Why Americans Quit Their Jobs

People decide to leave their jobs for many reasons, whether it's the need for a new challenge, a desire to change city, the necessity of escaping a boss you just cannot stand any more or the chance for a bigger paycheck. That last point is actually the chief motivation for American workers quitting their jobs today, according to a new survey from compensation data and software platform PayScale.

Entitled "Why They Quit You", the survey found that 25 percent of workers are seeking employment outside their current organization because they want higher pay. 16 percent of those polled say they are searching elsewhere because they are unhappy in their job while 14 percent want to land a position in an organization more aligned with their values. Relocation is rarer, cited by 11 percent of those polled, while only 2 percent are seeking a new employer for greater flexibility.

So that's what's driving people to leave their employers but what is attracting workers to new organizations? With 27 percent, the chance to do more meaningful work comes first on the list, followed by increased responsibilities in a new role (17 percent) while higher pay rounds off the top-three (16 percent). According to PayScale, the current low levels of employment coupled with a strong economy have resulted in higher confidence and therefore a higher level of risk-taking. In February of this year, 2.86 million Americans quit their jobs.