Georgia employed adults say that burnout and mental health issues – not just compensation – are the top reason they would leave a job in 2022, according to a new report released today by goBeyondProfit and Georgia CEO.

The report found that of the top two most influential reasons a worker would leave their job, 35 percent named burnout/mental health reasons. Only compensation beat that number and just barely – with 38 percent saying compensation and benefits influence their decision to leave.

This fourth annual report titled “2022 Business Generosity Report: A Road Map for Resilience” can be found at https://gobeyondprofit.org/2022-business-generosity-report-a-road-map-for-resilience/.

“Since the pandemic, the mental health crisis has not missed any facet of this country – including the workforce,” said Shane Jackson, president of Jackson Healthcare and a co-founder of goBeyondProfit. “Business leaders must recognize that corporate generosity means more than just a good salary or a charitable donation. Employees want to work at a company that is responsive to their emotional needs during these trying times.”

Matt Reed, president of Georgia CEO, added, “Business leaders knew there were challenges in the workplace, but I don’t believe they knew it was this pronounced when it comes to mental health. For employees to prioritize their mental health as much as money says a lot about how they are feeling. They are mentally exhausted and are asking their employers for help.”

Back in June 2020, goBeyondProfit surveyed employed adults in Georgia and found they had an overall positive mental health outlook with 56 percent leaning toward positive, energetic and happy and 28 percent being neutral. This year’s 2022 Business Generosity Report found that alarmingly, mental health is a big factor not only for why employees would leave a job but also in what they want from their employers.  

It also found that:

• Mental health support is 20 percentage points more important to employees under age 35.

• Mental health support is 10 percentage points more important to women.

“Executives must look beyond the obvious and become more in tune with what matters to their employees,” said Megan McCamey, president of goBeyondProfit. “Without a keen eye toward underlying health and wellness needs, companies will continue to have difficulty retaining workers.”

This year’s report indicates that generosity efforts continue to influence employees’ decisions on where they work, with 75 percent of employed adults in Georgia saying that working for a generous employer is very or extremely important. In 2022, the top priority for demonstrating generosity at a company is generosity toward employees. In addition to mental health concerns, the report provides specific tactics employees value most, including flexible work schedules and mental health support. The report also outlines the most effective ways businesses can maintain employee trust and help solve societal problems. 

The 2022 report is based on concurrent surveys that were conducted between March 21 – April 29 and included 200+ senior executives who qualified as senior leaders at a company with a Georgia presence (95% confidence level; error range of +/-6.93%) and 510 employed Georgians over the age of 18 (95% confidence level; error range of +/- 4.34%) who participated through an opt-in survey conducted by a third-party contractor. 

Georgia CEO is a network of local websites focused on business growth, innovation and performance in 13 Georgia cities.

goBeyondProfit is a statewide alliance of more than 1,800 business leaders committed to corporate generosity and improving people’s lives. 

For more information about the 2022 Business Generosity Report: A Roadmap for Resilience commissioned by goBeyondProfit and Georgia CEO, contact Tyler Jacobs, senior marketing advisor, goBeyondProft, [email protected] or 678-764-8628.