Why Women Are Quitting Their Jobs During a Pandemic

The rampant instability of our nation has caused some to face some cold, hard truths about their happiness

Photo: Grace Cary/Getty Images

Last year, roughly five months into the pandemic, I considered quitting my job. To be frank, I just wasn’t happy there but I was deeply conflicted. I felt a profound sense of guilt. How could I be contemplating quitting my decent-paying, full-time job when millions were struggling, losing their jobs as the government allowed them to further descend into poverty and turmoil?

But the thing is, realizing that I wasn’t happy with my job is a “squeezing-the-toothpaste-out-of-tube” situation. I couldn’t go back. While Covid-19 took a lot from us collectively, it gave me a lot of perspective, and I knew I wasn’t alone.

Whether it’s the pandemic revealing toxic workplace culture (for both those that are remote and risking their lives to go to work) or deciding to pursue dreams they had on the back burner, many people are fed up with the jobs and making big changes. I spoke to several of them to understand why they choose to make such a big decision during such a fraught time.

Isabelle, 24, former associate editor at an LGBTQ publication

Isabelle quit the first week of January, right after she got back from the holidays.

“Covid definitely made me stop and take stock of my life. Within that, I realized really and truly how unhappy I was at my position… if I’m going to be trapped in this environment and the same thing every day, I just don’t want this to be my everyday anymore.”

Working in the media world, Isabelle knew there was a lot of risk in quitting her job without another one lined up. She wasn’t sure if there would be work readily available for her. Not to mention, she worked on a small team and she felt guilty about leaving them in the lurch. But she knew that she couldn’t keep working there for their sake.

“I haven’t been without a job since I was 16… but I also felt ready and confident in wanting to give my resignation.” All of those feelings of fear and anxiety dissipated when she finally put in her resignation. She was unhappy at her job, both due to internal issues and a feeling…