The Great Resignation: Can a Winery be Your New Office?

The era of the great resignation is upon us. 

Before 2020, there were many adults in the workforce, just going through the motions. Their work wasn’t necessarily fulfilling but it was a means to live their lives, so it was accepted. No one could have predicted the economic shutdown fueled by a global pandemic that was going to occur only a few short months later. Suddenly, our day-to-day routine was completely shattered. People began adapting to working from home, were in charge of educating their children, or unfortunately were laid off from their place of employment. 

The build-up of frustration and stress began to take a toll on our society. The ability to have social interactions, go out to places to blow off steam, and entertain or distract ourselves was now gone. Cities began to empty. People began craving space and outdoors. With the inability to see each other we found which friends we truly held close to our hearts. But in the absence of these distractions, what we were given was time.

Time to reflect on how our current life was playing out. During a period of such uncertainty, we were given time to think about how we wanted our future to look. Time to ask ourselves tough questions like, Am I Happy? Or in 30 years will I be satisfied with what I have accomplished?

These are the questions we pushed to the back of our minds because we were too busy moving from one task to even begin to probe those ideas. But without the multitude of distractions standing in our way, we were able to start answering them. We were given time to explore new hobbies, search out things that brought us joy, and even more fulfilling career opportunities. As time continued to pass and armed with these newfound things that brought us happiness, the desire for permanent change in our lives increased. It has come to a head with the great resignation.

The realizations people made during the pandemic have resulted in real changes. One of the industries seeing an influx of new people is the wine industry. People have been able to turn a passion for wine, grape-growing, and wine-making into a career. Because if the entire world can change in an instant wouldn’t you want to be happy with how you’ve spent your time so far?

Reconnecting with Nature

At the beginning of the lockdown, we were not able to do the regular things for entertainment. Restaurants, bars, gyms, movie theaters were suddenly all off-limits. There is only so much time we can spend indoors before a change of scenery is needed. The only option was to go outside.

Hiking, running, biking, walking became daily activities. People reconnected with the natural world around them. Parks, conservation areas, and trails were now the new afternoon Sunday brunch spots. The outdoors also became the place to safely see friends and family. With restaurants and coffee shops only doing take-out, it also became the new dining room.

When things began to reopen the desire to be within nature remained. This has had many people shifting to explore career opportunities that involve being in nature. A great example is working in a vineyard tending to grapevines. It gives the chance to connect with the earth. Being able to have a hand in producing exceptional grapes is very fulfilling. But watching the quite literal fruits of your labor turn into something even more beautiful is a feeling hard to describe.

Working at a Winery

When approached with the idea of working at a winery pre-pandemic many people would have said they don’t have the skills or training necessary. Therefore they would push the notion aside. But upon reflection, there are many jobs to be done besides actually making wine. Most of these jobs have skills that cross over between disciplines.

Sales

Almost every industry has a sales component to it. The items you are selling change, but the skills needed to sell don’t.

Event Management

Many wineries will host events as an additional way to generate revenue. They are always looking for talented people to run these successfully. Anyone with experience planning events, parties, or meetings can excel in this role.

Logistics

Wine needs to make its way around the world just like any other product. Many people in this network are needed to keep this supply chain running.

Vineyard Management

There would be no wine without the grapes. There are teams dedicated to producing the best possible fruit. But like any team, it needs a leader to keep it running smoothly. Those in project management for example have the skills necessary to keep a team on track and on time.

These are only a few examples of skills that can be easily transferred into the world of wine. Just like any new job, there will be technical jargon and processes that need to be learned. But you’ll also be part of a tight-knit community that has a genuine passion for creating exceptional wines and the desire to share those wines with the world.

Breaking the Work Environment Mold

For the past few decades, there has been a strong connotation between success and the traditional business office workplace. To be successful one needs to climb the corporate ladder in a corporate office structure. It was even ingrained in us from a young age when you grow up you will go to work and what did work look like? An office.

But perhaps one of the biggest takeaways from the pandemic is that the concept of traditional work environments is unnecessary. People don’t need to be in an office to conduct business. It can be done from anywhere. So if the concept of the office is broken? Does that mean the concept of success and the traditional corporate work environment are broken too?

During the pandemic, people pivoted and started passion projects, side-hustles, and explored new career paths. They found things that made them happy and ways to add them to their everyday lives. These passion projects gave way to full-fledged businesses and side hustles became full-time hustles. In the same fashion, a passion for wine can be turned into a career in wine. The mold to which we thought we had to adhere is broken.

A non-traditional job, like working at a winery can bring challenges, learning opportunities, and fun all wrapped into one. When you can be with a community of people who share your passions, it will never seem like work.

Is it a Great Resignation or a Great Awakening?

The great resignation is being felt by all fields and to an extent many aspects of our lives. People are resigning from cities, from jobs, and traditional work environments. When forced to reevaluate our priorities, it seemed to have awaken a spark within many people. Sometimes it takes the world shutting down to realize how unhappy we were. We now understand the balance needed between working and living. 

We can take this awakening and what we have learned about ourselves to make changes to better our lives. Like taking your love for wine and turning it into a career. When we can combine our work and our passion, that is true happiness. If you think working in the wine industry is where you will find your true happiness, check out Work in Wine for leading job opportunities.