Prince Harry States Quitting Work Can Be Good For Your Health

Dec 07, 2021

In January 2020, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry made a bombshell announcement, telling the world that they would be stepping back from their senior roles as royal family members. The couple moved to Southern California soon after and the duo has openly criticized the royal family in multiple interviews since then. Ever since then, the couple has been in the news for a variety of supposed or stated disagreements between them and the rest of the royal family. The tense relationship between the Sussex's and the royal line has been fodder for news outlets all over the world.

What's resonated with many people about the Sussexes is that they're choosing to speak up on topics that are often left in the dark, such as mental health. They also use their platform, Archewell, to speak with people who often don't have a voice in a bid to bring more equality and kindness into the world.

Now Prince Harry has spoken out about the benefits quitting your job can have in an interview with Fast Company. As Harry quit his job as a senior royal amidst public outcry, it is probably a topic close to his heart.

Fast Company is an American business magazine that deals with all business-related topics, from economy and laws up to technology and innovative new technical achievements. The publication interviewed the Duke of Sussex and spoke with him about the so-called "Great Resignation," sometimes called the "Big Quit," which is currently happening in the United States. Read on to find out what Prince Harry had to say.

The "Great Resignation" is a term coined in the United States to describe what many companies have been seeing since spring 2021. A rising amount of employees have taken to handing in their formal notice and leaving their old jobs behind for hopefully greener pastures.

For the last twenty years, the United States averaged a resignation rate of about 2.4% of the total workforce. Usually, a nation's resignation rate is high during times of economic growth and labor shortages, indicating that many people leave their jobs to take up new, hopefully better offers. On the other hand, a low resignation rate usually signifies that there are less open jobs available to switch to or the economy is precarious, prompting people to choose the safety of their existing job.

At the start of 2020 as Covid-19 entered the scene, this pattern held true as the United State's resignation rate fell to a low of 1.3%. However, over the course of 2021, the resignation rate began steadily climbing ever new heights. In October 2021, the food sector even reported a rate of 6.8%, peaking even higher than during the 2007 financial crisis.

The reasons for this Great Resignation are often cited as shifting priorities of employees following the Covid-19 pandemic as well as a change in outlook on life in younger generations. These are the topics Fast Company's interview with Prince Harry touched upon.

Harry told the magazine: "We're just at the beginning of the mental health awakening." According to him, the next years will see more change happening in the job market and the way we view work and its place in our lives.

He went on to explain his own view on the importance of mental health, especially in relation to your job:

"I've actually discovered recently [...] that a lot of the job resignations you mention aren't all bad. In fact, it is a sign that with self-awareness comes the need for change," Harry continued. "Many people around the world have been stuck in jobs that didn't bring them joy, and now they're putting their mental health and happiness first. This is something to be celebrated."

He also made it clear that what we are seeing now is not the result or sign of a new problem, but something that has been brewing for a while: "While on the surface it looks like these last couple of years brought all these issues to the foreground, the reality is these struggles and issues have been brewing for quite some time." 

Everybody who has worked in a low-paying job or in customer relations can surely attest to the fact that these jobs are often underpaid and very stressful for the employee. It should be no surprise that employees have decided to try their luck elsewhere once an opportunity presented itself.

Prince Harry was adamant that this change was, in fact, positive. According to him, employees as well as managers and business leaders only stand to benefit from finding a healthy balance between work and your personal life:

"Being attuned with your mind, and having a support structure around you, are critical to finding your own version of peak performance, whether you're a global leader or an employee working nine to five."

What do you think about the Great Resignation and Prince Harry's words on it? Would you agree? Tell us your thoughts and pass this along!