Cowen Partners in Axios: Even Your Boss Wants to Quit
The Great Resignation is seeping into the corner office, with 70% of C-level executives telling Deloitte pollsters that they seriously might resign for a job that better supports their well-being.
Between the lines: The Deloitte findings ring true to executive recruiters. “What we see is that people are resigning to try to find a better place, a better work-life balance, a better culture,” Shawn Cole, founder of Cowen Partners, tells Axios. “That’s the ‘great reshuffle,’ as we see it.”
- Women executives have been hit particularly hard with job overload during the pandemic, and a disproportionate number are job-hunting — or stepping aside.
- A recent LinkedIn survey found that mid-level managers and directors want a four-day workweek even more than their reports.
But the “C-suite is an island” where corporate wellness policies — like unplugging and ignoring email — don’t necessarily apply, Cole said.
- “To some extent, that’s what they’re paid for,” he noted.
- “They really need to set boundaries for themselves” to stay happy and focused, Cole said.
- Finding a new job isn’t always the answer: “The grass is not greener,” particularly for a CEO.
What’s next: C-suite burnout could potentially translate to more enlightened workplace benefits and policies — or not, as an economic downturn puts more focus on the bottom line.
Jennifer A. Kingson
Jennifer is chief correspondent for Axios What’s Next. She oversees a team of reporters who cover everything from Wall Street and deal-making to employment and economics.
About Axios
We are a new media company delivering vital, trustworthy news and analysis in the most efficient, illuminating and shareable ways possible. We offer a mix of original and smartly narrated coverage of media trends, tech, business and politics with expertise, voice AND smart brevity — on a new and innovative mobile platform. At Axios — the Greek word for worthy — we provide only content worthy of people’s time, attention and trust.
About Cowen Partners Executive Search
Cowen Partners is one of the nation’s leading executive search firms focusing on enabling companies to harness the power of human capital to fuel their success. The firm gives clients access to the top 1% of human capital to create opportunities that accelerate their growth and market share, helping them grow at scale, create value, and drive results with world-class talent. Cowen Partners serves clients across industries, including small and large, publicly-traded, pre-IPO, private, and non-profit organizations, with placements spanning the entire C-Suite and include VP and director level leadership roles.
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