'Great Resignation': Over 70% of workers regret quitting their jobs

The majority of U.S. workers who changed jobs during the "Great Resignation" actually regret quitting and even feel a sense of buyer's remorse, according to a new survey. 

Seven out of ten workers — about 72% — admitted that they were surprised to learn that their new roles or companies were different from what they were led to believe during the interview process, according to the survey of more than 2,500 millennial and Gen Z job seekers by The Muse.  

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The Muse CEO Kathryn Minshew described the trend as "shift shock."  

"They'll join a new company thinking it's their dream job and then there's a reality check," Minshew told FOX Business.

Minshew explained that, in some cases, job seekers don't ask the right questions during an interview process. Other times, it's because a recruiter misrepresented the role or was overly optimistic about the company in an effort to get them to join, she explained. 

In fairness, she acknowledged that it's "hard to assess the culture of a new company through Zoom." Prior to the pandemic, candidates would generally be able to visit the office, ultimately allowing them to better gauge a company's culture. 

Regardless, "it's this really damaging phenomenon where people are brand new in our role, and they suddenly realize it's not at all as advertised," she said.  

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As a result, Minshew said, more people are quitting rather than sticking it out.  

"It used to be that if you started a new job and didn't like it, you needed to stay for one or two years to avoid a black mark on your resume," she said. "But we've seen this really interesting shift in perceptions." 

About 80% of millennials and Generation Z workers say it's OK to leave a new job in six months if it's not as advertised, according to Minshew. 

About 1 in 5 job seekers even admitted they would quit within a month if it's not as expected, and 41% say they would give it between two and six months. Just under half of job seekers — 48% — would actually try to get their old job back, according to the data. 

Minshew said the wave of employees quitting after a short period of time could fuel another "Great Resignation," which refers to millions of Americans leaving their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

To change this pattern, Minshew says companies need to be more upfront because it could help retain workers who aren't totally satisfied but could be over time. 

"People are much more likely to accept the good and the bad and to show up as engaged and productive if they have entered the situation with their eyes wide open," she said.