Turnover, Exit as Voice, and Quitting Narratives
摘要
This chapter investigates employee desertion in superstore retail, positioning it as a significant form of worker agency alongside foot-dragging and theft. Contrary to conventional assumptions, most interviewees expressed positive views on quitting, reflecting the sector's high turnover rates. This chapter contests the primacy of low pay as a driver of desertion, highlighting the impact of toxic corporate culture, including management disrespect and perceived unethical practices, which workers frequently cited as motivating their departures. This chapter critiques Hirschman's “Exit, Voice, and Loyalty,” arguing that in environments characterized by “arbitrary power,” quitting functions as a potent form of political voice. Worker narratives underscore this, revealing quitting as a reclamation of dignity and a rejection of dehumanizing corporate structures. The chapter further explores the profound emotional and political significance of quitting, with workers describing it as a liberating and life-altering act. Ultimately, this chapter suggests that the societal well-being of workers in general may be enhanced by the diminishment of superstore retail employment.