a major labor market event, but its intensity has gradually weakened as economic conditions normalized.
Dataset
Data Sources
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2025). Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), Table 22. Quits rates by industry and region, seasonally adjusted. https://www.bls.gov/jlt/
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2025). JOLTS News Release. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.htm
