It appears some employees are choosing not to return to work. Perhaps people are making choices about their “career orientation” and deciding to follow a different path. Back some time ago two researchers, Gene Dalton and Paul Thompson, discussed the five different career orientations which helped people think about options beyond the traditional. The options they discussed were as follows:
1. Getting Ahead – a traditional career of advancement.
2. Getting Free – a career that allows independent thought and action.
3. Getting High – a career that matches the passion inherent when doing interesting work.
4. Getting Secure – a career that is stable and can withstand turbulent economic times.
5. Getting Balanced – a career that enables the right mixture of work and life.
It might just be that today people are thinking about their ability to have a career and life that better aligns with their values and aspirations.
