There are several things that Montana and Montanans are known for. Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, beautiful mountains, pristine lakes, grizzly bears, huckleberries, rodeos, and ranching just to name a few.

According to new information from the Wall Street Journal, you can also add quitting to that list.  Yep, apparently, Montana is near the top when it comes to people quitting their job.  In fact, the only state that has a higher percentage is Hawaii.

This is based on information from September 2021.  According to the article, one of the main reasons people are leaving their jobs in record numbers seems to be for positions that offer more money and better benefits.

It's not only happening in Hawaii and Montana though, it seems that the states with the most turnover are other western states. Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado all had record high percentages for the month of September as well.

We all know that businesses are having a hard time filling positions across Montana, but why are people leaving their jobs in record fashion?

Montana is certainly not a cheap place to live and when you throw in places like Bozeman and Missoula where housing is more expensive than other Montana cities and towns, you have to ask yourself "what's happening here?"

Are they moving away?

That doesn't seem to be the case, as there are housing shortages in many areas. I suppose maybe the high number might have something to do with seasonal workers.  Montana does lead the nation when it comes to the concentration of people working in the arts, entertainment, and recreation.  However, wouldn't that still be a relatively small number? I mean, we are talking about a 44 percent jump from the previous month.

If the reason really is people are leaving for other opportunities that offer better pay and benefits, then what do Montana businesses have to offer to entice people to either stay or hire new employees?

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
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I know for many work flexibility is a huge factor. Several people don't like the idea of the traditional 8 to 5, Monday through Friday structure.  Tuition reimbursement is another one I hear a lot about.  Folks seem to want to continue their education and they seem to like it when their employee will play for at least part of that.

What do you think?  What would you like to see your current employer offer that they don't have available to you? If you own a business, how hard is it to compete with others to make sure that you keep quality employees?

One thing is for sure, something has to be done as everywhere we go across this great state, we see "Help Wanted" signs and according to this new study, that just increased by a whole lot.

Credit: Wall Street Journal

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