What actually pushes someone from thinking about change to finally doing something about it? Why do some people leave their jobs while others renegotiate their relationship with work instead?
In this episode of The Future of Less Work, host Nirit Cohen sits down with Anthony Klotz, professor of organizational behavior at UCL School of Management and the researcher credited with coining the Great Resignation, to explore the invisible moments that reshape careers. Drawing from his new book Jolted, Klotz explains how careers rarely change gradually. Instead, they shift in response to sudden events—what he calls “jolts”—that cause people to pause and rethink their relationship with work.
Together, Nirit and Anthony unpack the many forms these jolts can take, from workplace disappointments and career milestones to personal events and global shocks. The conversation explores why these moments are becoming more common in a world of nonlinear careers, why the traditional stay-or-quit decision is no longer the only response, and how many people now respond to jolts by renegotiating their work rather than walking away.
They also examine how the pandemic acted as a collective jolt that reshaped expectations about work and life—and why artificial intelligence may become the next wave of career-defining moments. From identity shifts caused by new technology to the ways managers can recognize and support employees through pivotal moments, the discussion reveals how careers are increasingly shaped by reflection, experimentation, and reconfiguration.
If you’ve ever experienced a moment that made you suddenly question your job, your priorities, or your future at work, this episode offers a powerful lens for understanding why—and what to do next.
Guest Information:
Anthony Klotz is a professor of organizational behavior at UCL School of Management in London. He is best known for predicting a global pandemic–related labor shift and dubbing it the Great Resignation. A leading scholar on the psychology of work, he has written for Harvard Business Review and The Wall Street Journal, and his research is regularly published in the leading academic journals in management. He has discussed the current and future of work with media outlets, including NBC News, Bloomberg Businessweek, CNN, CNBC, Today, The New York Times, Financial Times, BBC, and NPR, and with executive teams at numerous Fortune 100 firms.
Links:
Author Site: https://www.mgmt.ucl.ac.uk/people/anthonyklotz
Chapters:
00:00 – Why You Suddenly Want to Quit Your Job
01:05 – What Makes You Rethink Your Career Path
02:00 – Signs It’s Time to Change Jobs or Careers
04:45 – Did COVID Change How We Think About Work
06:29 – Should You Quit Your Job or Stay
07:45 – Is Quiet Quitting Actually Setting Boundaries
10:30 – How AI Is Changing Jobs and Career Decisions
13:20 – Can Managers Tell When You’re About to Quit
15:20 – How to Talk to Your Boss When You Feel Stuck
17:00 – What to Do If You Don’t Want to Quit but Aren’t Happy
17:45 – How People Start Side Hustles or Career Changes
19:18 – What Question Should You Ask About Your Career
20:40 – Can AI Help You Find Better Work
