Jolted: Why We Quit, When to Stay, and Why It Matters

by Anthony Klotz

The new science of why we quit, whether we should, and how to make the right choices for our work and lives, by a leading organizational psychologist

Most of us are just one event away from leaving our job. Conventional wisdom would have us believe that the decision to leave secure work is the result of an uneven trade-off between our paychecks and benefits, and the time and effort we put into our jobs. But in reality, quitting is most often triggered by a single event, inside or outside the workplace, that causes us to stop and reflect on our relationship with work.

These events are what organizational psychologist Anthony Klotz calls “jolts,” and they are the most underacknowledged realities in our work lives. In Jolted, Klotz breaks down what makes a jolt, and helps us navigate these inevitable disruptions, keeping us from being thrown off track by quitting when we shouldn’t—or spurring us to make the career change that can improve our lives.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help

304 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication March 17, 2026

About the author

Dr. Anthony Klotz is a Professor of Organizational Behavior at UCL School of Management in London. Anthony is known for having coined the phrase “The Great Resignation” in an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek in May 2021. He regularly discusses the current state and future of work with media outlets, including CNN, The Today Show, the New York Times, and the BBC, and with executive teams at Fortune 100 organizations.

Anthony’s research focuses on understanding employees’ relationship with work, through the lenses of resignations, citizenship behavior, and biophilic design. His research is published in top management journals, and he writes for Harvard Business Review, the Wall Street Journal, and MIT Sloan Management Review.