Resignation: Why People Leave Jobs and What It Means for African Workplaces

When someone hands in a resignation, a formal notice that an employee is leaving their position. Also known as job departure, it’s more than paperwork—it’s a reaction to how work feels day after day. In South Africa and across Africa, resignations aren’t just about better pay. They’re about burnout, broken trust, and leaders who don’t listen.

Look at the data: in 2024, over 40% of South African workers said they’d quit if they felt undervalued—even if they were paid well. It’s not just the private sector. Public service employees, teachers, even nurses are walking out, not because they found another job, but because they couldn’t take another day of being ignored. This isn’t a trend. It’s a warning. Workplace culture, the unspoken rules and daily experiences that shape how people feel at work. Also known as office climate, it’s the silent driver behind every resignation. When managers micromanage, when promotions go to favorites, when feedback disappears into a black hole—people leave. And they don’t come back.

Resignation isn’t always dramatic. Sometimes it’s quiet. A worker stops showing up. They stop replying to messages. They stop caring. That’s the real cost: not the vacancy, but the silence that comes before it. Companies that fix this don’t throw money at the problem. They fix communication. They give people a voice. They stop treating staff like replaceable parts. And guess what? Those companies keep their best people.

Below, you’ll find real stories and reports that show how resignation is playing out across Africa—not just in corporate offices, but in factories, government departments, and small businesses. Some posts reveal how managers ignored red flags. Others show how simple changes turned things around. This isn’t about blaming workers. It’s about understanding why they walked away—and what comes next.