The Great Resignation 2022: Why fierce competition for talent in the SF Bay Area isn't going away

Almost 48 million quit their jobs in 2021. We explain why workers that have quit in droves during the pandemic have not come back.

ByPamela ParkerKGO logo
Monday, March 28, 2022
The Great Resignation 2022: Where are all the Bay Area workers?

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A record nearly 48 million American workers quit their jobs in 2021 and Bay Area businesses are still struggling to find the workers they need in almost every sectors.

The tight labor market sparked off by the phenomenon known as "the Great Resignation" is still going strong in 2022.

According to the most recent federal data from the U.S. Department of Labor, 4.3 million people voluntarily quit their jobs in January, just shy of the record high set in November 2021.

RELATED: Bay Area outlook as record 4.5 million in US quit jobs in November

The pandemic's effects on the labor force are still being widely felt, but are especially pronounced for small businesses that may not survive.
Copyright © 2026 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.