VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Millions of Americans are quitting their jobs in what’s being dubbed the “Great Resignation” by economists.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports more than 4 million people quit their jobs in August and Central Florida is feeling the impact, even with improving unemployment rates.
“You are no longer going to get 100 applicants for your two job postings. It’s the other way around,” Christine Sikora, Vice President of Innovative Solutions for CareerSource Flagler and Volusia, said.
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The data from August also showed there were over 660,000 job openings in Florida and about 264,000 people voluntarily quit their jobs. Sikora said hospitality and retail are struggling the most.
“The market is perfect for them to retrain, and they have perfect transferable skills because they have customer service,” she said.
Sikora said better pay or more flexible schedules are the main reasons for people leaving and some are even opting to go back to school or they’re getting trained in other fields.
“I think what it’s going to do is change the landscape and those businesses who really look at that and change how they do their business are going to be OK,” she said.
On Tuesday, the City of Deltona hosted its second job fair with over two dozen local companies looking to hire, including Halifax Health.
“Just like every healthcare provider we are trying to staff up to what we used to be before covid and before this hiring war started,” Raphael Ramirez with the hospital system’s marketing team, said.
Searching for employees has become a job in itself that has forced them and other companies to find new ways to close the deal. Halifax has raised its pay for many employees and offers scholarships to train people at several local colleges.
“Everyone is being forced to be innovative in as many ways as you can. Not just offering more pay,” Ramirez said.