“Big Quit” in post-Covid pandemic: The liquid employees facing organizational consumerism

In early 2021, many workers in OECD countries, especially France, decided to resign, a phenomenon commonly known as ‘the Big Quit'. Based on 41 interviews with employees who voluntarily left their jobs in the wake of the Covid-19 health crisis, our research unveils a seemingly mundane but also very intense psychological violence that rules workplace relationships and leads to the emotional exhaustion of individuals. Our findings show that the Covid-19 crisis acted as a catalyst in contemporary organizations, fostering the emergence of a liquid employee for whom resignation represents more a necessity than a choice. They also reveal how the liquid employee is trapped in a consumerist work relationship that considers him or her as a commodity rather than a person, leading to a higher likelihood of changing jobs when faced with difficulties at work.