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Welcome to the YOLO Economy
Article

Welcome to the YOLO Economy

Burned out and flush with savings, some workers are quitting stable jobs in search of postpandemic adventure.

Kevin Roose
The New York Times, 2021
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A year spent in lockdown has forced many employees to reevaluate their priorities and demand a new work-life balance – with some 40% thinking about leaving their jobs in 2021. While many will look for new employment, others are opting out of a traditional career path altogether. As New York Times technology columnist Kevin Roose explains, even previously risk-averse employees – in particular millennials – are walking away from stable incomes and saying, “YOLO”: you only live once. Employers seeking to retain their talent – as well as anyone hoping to better understand the post-pandemic labor market – will benefit from Roose’s insights.

Summary

After spending a year hunkered down, surveys suggest some 40% of employees are thinking about leaving their jobs. 

A movement is taking shape in the spring of 2021: Employees are choosing to leave stable, often well-compensated jobs for the sake of adventure, personal fulfillment and improved work-life balance. A recent survey by Microsoft discovered that more than 40% of workers worldwide are thinking about quitting their jobs this year. Blind, an anonymous social network frequented by tech employees, disclosed that 49% of its users planned to job-hop in 2021. 

As the pandemic wanes, bored, overworked and disillusioned office workers – millennials in particular – are embracing risk and taking up the YOLO mantle: “you only live once.” A partner at an Orlando law firm...

About the Author

Kevin Roose is a technology columnist for The New York Times and author of Futureproof: 9 Rules for Humans in the Age of Automation.

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