New Data Explains Why Arizona Employees Quit Jobs They Once Loved

People often say employees don’t leave jobs; they leave bad managers. I can relate to this from a job I had a long time ago, which really made this point clear.

Back then, I worked somewhere people truly enjoyed. Most of my coworkers had been there for over ten years. We all worked together toward shared goals and found our work meaningful.

Man yawning while working at computer in office

When our manager retired and a new one stepped in, everything changed. Within six months, people started leaving. Even those who had helped build the departments left because the culture changed so quickly.

I saw it all happen. The new manager started micromanaging, set unclear expectations, and didn’t earn respect. Even the most loyal employees felt worn out.

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“The Great Resignation” of the COVID Years

The biggest shift in employment happened in the COVID lockdown years. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, an “unprecedented number of U.S. workers quit their jobs in 2021 and 2022,” during the first full years of the pandemic. This period of time is now widely known as the Great Resignation.

woman in black sweater holding white tablet computer

People tried to keep working but got a close look at their level of unhappiness and traded in their jobs for fresh new opportunities. The trend may have started then, but unhappy employees are leaving jobs in record numbers, even now.

READ ALSO: What A Four-day Workweek Actually Does To Your Health

Why People Really Leave Jobs

Unhappy employees, low morale, untenable work environments- the shift continues, and national data backs up what so many workers have already lived through.

According to Gallup, managers account for “at least 70% of the variance in employee engagement”. Manager disengagement is one of the strongest predictors of turnover.

Two businessmen collaborating on a laptop in an office

According to a recent Monster.com poll, 80% of workers say their workplace is toxic, and nearly half have quit a job because of it.

The iHire 2026 Workplace Toxicity Report listed “10 Toxic Tipping Points” that cause a breakdown in employee mental health. In a nutshell, 79.1% of workers blame poor leadership as the root cause of workplace toxicity.

a man with a tattoo on his arm sitting at a table

Arizona’s Turnover Reality

Workers in Arizona are not immune to bad managers and toxic work culture. Our state’s job turnover rate mirrors national trends.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the Southwest, including Arizona, currently has employee turnover of 2.3% to 2.5%. That’s a bit higher than the national average.

READ: What Arizona's Right-to-Work Laws Means for Workers

man in white dress shirt and blue pants covering his face with blue textile

The most affected industries are healthcare, hospitality, and retail. These industries see an even higher turnover due to burnout, understaffing, and inconsistent management.

The Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity doesn’t believe this will slow down anytime soon. They report that job‑hopping has increased post‑pandemic, especially among mid‑career workers seeking stability, flexibility, or simply a healthier work environment.

a yellow notepad on a keyboard

Changing Jobs, Changing Managers

The manager at my old job didn’t stay long. During COVID, her behavior went unnoticed, but once things returned to normal, her poor management stood out, and the company let her go.

It’s true that sunlight is the best disinfectant. Still, it’s a shame that so many good people had to leave their jobs because of poor management.