These Millennials Explain Why They’re Participating in the ‘Great Stay’

When Surae Thomas graduated with a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene in 2020, her career outlook was uncertain.

Despite being in what could be considered a safe area – medical – it was an uncertain time for her professional path.

“Nobody wanted people in their mouths because of COVID,” she said. She worked an entry-level job at Amazon to offset living expenses while continuing her studies. However, she found it difficult to get a job in her desired field, so she stayed with the e-commerce giant.

“I was bouncing between other part-time jobs with Amazon, and then I found a program they offered. I applied, got in, and realized pretty early on that I wasn’t going anywhere anymore. It’s amazing.”

The possibility she talks about is Amazon’s RME programAmazon’s Reliability and Maintenance Engineering (RME) Mechatronics and Robotics Apprenticeship, which is an intensive paid training program that focuses on a range of technical skills and prepares participants for a role on Amazon’s RME team as an electromechanical technician.

She says it was perfect because it allowed her to stay in the STEM field and have a promising career in a booming field, robotics and automation. Like this MIT and Amazon study points out that workers who like they are in fields with a future generally have a more positive outlook.

Before he got the opportunity, Thomas alluded to the fact that she leaned into the idea that a worker would have to move from job to job to get the pay and title they deserved. She was not alone as many zillennials and millennials joined the Great Resignation, a period during the height of the pandemic when large numbers of workers quit their jobs to pursue greener pastures.

Experts first began to notice the trend in early 2021 and in 2022– data showed that more than 50 million American workers had quit their jobs, with a large number landing better-paying positions, more flexibility and attractive job benefits.

Now it seems the power dynamic has changed. The movement lost significant momentum since 2023, leaving the number of resignations below four million in 10 of the first 11 months of the year per JOLTS report. This termination rate has been steadily decreasing, as can be seen in recent times data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which shows that the resignation rate is around 2.2%. This is a huge difference from the peak of the Great Resignation, when a record 4 million workers left their jobs each month.

This can be explained by myriad factors, but some of the most widely accepted are the slow right-sizing of the economy after the pandemic, a cooling labor market and rising inflation that leaves workers prioritizing a steady paycheck and a healthy workplace culture above all else.

Brianne Rush can testify to that. She serves as VP of Operations for Kuno Creative, a digital marketing agency based in Ohio. At just 34 years old, she has had 13 years in the company and has been promoted several times. This is a bit of an anomaly since data shows that millennials stay at their jobs an average of two years and nine months.

Like Thomas, Rush recognizes most of the positives about her job, which is what keeps her there despite all the job-hopping data out there.

“Every day I learn something new, so I’m never bored,” Rush said. “Then the second part is that I have chosen a really good company to work for. We work remotely, so I have a balance between work and private life. I have independence.”

Thomas shares the same about her attitude.

“I’m able to be exposed to so many things, work hard and still have a life,” Thomas said. “The hours are predictable, which is a plus.”

As for what the future holds for her career at Amazon?

“I’m not going anywhere.”