Great Resignation: Who’s Driving It in 2025—and why?

In 2021, Bloomberg Businessweek introduced the world to the term “The Great Resignation.” Coined by Anthony Klotz, the phrase captured a seismic shift that had already begun workers leaving jobs in droves, re-evaluating what mattered to them, and changing the employer-employee dynamic forever.

Fast-forward to 2025. Is the Great Resignation over? Not quite. But it has morphed into something more nuanced—and arguably more powerful.

This isn’t just about employees quitting anymore. It’s about employees expecting more, asking harder questions, and making choices based on values, flexibility, and long-term well-being. For companies still clinging to pre-pandemic hiring and retention playbooks, that’s a problem.

Why Are People Still Leaving?

The pandemic may have ended, but its impact on the workforce mindset hasn’t. The “YOLO” effect that started in 2021—You Only Live Once—continues to influence career decisions. Employees are no longer scared of job changes; they’re intentional about them.

In 2025, the top reasons employees leave include:

• Burnout: Constant pressure, long hours, and lack of flexibility still plague many workplaces.

• Inflexible work models: Remote and hybrid setups are no longer perks—they’re baseline expectations.

• Poor internal culture: Employees talk. If the word on the street is that your workplace is toxic or demanding, referrals dry up and candidates walk.

• Stalled career growth: Professionals want more than just a job. They want progress.

And here’s the kicker: candidates today don’t just research your company—they network. A single negative experience shared online or through an employee referral can turn away a dozen qualified applicants.

Candidates Have the Upper Hand Now

The shift in power from employers to candidates is real. In today’s hiring landscape, job seekers are evaluating companies just as critically as companies evaluate them.

A personal story from a candidate in mid-2021 still resonates today:

“A friend referred me to a role at a large tech firm. But when I spoke to a few current employees, they all mentioned the same thing—overwork, burnout, and zero flexibility. I declined the interview.”

This is the new reality. Candidates don’t just care about salary or job title—they care about employee experience. And when their peers inside the company speak up, candidates listen.

How the Best Companies Are Adapting

The companies thriving in 2025 aren’t the ones offering the highest pay. They’re the ones who’ve adapted their recruitment, retention, and employee engagement strategies in four key ways:

1. They Use the Right Channels to Hire

In this competitive environment, traditional job postings don’t cut it. The best talent is often passive—and you need smarter ways to reach them.

That’s where a powerful employee referral program, backed by a high-performance ATS like RippleHire, comes in. It’s not just about getting more resumes—it’s about getting the right ones. From referrals that match your company culture to auto-scoring candidates by fit and skill, RippleHire makes hiring not just faster but smarter.

Want to attract better candidates through referral?
See how RippleHire’s Referral Engine helps

2. They’ve Overhauled Internal Culture

Perks and ping-pong tables don’t build culture. Empathy does.

Top employers today have:

• Introduced or extended flexible working models

• Rolled out mental wellness programs

• Created parental support systems

• Strengthened health insurance and leave policies

• Trained managers to lead with emotional intelligence

Employees who feel seen, heard, and supported are far more likely to stay—and to bring in others from their networks.

3. They’ve Made Hiring a Shared Responsibility

Recruiters are no longer working alone. They’re collaborating with hiring managers, employees, and even candidates—thanks to intelligent systems that drive visibility, communication, and accountability.

RippleHire’s high-performance ATS turns recruitment into a team sport. Employees can refer friends, track their status, and even engage them throughout the process. Recruiters stay organized and focused. And candidates? They actually feel cared for.

Hiring feels chaotic?
Here’s how RippleHire makes it collaborative and controlled

4. They’ve Doubled Down on Employer Branding

In 2025, every employee is a brand ambassador. Companies that invest in employer branding—especially through employee referrals—are winning big.

Because when a current employee recommends your workplace, it’s more than a referral. It’s a signal of trust. It means your culture isn’t just a slide deck. It’s real.

Don’t Just React to the Great Resignation. Lead Through It.

The companies that are growing today didn’t just survive the Great Resignation—they evolved through it.

They’re asking:

• What do our people care about now?

• How can we simplify hiring while making it more human?

• Are we showing up as a company that listens?

If your answer is yes, you’re not just hiring. You’re building trust. And that’s what employees value most.

The Role of Technology in the New Hiring Era

Let’s be honest—your Excel sheet or email-based referral program isn’t built for 2025. To thrive today, you need:

• Automation for communication, job sharing, and tracking

• Referral tools that are easy to use, mobile-ready, and visible

• Analytics that tell you what’s working (and what’s not)

RippleHire’s integrated ATS and referral platform gives you all of this in one place. It reduces drop-offs, boosts engagement, and turns your workforce into your recruitment engine.

Ready to turn the tide on talent loss?
Book a free demo with RippleHire

Final Thoughts

The Great Resignation may have been coined in 2021, but its echoes are still shaping the hiring landscape in 2025.

The big question is not “How do we stop people from quitting?”
It’s “How do we create a workplace they never want to leave?”

The answer lies in listening, adapting, and putting people at the center of your hiring and retention strategy. With the right mindset—and the right tools—you won’t just survive this shift. You’ll lead it.

🚀 Want to future-proof your hiring?
Talk to our team at RippleHire

FAQs

What is the Great Resignation?
The Great Resignation refers to the widespread trend of employees voluntarily leaving their jobs in large numbers, especially post-pandemic, driven by burnout, lack of flexibility, and shifting priorities.

Is the Great Resignation still happening in 2025?
Yes, though it has evolved. Employees today are still seeking better opportunities and healthier work cultures, making it essential for companies to rethink hiring and retention strategies.

How can companies retain employees better in 2025?
Top strategies include offering flexible work options, building empathetic cultures, investing in employee wellness, and using tools like RippleHire to create transparent, engaging hiring experiences.

What role do referrals play during the Great Resignation?
Employee referrals are a powerful way to attract high-quality candidates who already have a sense of the company culture. Referred candidates tend to join faster, stay longer, and perform better.

Why should companies invest in a high-performance ATS now?
Manual processes no longer cut it. An ATS like RippleHire helps you streamline hiring, engage your internal workforce, reduce ghosting, and improve hiring outcomes at scale.