‘Leaving a Job: Termination to Resignation Report’ details over 1,000 U.S. workers’ experiences with quitting, termination, and changing jobs.
June 26, 2023 – To better understand workers’ unique perspectives on the uncertainty and pressures that come with job loss or leaving a job, Zety, a leading career service, recently surveyed approximately 1,000 U.S.- based workers about their experiences with ending employment and changing jobs.
According to Zety’s Leaving a Job: Termination to Resignation 2023 Report, nearly 6 in 10 (58%) of workers confessed they were afraid of getting fired. 54 percent admitted that getting fired scares them “more than death” and 65 percent said getting fired scares them more than sickness or poor health.
“These are pivotal moments in professional lives, and whether it’s getting fired or laid off or a long-planned resignation, these findings demonstrate how incredibly tough career changes can be to navigate,” said Jacques Buffett, Career Expert at Zety.
Additional findings include:
Experiences with Being Fired
- Nearly 6 in 10 (58%) of workers confessed they were afraid of getting fired.
- 54% claim getting fired scares them “more than death.”
- 65% said getting fired scares them more than sickness or poor health.
- 76% of respondents have experienced being fired at some point in their careers.
- 75% admitted they had felt ashamed of getting fired.
- Around 1 in 3 (31%) hid getting fired from their family.
- 29% hid getting fired from their friends.
- 64% said that job loss would make them feel useless.
- Respondents with an annual income greater than $75,000 showed a stronger tendency to keep silent about losing a job compared to people who earn $25,000–$49,999 – 43% vs. 21%, respectively.
- Despite these sentiments, 64% of participants believed that a layoff/getting fired had turned out to be good for their careers.
- Top reasons for firing an employee included:
- Being intoxicated at work – 74%
- Acting unprofessionally – 73%
- Not working well in a team – 71%
- Not learning from mistakes – 71%
- Failing to take responsibility for their actions – 69%
- Not being a good cultural fit – 67%
Experiences with Quitting
- When asked what would make them quit their job, respondents ranked low pay, a better job offer, and a lack of career advancement as top factors.
- Earnings were low – 78%
- Better job offer – 77%
- No chance of growth – 73%
- Workplace atmosphere was negative – 71%
- Job was meaningless – 70%
- Personal values clashed with the employer’s values – 70%
- Job duties were boring – 63%
- 67% said quitting a job had turned out to be good for their careers
- 62% said quitting a job made them feel proud
- How often workers have been fired vs quit over the course of their career:
| How Often Workers Have Quit or Been Fired | Quit | Fired |
| Never | 7% | 24% |
| 1-2 times | 47% | 37% |
| 3-4 times | 33% | 26% |
| 5 times or more | 13% | 13% |
To view the full report with more information, please visit https://zety.com/blog/getting-fired-vs-quitting#fired or contact Maja Kowalska at maja@zety.com.
