Why high-flying Aussie corporate workers are suddenly quitting in droves

Australian corporate workers have revealed their desperate desire to quit their jobs and start over in a different industry after feeling ‘burnt out’ and ‘anxious’ in their jobs.

The pile of confessions came after an executive assistant said she felt “sick.” [her] Every Sunday evening I have to think about the week ahead’ – mainly because money doesn’t buy as much as it used to.

“I’m done with corporate life,” she wrote on Reddit. ‘I want to cry every morning on the tram, packed in like sardines and everyone looks absolutely miserable.

‘All my tasks are repetitive, I do the same thing over and over again, but with a different flavor every week. I have nightmares about the Teams ringtone. “If I ever see someone say ‘Happy Friday’ or ask how my weekend was, I really want to throw up.”

Australians are now realizing that the money is no longer worth the strain on their personal lives and mental health, given the ever-rising cost of living – making high-flying jobs even more unattractive.

The Reddit user said she often fantasized about quitting her job and working as a barista, where she can work with her hands and switch off her brain for a while.

‘I don’t want to have to deal with hundreds of emails a day or office politics. I don’t care about climbing the corporate ladder, I don’t want to get promoted.’

She asked other Australian company employees if they felt the same way and begged for inspiring stories.

But many admitted they were in the same boat.

“Sunday afternoons are full of anxiety,” said one. ‘I feel unwell on the way to work but smile and put on the fake happy persona, being polite to people I would otherwise never spend my time with because they are terrible people.’

‘I was working as an EA for a top law firm and it was crushing. I wanted to cry on the train. “I stuck with it because I was saving to move abroad and had a departure date, but it was so bad for my mental health and self-confidence,” said another.

“I often think about just quitting, moving to a remote place in America, growing pumpkins and wearing overalls or something very basic.”

“I’m also tired of emails and constantly feeling like I’m in a state of anxiety because of deadlines and demands and other people creating work for you. I wanted to climb the ladder so badly. I did that, and now I want to get rid of it,” one man wrote.

A few shared their stories of quitting their corporate jobs.

‘I left senior marketing roles that were devastating my mental and physical health to become a tram driver. The best move I could have made. “I’m happier and healthier than I’ve been in years and I don’t want to throw up on Sunday nights anymore,” one man said.

“My mental health has definitely deteriorated over the past year and a half and I’ve come to the realization that it’s better to just move on before you do something stupid or become a burden,” another wrote.

He added: ‘This is why I have decided to start a career in the blue-collar sector and essentially start over at the age of 35, but for the sake of my children, my wife and my perspective on life, this change will be a game changer!’

Some said that quitting a low-stress job isn’t always worth it.

“The grass always seems greener until you get to the other side and it’s dead,” said one. ‘I’ve worked ten times harder as a barista than I ever have in the corporate world, with even less gratitude.

“If you hate ‘Happy Friday’ or ‘How was your weekend?’ then prepare to be asked that again and again if you have to work on a Saturday and haven’t even had the weekend off. Not to mention that you have to act as if you care about each client’s personal life, as if you were their private therapist.

‘There is no salary in the world that would make me consider ever returning to the hospitality industry. I say all this to warn you to think about your next steps, because from experience, 90 percent of people can’t hack it and burnout is real.

“The number of people I’ve seen who leave a corporate job to do ‘something more relaxing’ was a wake-up call quite quickly.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, call Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 24 any time of day, seven days a week for anonymous support and guidance.