Prince Harry gave an exclusive interview to Fast Company to support his role as Chief Impact Officer for BetterUp. In the year since Harry has joined BetterUp, the company’s valuation has risen to $4.7 billion. It’s a rapidly-growing coaching and mental health app and Harry is now a big part of it. Harry did this interview to highlight Pledge 1%, meaning companies need to begin pledging 1% of their time and resources to charity, the community and mental health. Some highlights:
His focus since March: “When I first started with BetterUp, there were [some] key areas I was focused on: driving advocacy and awareness for mental fitness, guiding BetterUp’s social mission and impact, influencing the vision of BetterUp’s platform, community, and member experience, [and] expanding BetterUp’s global community of thought leadership, coaches, customers, and members through outreach and strategic planning. The goals and mission of my work have not changed, but on the day-to-day, at BetterUp we’ve been able to be louder about the mission, reach more people, and generally share with more of the world why doing the work associated with mental fitness is so important, and how helping others reach their peak performance positively impacts the whole world.
On the Great Resignation & how technology needs to change with the times: “While on the surface it looks like these last couple of years brought all these issues to the foreground, the reality is these struggles and issues have been brewing for quite some time. We’re just at the beginning of the mental health awakening. This work has never been more important because people are finally paying attention, and a big component of this mission is building awareness and continuing to pioneer the conversation. I’ve actually discovered recently, courtesy of a chat with [BetterUp science board member] Adam Grant, that a lot of the job resignations you mention aren’t all bad. In fact, it is a sign that with self-awareness comes the need for change. Many people around the world have been stuck in jobs that didn’t bring them joy, and now they’re putting their mental health and happiness first. This is something to be celebrated.
On Pledge 1%: “Our commitment to Pledge 1% is just one of many initiatives we’re taking as an organization to generate positive social change. In the spirit of creating real and lasting impact, BetterUp will continue to focus on proactively building mental fitness into various communities in the areas of education and employability training, to name [two]. We know the impact of our mission on a global scale. We saw it, for example, in our partnership with the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust earlier this year, when young leaders across the Commonwealth gained tools for resilience and mental fitness that will be with them for life, and will help them to accelerate their impact on the world, by making their ideas a reality.
Future projects: “We’ll be working more with service members, veterans and their families. I can’t share the specifics just yet, but we’ll be working with a collection of government and nonprofit groups, offering resources to service personnel who are struggling [by] addressing them [issues] at the root cause. The work includes building support systems they need to build the mental fitness practices and psychological resources to face new challenges, build resilience, and unlock their own potential—both during active service and once they transition to civilian life.
The British media is attacking him for saying that in many cases, the Great Resignation is a good thing, that people are walking away from jobs they hate, jobs where they’re treated like sh-t, etc. And I agree – the pandemic completely shifted how people think about work and work culture. Many people who telecommuted for the first time don’t want to go back to an office, or they want more freedom to work from home some days and come into work some days. And while they forced Harry to give up his royal patronages, look at him, still doing work with veterans and commonwealth organizations. *giggle* You know someone is punching a wall right now.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Avalon Red, Instagram.
The deranged British media is trying so hard to spin this as Harry being so out of touch but obviously, the numbers are in his favour. The sheer amount of people quitting shows that Harry is far more in touch with what’s happening in the world than the whole of Salt Island put together. Also, this will win him major points with Gen Z and that’s the demographic Bill and Cathy are in desperate need of. Can’t wait to see William parrot this same point in a couple of weeks and be praised by the rota.
The British are extra pissed because Brexit has caused severe labor shortages in multiple industries because many jobs were filled by foreigner. They drove them out. Then tried to lure them back when they couldn’t convince British citizens to take these jobs. But the Europeans were like, nah, I’m good.
@Snuffles, the Brexiteers drove us brown people out of the UK too. I relocated to an EU country and would never go back. Under the Tories Britain is rotten fruit.
Re: to come back to the post, honestly, eight hours a week to do a job that you hate (even though it’s money) really caused a lot of people to do a fair bit of soul searching. A lot of people left my job this year, because life is too short to be screamed at by people.
Not in Britain, but I was looking at some job postings at home (I go to a different country for school, and for visa reasons, getting a part-time job at like, Dunkin’ is slightly harder), to earn some money when I get back, and there were a few postings for like, farm labour and things like that that were paying like $15.60 an hour.
I remember scrolling past those and thinking to myself, with those wages, who’s going to take those jobs? Working at the local Nordstrom Rack might pay marginally more, but it’s still more, with less strain on your body than working outside in the elements all day.
People spent their whole lives disparaging the work that janitors and produce pickers and farm workers do, and suddenly, now that they’re not there anymore, and more importantly, have better options than to work for crusty white English people who extract their work but only given them resentment and anger and scapegoating in return, they’re all Big Mad, as the kids say.
The cherry on top really is that the same people spent years screaming about how foreigners were taking their jobs, but once those foreigners were gone, didn’t want to do their jobs bc it’s too hard!!!!!!!!! I still remember reading a few years ago about California, where they were dealing with a huge labour shortage in the agricultural industry, bc Trump’s immigration policies were making it more dangerous for undocumented immigrants to live and work in the USA.
One person they interviewed mentioned that they tried to fill those jobs with local employees, but those (white) people would show up for a day or two, then quit bc they were exhausted by the work and didn’t want to do it anymore. They simply couldn’t fill those positions with the local workforce. Not only did people not apply for those jobs, they weren’t lasting very long in them, and most hilariously, were actually really bad at those jobs on top of every thing else.
What we’re seeing now is really just the end result of people getting tired and fed up and wanting better for themselves. It’s not even about the wages, although that’s a big part of it. It’s about dignity, and basic human respect for the work that people do to keep this society going.
I think part of the problem here is that what is true of the US isn’t necessarily true of the UK. We aren’t experiencing the same kind of voluntary Great Resignation here, we’re experiencing businesses going under because of Covid, post-Brexit labour shortages and widespread dramatic increases in living costs and poverty – the jobs that are available are specialised ones that people can’t simply shift into because they require expensive qualifications such as HGV licenses, or are seasonal and located in places that people with pre-existing commitments can’t do. So Harry’s remarks are, as usual, being taken out of context and deliberately misrepresented as a way of the British media putting the boot in.
Hi Jane not sure that’s true for the U.K. going by articles like this which suggests the great resignation trend was U.K. trend too https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/money/2021/nov/01/the-great-resignation-almost-one-in-four-workers-planning-job-change
A royal talking about work is always side eye worthy but it was an interesting q+a. Harry gave really eloquent answers and I’m interested to see what better up will do with vet communities – sure that means a lot to Harryz Also interesting to see better up has a partnership with the queens Commonwealth Trust. Wasnt there an article about the need to distance that org from ‘woke’ Harry & Meghan?
U.K. press & some others have twisted Harry’s words to say he encouraged people to quit but what else is new. It’s leading to some interesting discussions in the U.K. on radio today as much as papers like the sun are mocking him & that’s the difference with the futures. After the press puff pieces the public rarely engage with William/Kate’s podcasts, speeches etc
Harry is speaking to a USA audience not to a UK audience. Why the British Press thinks everything Harry/Meghan do and say is about the UK is beyond me. They left and are not going back to the UK.
@OliviaT so true. Why assume he’s talking about the UK?
Harry (stepping outside his Montecito house): What a beautiful sunny day!
British Press: Harry lies! It is cloudy and rainy in London. He doesn’t know what he is talking about.
@Jane, if you scout thru Russell Brand’s Great Resignation posts on FB (a few back), he speaks of actually how this began in the US…there are millions and millions who have resigned, and the numbers are separate from businesses that go under. I don’t believe it “began” in the US, no, but they’re contributing to the Great Resignation by the millions. It’s a global thing, and I love it…
I don’t know why it still surprises me when the press twists Harry and Meghan’s words. He’s not even saying anything different than the media has said about workers leaving their jobs.
Just goes to show the British media is severely out of touch. When I left my job at a small company earlier this year, 6 others followed over the past several months. The stress and being devalued wasn’t worth it. The pandemic was the breaking point. People have left the new company I’m at too. And the recruiters are stalking people on LinkedIn because the same thing is happening everywhere else in my field and companies are looking for replacements. People are reprioritizing.
The Great Resignation is about people realizing that their no-benefit, minimum-wage job that doesn’t keep up with the cost of living isn’t worth their time and effort. End stage capitalism, maybe. I agree with Harry.
But he’s talking about the US clearly not the UK better up is US-based after all how can the tabloids twist this
He is talking about it being a global problem too because it is. Posted a link downthread about it. If William was saying this the BM would be praising him. It’s the BM hypocrisy hard at work, again, when it comes to the Duke & Duchess of Sussex. You would think the BM/RR’s would have run out of Twister game circles by now. BetterUp has offices in London and Munich now.
https://www.betterup.com/press/global-leader-in-coaching-mental-fitness-opens-european-headquarters-reaches-100m-arr
They’re coaching in over 90 countries.
We’re so deep in a s**t basket here in the UK, it’s demoralizing.
My company is basically forcing me to go to work to the office every day now even though I cannot do much due to a severe health situation and I’ve been reproached twice that I shouldn’t work from home without my line manager authorising it even if it’s for health reasons and commuting 2 hrs a day isn’t doing any good to my health.
Seriously and then people wonder why employees leave jobs (mine is permanent and I am thinking to leave).
@Alpine, if you have the choice to leave, then leave: do something that feeds you in a way that job clearly doesn’t….all the best to you!
I would love to be a fly on the wall during these papers editors meetings,them brainstorming on how they can turn anything H& M do into these unhinged headlines.
I’m sure it’s second nature by now. They don’t even have to think about it. It automatically twists in their minds.
@Noki, This New Yorker piece is over nine years old-so it doesn’t relate to H & M, but it does give you an idea of how the DM operates. The Hugh Grant stuff comes up. It’s a long piece but worth the time to read.imo
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/04/02/mail-supremacy
Its staff journalists are decently paid, but many of them speak of a savage work environment. “I subsisted largely in a state of paranoia and panic for most of my time there,” a former Mail journalist told me. (Others said that recently, with the defection of several Mail editors to the Telegraph, the atmosphere in the newsroom has mellowed somewhat.) “I just got fed up with writing picture captions about celebrities’ saggy knees, and thought they were hypocritical and unfair,” she continued. “I thought, I’m going to hell if I keep writing this.”
It sounds like that former Mail journalist left there for the sake of their mental health.
I recently quit a job that I had held for almost 20 years and it felt great!! It was super stressful making such a big change in my life but I’m seeing positive ripple effects in other areas of my life that make it completely worth it! I will admit here that M&H really inspired me to take this leap, seeing their courage to walk away from all they’d known just because they knew that they deserved better helped me to realize that I deserved better too!
Congratulations on such a huge step Harla!
Good for you Harla!
@Harla good for you! I’m starting my job search next year. This job I have used to be enjoyable but now that we have merged and the people over us are more loyal to one of the places while neglecting the other it’s time to go. My supervisor recently quit for her mental health so he’s not wrong. It’s time to prioritize what is important. These companies don’t appreciate what they have so I’m taking my talents elsewhere.
Bravo! It feels great when you take a stand for yourself and what you expect. Wishing you good fortune with your next job!
Yes, bravo, Harla! You stood up for yourself. I wish you all the best in your future!
Bravo Harla!!! 🙌🏿 That took courage. As they say, fortune favors the bold. I’m looking to leave my job of 7 years—my longest tenure ever. I was promised an over due promotion. They gave me a vanity, empty title with no plans to add pay. More over, as per usual, wanted me to continue taking on added responsibilities!!! And my Union who colluded with Management also looked the other way while members like myself continually dealt with this practice of doing out-of-title-work without promotion or raises. It feels extremely empowering to interview and know it’s all going to end with offers that match my overall compensation package requirements. And to give my employer the middle finger.
He’s right. The British press are ones who are out of touch on this issue. His comments go against what the British press has been pushing for months which is for people to go back to their offices or to work so, of course they would attack him. I’ve come to realise that “dumb Harry” was pushed by the press and the palace to make the heirs look better but more and more he’s showing that Charles and William are really the stupid ones.
I’ve put in for permanent WFH and it looks like I’ll be getting it. Right on, Harry!
Good for you! I went home to work when Delta hit and some people in my office were being completely irresponsible about masking and getting people sick–I am LOVING it. Do I sometimes miss my good coworkers and just having someone to chat with during the day? Yes. But I also love getting my husband and kids out the door, enjoying a nice slow cup of coffee with my laptop and my dog on my feet, and getting to be comfy in some yoga pants while I work and get paid. It’s great and I highly recommend it if your job allows it.
Oh yeah, I love it. I’ll drive in for the occasional meeting but I can just as easily log on to video. Revolutionary!
Harry is absolutely correct. My husband and I mostly work from home. He goes in to the office maybe once a month. A lot of people at his workplace have quit or retired early due to the pandemic. My husband is currently looking for another job because he is incredibly stressed right now.
yeah, they are completely misinterpreting his comments. He’s not saying everyone should quit their jobs. He’s not saying that if you’re not happy you should just quit. He’s saying that people are sort of re-learning or realizing what they prioritize at work, and are taking steps to make those priorities part of their jobs, so to speak.
Like if you telecommuted during the pandemic and were insanely productive, and your boss now wants you to come back to the office 5 days a week and its an hour commute each way – maybe 2 years ago you were okay with that commute, but now that you know its not necessary, and that you can be productive from home, why not look for a job that gives you that? Or on a mental health level, if you realized that interacting face to face with that toxic coworker or boss every day was really wearing on you, and you just never realized the impact – why not take this moment to find something else?
So what he said actually makes a lot of sense.
They’re not misinterpreting. They are being deliberately misleading. This is classic disinformation. It’s not a mistake or a misunderstanding. Remember this was the first job that was announced and they ridiculed the company and his position. Seeing him thriving in the role doesn’t fit with their narrative that he wasn’t qualified for the job or that it was a job in name only.
the British press is misleading, but I am also seeing a lot of American headlines where they are just taking the line about how resigning is good or whatever and running with that.
Becks1 you are spot on with all your points. That part! That one about realizing returning to the office F/T when you are more productive WFH is ludicrous especially. Let’s just add to that how irresponsible it is for employers to rush back to 100% office when they haven’t even provisioned for all the federal and state CDC mandates of masking and social distancing. Not to mention no employer can brag about 100 vaccinated population except perhaps healthcare and education industries where employees are quitting in droves rather than comply with a vaccine mandate.
Love that Harry’s using his influence at the company to highlight veterans’ mental health. I do want to look in to this “mental fitness” language…how is it different from mental health, and could it become a pressurized goal that could not give some people real relief?
Agreed about people leaving their jobs. In my life, it’s about not being able to get my fast food reliably or find workers to get my home renovations done, but that’s all ultimately fine to me since I don’t want these things at the cost of workers being exploited. And then a lot of my friends are considering quitting prestigious jobs that took them a decade of training and dedication to get into. Personally, I actually feel re-committed to my profession, but more willing to set up emotional boundaries and time boundaries.
Though the were talking about the US, the “great resignation” is also happening in the UK. The tabloids scream “out of touch”. When in actuality it is a phenomenon that is happening across the world and across socio economic status. The fact that Harry has BetterUp involved with the QCT was a pleasant surprise. I wonder if the people there pushed back against the Sussexes removal the way the military folks did. I’m so glad because despite the fact that the tabloids won’t acknowledge it. The QCT was Harry’s project. He actually worked to establish it. It wasn’t something that was just handed to him.
H/BetterUp were spking globally. BetterUp has a global customer base.
By the time I left my last job, I didn’t want to get out of bed in the morning. I would wake up early and spend whatever time I had left dreading getting out of bed for my commute. Putting in two weeks notice was the best feeling I ever had. I work for myself now and can’t imagine working for someone else ever again
I resigned late last year from a job with a toxic work culture. It was wrecking my mental and physical health, and I didn’t have the capacity for another pandemic year in that place. It was the absolute best decision as it gave me time to look for a role in a better organization while taking care of myself. I’ve heard from several people who left after I did and know of scores more. Life is too short to work in horrible places if you can avoid it. Harry got this right.
His point is not “quit if you hate your job” but “if you quit a job because of your mental health, that’s nothing to be ashamed of”. Yes there are people who are unhappy at their job but cannot quit due to them needing the pay check and not having access to other job opportunities but Harry is not talking about those people nor is it his point.
Exactly. I think it’s also important to point out that Harry has employees to look after. Archewell is a foundation and a production company with actual competent and qualified staff. H&M have to offer them incentives to stay on board and be flexible in its structure so it’s important that Harry stay on top of the work trends that are happening now. Paid leave as well as flexible working options are most likely something that they offer. This is good business and a good indicator of how he treats his own staff.
The British and American establishments are upset that the “Great Resignation” represents a shift in the power dynamic away from business owners to the workers. Many people looking for work are considering their own happiness, and this upsets the balance of power. And here’s Prince Harry saying the quiet part out loud – that it’s okay for people to consider their own wellbeing. I think it’s fabulous, but those looking to maintain the status quo are unhappy at the number of people who are not settling for crappy jobs, with crappy pay, where they get treated like crap.
I resigned from a good-paying job a couple of years ago because I couldn’t cope with the stress and how bad it was damaging my mental health. The boss was a major Ahole who would disparage, insult, belittle and overwork all of his employees and the rest of the management was just as bad. My hair was falling out, I wasn’t sleeping, stress eating, and I was also becoming a mean and bitter person like them, I said fck it. I resigned effective immediately and never looked back. At least 3 others left the company the same week I left and I found another job within a couple of days. So yeah leaving economical security isn’t always bad.
I quit a job without having a back up a few years ago (something I always recommended people not to do). I could not ask my boss to change his behaviour, but I did not have to stay and tolerate it either. I got a better paying job so quickly afterwards that not only do I not regret my hasty decision but I would also encourage people to explore their options. Your mental health and self-esteem is so important.
He speaks the truth. This is absolutely a phenomenon occurring the the US. It’s a (relatively) great market for workers and for once, many have the leverage to demand more from their prospective employers. I hope it lasts until I’m able to leave my job.
So nothing from the UK Press on William’s podcast FAILURE
Guess Willie’s not gonna sign a multi million pound deal with Apple. Who wants to take a walk with that creepy hothead? That’s how people disappear.
That fool is so obsessed with Harry and I wish more of the press would him out in it. Kate isn’t the only SWF in that family.
When the company I worked for was sold to a giant healthcare conglomerate in May and rumor had it we would shift from hourly pay to salary with increased productivity expectations, I resigned my full time position and went PRN (as needed). Best decision ever. Finally prioritizing my own health and well-being.
From what I understand the great resignation is mostly happening in the US, i’m not aware of any other country where people are resigning in large quantities? In
Europe most people kept their jobs via furlough schemes, so there isn’t so much talk of resignation here. Even in my home country (3rd world) , some help was given by the government so people held on to their jobs.
I think linking what seems to be a US phenomenon to people all around the world is perhaps why the statement is confusing
Actually there are reports of it in Europe and to a lesser extent in Asia, Africa and South America. Australia claims that they always have lots of people changing jobs and see no change. In the US it varies from State to State. So I don’t think saying global is inaccurate.
Ive just looked it up and while there is a lot of talk about whether it will happen in europe or not, the data at present doesnt show evidence of the same phenomenon.
Id be interested if you have a reference. It’s a fascinating subject and im curious to see how it will play out.
Work from home for instance is rapidly becoming the norm at least for office workers and some countries are discussing a 4day work week.
@equality, saying global is not inaccurate. Saying the British Media/RR’s are out of touch with the truth would be accurate.
https://www.consultancy.com.au/news/4439/the-great-resignation-what-is-it-and-how-can-employers-avoid-it
No there are reports of this great resignation trend happening outside of the US too eg in Europe, here’s one article talking about it https://www.wired.co.uk/article/great-resignation-quit-job
Yes @ ABritguest. The link I shared has data from Harvard Business Review & Deloitte(a well recognized company globally). It’s not a paid survey from youth.gov or Zing labs or the likes of. I should have just @MrsBump with here’s some data. The Great Resignation is greater in some countries than the US.
He’s right. There are a lot of alarming things about the Great Resignation (namely, women exited the workforce completely at significantly higher rates than men due to pandemic childcare issues). But a lot of people have had an awakening as to what fulfills them, what their boundaries are, and what their worth as an employee truly is. Even those who haven’t quit seem to have more confidence in putting themselves first — my boss is near retirement age and she seems to be saying “no” to work overload and taking all her vacation time for the first time in her career.
The British media intentionally and maliciously misunderstood, misinterpreted, and misconstrued what Harry said. To explain what he meant…. oh, why bother! It’s the biased British media, remember ?
+1
+2
I like that Harry’s still doing his work, living his life on his terms, but Betterup’s whole deal with Travis Scott is not good.
Travis Scott’s deal is with BetterHelp not BetterUp
Oh, I hadn’t realized they’re not the same. Thanks for the clarification.
Wouldn’t it have been a good idea to doublecheck before making an accusation like that?
That’s BetterHelp not Better Up
There’s too many companies with “ Better” in its naming. Just yesterday another Bay Area company called Better laid off a bunch of people on Zoom and was getting dragged, and I had to do a double to take to make sure it wasn’t BetterUp. It’s like when everyone was using X in branding in the early aughts.
Have none of you been poor? I still remember the week that I had to choose between gasoline and medication becausevI didn’t have enough money to buy both and I’m talking $10). I see Harry’s words as coming from a very privileged position. Poverty is so much more than the amount of money in your bank account. It’s a state that totally f*cks with your decision-making and your sense of self. It’s trauma. Nobody was offering me a good reason to quit for my mental/emotional well being because my job was to pay for true essentials. And yes I had a therapist at the time, AT $20/month, I still didn’t know if I’d make enough for rent and food.
You do realize that Harry is talking about what other people are doing, not what he is doing? I’m sure he realizes there are people who can’t afford to do that. He is, after all, involved with many charities.
Did you pay attention to what Harry actually said? Because what he does NOT say is “quit your job.”
I’ve been that poor. I still quit my job when I ended up bawling on the way home every single day for 6 weeks, but that’s besides the point. Prince Harry’s not saying “you should quit if you are unhappy,” he’s saying “there is nothing wrong with quitting a job that makes you unhappy.” There is a huge difference between the two.
So people should stay in jobs that are high stress, abusive, and that negatively affect their physical and mental health because you struggled financially? That’s quite the sense of entitlement you have there.
Just say you don’t like Harry and keep it moving.
@Haylie
Oh, wow, really? I think when you decide to write words that will hurt a real person who’s sharing her very real and common trauma to support a prince who will never read your words, you’re the one who needs to check her priorities and keep it moving.
Saying “the great resignation is a great idea for mental health” IS tone deaf when so many people who are struggling with mental health are also too poor to quit. People who can casually walk away from a job in the middle of a pandemic are probably the ones who have rare marketable skills, years of experience, and cushy savings. Good for them, but the poorest ones are staying and taking even more abuse these days. But sure, let’s temporarily ignore them to celebrate lawyers who decided to downshift or take a sabbatical in Costa Rica.
Wow, people are so defensive here if they get the slightest wiff of criticism towards Harry. Your reading comprehension sucks – that’s not what she said at all. And she’s right – most people can’t afford to just quit and stop working. Harry didn’t explain or qualify his comments at all – so of course it comes across as out of touch when right rich prince encourages people to quit if they need to, without acknowledging that that isn’t a realistic option for most people. If William had said the same he’d be ridiculed here.
@Col did you bother to read Harry’s response to the questions asked or are you going off tabloid headlines? Because what you are writing is absolutley not what he said.
Look, many people have had to stay in jobs for financial reasons and can’t afford to quit, and the toll on their mental health is very real. I’ve been miserable in low wage jobs that have caused so much anxiety and stress I was physically sick. I eventually just had to leave, with nothing lined up. At some point, many make that leap to leave if they can. Remember when a lot of states wanted to cut unemployment benefits because they though it was preventing low wage workers from returning to work? Well a lot of states that did that did not see a huge immediate uptick in employment because a lot of those people did not want to go back to those types of jobs. There are actual stats on this. This is not just an issue of the privileged. In fact a lot of the privileged don’t like the fact that a lot of workers are now demanding more from their work environment and are willing to leave to find it.
I left my very toxic job because I choose my well being, professionalism, and work ethics over a pay check and having my skills undermined and my job knowledge being stolen without the credit and respect I was due. I had college tuition for my 21 year old to pay each month (my contribution after my daughter’s student loan). My monthly bill was not cheap! I closed my eyes and withdrew money from my 401k to tide me over. You should have seen the withdrawal, after the shock, when I gave my two weeks notice! They picked on me and I wrote emails and rebuttals to HR memo writing me up! I was overworked and my knowledge was being stolen/copied even by the supervisor. I was given “help” by new employees who I was being set up to oversee their work but I was really expected to correct or train the new employee. They thought I would stay and continue taking their sh…t. I care about myself, my work product, and have faith and confidence in myself. I also believe in a God who has taken care of my daughter for 21 years! The intelligent Black bitch, packed her sh..t and politely gave two weeks notice. On my last day, I politely declined any cake gathering/party and politely told everyone individually”good bye” and left the demeaning hellhole! It was in August 2021. It took me at least two months to get my mind right to confidently go on a job interview. I am currently temping – working from home. I am also leisurely looking for my next permanent position. My 21 year old will hopefully graduate with her BS after winter session 2021 as she transferred 1.5 years ago and changed major. Prince Harry is right. Sometimes you have to fly on hope, faith, and believe you ate worth the risk. But YOU and your God/faith are the only ones who can say when. But it can be done…when you are ready to risk it!
I get what you guys are saying& that sadly there are people who don’t have the luxury of just quitting because how else they will afford rent, food, healthcare in the US aint free we all know that … but where did Harry say everyone should quit their jobs including poor workers? he’s talking about a specific phenomenon where people choose to leave those corporations that treat them like Sh@t at the end everyone knows their situation what’s good for someone else may not be the best for you.
Harry’s answer to that question about the Great Resignation is factually accurate and backed by many studies of which a few I’m sure he’s seen as this isn’t even the first time he’s referenced Adam Grant’s work; he also namechecked his NY Times article on languishing when he was on that podcast with Dax this spring. He obviously stays on top of these topics regarding employment and mental health which you’d expect since it’s his actual job which is the real reason the UK press is so mad. They’ve spent years telling everyone he was stupid and could never survive outside of the royal bubble and now he’s a c-suite exec at a mental health startup worth almost $5 billion that is doing so well they can pledge 1% of their equity and revenue to philanthropic endeavors AND lend a hand to an organization the Queen made him step down from. That must hurt.
Also: one part of his answer that I think is getting overlooked is where he talks about how the issues that have arisen during the pandemic have really been there all along. The pandemic didnt create them; it just exacerbated them and showed the cracks in the foundation. Meghan said something similar in her fight for paid leave; essentially that cracks in the social safety net have been exposed and it is imperative we don’t move forward without fixing them. It’s a really important point that I’m honestly impressed and happy to see them making publicly.
I mean, the guy actually works for a company that focuses on mental health in the workplace. I’m sure he has access to hard data and more resources on this subject than us armchair experts.
First Harry didn’t say just go ahead and quit. That’s tabloid nonsense. Look at the research. Even poor people leave jobs. In fact a lot of the jobs that has shown a massive exodus are ones that are considered lower income jobs. You say Harry is privileged. Certainly that is true. But there are a lot of people who would say you were privileged if you could give $20 a week to a therapist even though you were struggling. Because that would be money they didn’t have to give. A privileged life doesn’t negate understanding of an issue. Harry made a nuanced comment about people who have already left their jobs that the tabloids turned into a tabloid lie about him giving advice that people should just quit.
Very true…I recently returned to the office and I am extremely happy I work in a flexible place. I want to continue taking care of my mental health, my thyroid condition and becoming a single mama by choice. The pandemic was hard but it also help us prioritize what is truly important. I never taken more care of myself than I have the past 2 yrs and it has been amazing , I want to continue being able to do that.
Harry could say that today is Tuesday and the derangers and the BM would criticize. They would say he’s “privileged” for having a calendar or some such nonsense. Give it a rest. Anyway, I’ve been watching a few videos on capitalism and one of the backbones is convincing workers to stay in sh!t jobs with low wages and those are a lot of the jobs that are going unfilled. So I guess the powers that be are mad about that.
Wow. I never expected such cruel comments from this group. And @Catherine, that was $20/a month, Public Health.
You are “privileged” to have public health care. So maybe you ought to be more circumspect yourself. There are a few hundred million in the US who do not.
Cruel? I saw reasoned responses with people elaborating why they didn’t see see Harry as speaking from a privileged point of view in this instance. As is often the case with people on the this site. Its one the things I greatly appreciate about Celebitchy.
You’re upset that your resentment based talking points didn’t land after telling people here that they know nothing about poverty while casually dropping your access to public healthcare (that we don’t have in the United States) and your therapist (many people with jobs still can’t afford therapy in the United States and go without mental healthcare).
But others better stay in jobs that are taking their toll on them just to spite Harry because you allow British tabloids to dictate your feelings.
I don’t think a lot of people outside the US realize how having your health insurance tied to your job traps you. I had jobs that weren’t worth keeping because they didn’t offer healthcare and I went years without a doctor or dentist visit, while some people only take a job because of the health insurance benefits. Whenever there are layoffs, the first question everyone asks is how am I going to keep my healthcare or pay for it. Most people outside the US, esp.in Europe,have never seen medical bills over $10,000, or even $1000, but many in this country have.
Sorry people are treating you like shit Yonati. I expected better from this group.
@Yonati — When I was younger I was part of the working poor, holding several crappy, low-paying, stressful jobs where I was treated horribly. My “great resignation” was to move back in with my parents for a while, take some business courses and find a decent job. So I’ve been part of the “great resignation” on numerous occasions. Nothing brings out your inner strength and determination like hard times and bad people, you do what you can to ease yourself out of a no-win situation. I took advantage of corporate education programs that allowed you to take courses relevant to your job where you paid half, the employer paid half, and when you passed you were reimbursed for the portion you paid. I once walked out of a well-paying but very stressful job, sued my toxic boss and won — a year’s salary and benefits with no claw-back when I found another job, and it was the BEST FEELING EVER. Taking control of the reins is never a bad thing and where there’s a will there’s a way.
Well, Harry did quit a job that was negatively impacting his mental health. This is a standard corner office interview highlighting the company, their mission, and upcoming rollouts. I don’t know why the British press is freaking out but it has amplified this interview and other news outlets like ABC news are reporting on it. This issue of people resigning their jobs has been written about in so many publications already and talked about on podcasts. This is nothing new. People do want more flexibility, they have questioned if a job is worth it, some people have had to quit because of lack of childcare and let’s not forget the impact of so many workers dying of Covid. This doesn’t just apply to white collar workers either. Is it really worth it getting yelled at and attacked for minimum wage because someone doesn’t want to wear a mask in the store/restaurant you work at. The U.K. press is always trying to amplify anything Sussex related into a scandal and they look ridiculous.
I was infuriated by the pettiness. What Prince Harry says is not out of touch. I’m actually leaving my current job because It was mentally draining for years. I just had this talk with my boss who told me if you’re not happy, it’s okay to quit. So I decided to leave.
People are more focused on their wellbeing. More than ever since the pandemic. They tried to twist his words…
This pattern is just a blip,a fad if you will in this country.Corporate rules in the US.People will return to their crappy jobs in the near future
You’re discounting the younger generations, they are seeing what it can be and will refuse to give back power.
@ Tessa:
I meant everything I said. If you and others trolling don’t want to get called ofut for deliberately misrepresenting what Harry actually said, sit on your hands and think before typing. And the great exodus isn’t just lawyers quitting and going to Costa Rica. It’s service industry employees who got sick of the abuse from their employers and customers during the pandemic who left and didn’t come back, even after states cut their unemployment benefits off and ended Covid relief money. Its also middle class employees who experienced burnout but had employers pushing them to work even more hours with no end in sight and with no compensation for the strain.
The great resignation is a little more complicated. Many women left the workforce out of obligation to their families, something that didn’t impact men equally. That said, I agree with all his points. Our labor laws heavily favor employers, and we’ve progressively seen a decrease in pay, benefits, and overall wellbeing at work. I am regularly expected to work weekends or be on call. It’s hard, and I don’t see my employer giving me the flexibility of other employers post-covid. I admire the people who’ve been able to change and find something better.
I recall that re: women leaving the workforce. Do you remember the article where a small tech business owner shut down her company because her non-working husband was incapable of caring for their 3 year old? Plus, school closures and limited daycare put lots of families in a bind.
There are many pieces to the great resignation, but some here want to tear Harry down to score points rather than see that a big piece was employee dissatisfaction: high stress, micromanagement, dwindling pay and benefits.
Haylie—where was that article? Yikes, her husband was that useless?!! Damn…
I feel so bad for her that she can’t even rely on her husband in a time of crisis, let alone for daily support. Women often carry the full load! I see that again and again.
Harry’s absolutely right & this is not only a white collar phenomenon. Many, many service workers decided that abusive conditions during a pandemic simply weren’t worth the paycheck. Does anyone think Amazon is running ads touting $15/hour wages out of the goodness of their hearts?
Not sure about the rest of the world, but US employers need to wake up. More than 700,000 people are dead from COVID. In addition to being a tragedy, that’s more people than were killed during the Civil War & in less time. All of those people are gone from the workforce. And many employers were quick to lay people off at the start of the pandemic. Those workers haven’t forgotten how badly they were treated. The Black Plague broke feudalism in Europe. US workers are poised to have more power than they’ve had perhaps ever in our history; employers who don’t adapt to that will be caught flat footed.
Amen. No one should be waking up having to choose between childcare or a shift. No one should have to work 2 jobs so they can equal up to 30 000 a year and have those employers act like they OWN you. If enough of us don’t accept it it will change. All these fools on Fox screeching about how ungrateful people are can go fck themselves. This country needs to catch up with Denmark. Iceland etc.
K, it’s embarrassing to see people her go full on “HOW DARE THIS PRIVILEGED MAN TELL PEOPLE ITS OK IF THEY LEAVE JOBS THAT HARM THEIR MENTAL HEALTH!!!” Even when I know it’s troll traffic represented in Christopher Bouzy’s analysisz
They want people to stay abused, stay miserable, and stay under the control of uncaring employers without pushing for change. Just accept capitalism’s power imbalance and keep their heads down.
These people really want to act like they are champions of low wage employees. It’s clown behavior.
They’re so salty to see a rich white man standing up for the little guy. Because it’s so f*cking rare.
@Haylie, that was a really mean response to someone who is sharing their struggles. She’s not saying people should stay in jobs they hate. She’s just saying not everyone has that option. You should learn to be more sympathetic to others.
The great resignation could be, in large part, baby boomers retiring. If baby boomers are essentially those born between 1945 and 1960, they are aged 76 to 61 in 2021. And because boomers are such a huge population, it’s going to have an impact when they retire. The pandemic may have made some of the younger boomers retire a few years before they planned. I agree some non-boomers people did give up jobs they hated, dead end, low paying jobs but I don’t think that accounts for the largest number of resignations. I think that is down to boomers.
Zen, I think boomers are 1946-1964. What I’m seeing where I live are signs on restaurant doors that say they’re closed because they don’t have enough employees. I have a friend who is a financial planner and she tells me that she’s hearing from employers that the young people just don’t want to work!!!!! They work for a few days and then quit. Well, maybe that employer needs to start talking with these “young people who don’t want to work” and find out why they quit and what they need/want to stay? This goes well beyond boomers and although I think some of them retired early, I also think many of them probably continued their jobs and worked from home. The vast majority of the people who have died in the US are seniors. I’ve not seen any stats about what percentage of them were working before they died. This is definitely a new era, and I am so happy to see it. My hope is that the employers will be forced to start listening and responding appropriately.
It doesn’t matter what Harry says, his words will continue to be twisted by the BM and trolls. I have to smile, because I would bet you that the VAST MAJORITY of these people are UNHAPPY!
@Zen
Retiring is vastly different from resigning. The Great Resignation isn’t Boomers retiring.
I have nothing intelligent to contribute to this conversation. You all are just brilliant, and you make me think.
Just here to say that Harry is hotter than Hades. He and Meg are megawatt beautiful inside and out.
I was lucky to read this article before the headlines, it was a thorough discussion that is not lacking in clarity.
Prince Harry seem to grow, one is aware that he did his due diligence in the subject. He is aware that having his agency in the new reality, that he can be chosen to be the target in the cultural war as content. It is wonderful to see his obvious intellect in the discussion of mental health awareness.
This brave, articulate man has grown in stature, despite efforts to draw him into the endless and unnecessary cultural conflicts.
It’s pretty amazing that a royal is able to discuss the hardships low wage work with intelligence and sensitivity. Harry has always been different, of course, and his years in the military exposed him to reality and hardships unknown to most royals, but that’s not the same thing as understanding the challenges of subsisting as a cashier at McDonald’s. Plenty of middle class Americans who actually eat at McDonald’s probably don’t even think about it, let alone truly sequestered royals who never experience the general public except from a podium.
Dont be dense people.
Harry doesnt said to quit your job when you didnt like it.
What i do understand, even English is my second language.
He said people had quit their job because they can or have the means to do it.
Its not easy to make this big decision especially when you have a family to support.
But maybe, put this idea in your head to quit.
Try to search for a better job. And even if you cant find it, atleast in your head you have the option to do it.
And maybe one day, you will be able to do it.
The *only* people who object to this type of talk are the ones who intend to exploit workers. Happy workers are loyal workers.
Once again a whole bunch of new handles show up to deliberately misinterpret what Harry actually said and use talking points that we see in UK tabloids. Total coincidence I am sure.
LOL. Yep. It is a fascinating coincidence. I will never forget that when watching Ronan Farrow’s To Catch and Kill on HBO that a CB tweet was shared. (don’t remember if it was CB’s tweet or an @ tweet but it was very present). People are watching/reading.
Been trying to exert willpower not clicking on DM stories so don’t know exactly how they’ve been covering this. It would be odd for them to cover any sort of a privilege angle considering Jonathan Harmsworth, 4th Viscount Lord Rothermere inherited the family business. He supposedly has a degree in History, not Business. Much like a certain FFK’s degree in Geography. Harry has a degree in real life experiences and being a scapegoat.
Ultimately, the Duke of Sussex, is a genuine real person who quit & left a job that wanted him to be less of the person he is (along with his wife, the Duchess of Sussex) so his incompetent higher ups could look better with their laziness. Harry & Meghan were team players. The others didn’t understand that there is no “I” in team. The end.
Nic, I was just thinking the same thing. These people aren’t as slick as they think they are.
Good advice for this newer generation. Kindness and happiness for ALL is the future.
Poster-Oliver T-said it in a nutshell-he was speaking to a US audience not uk AUDIENCE-dAMN IF THE bRITS THINK EVERYTHING HARRY AND MEGHAN SAY IS ABOUT THEM-Get a grip on reality garbage press-he’s not saying anything new that is not being said for the past month or two. I think what he said relates to how he and Meghan felt in the UK working as senior royals.