The styles of leaving work are different - sometimes we prepare for a change of place of employment for a long time, and this decision is often associated with retraining or a change of industry. It also happens that for urgent reasons we are forced to leave unexpectedly. The decision to end a collaboration is also influenced by factors related to the atmosphere at work, conflicts, a toxic environment or a personal sense of failure.
In this context, it is worth recalling two trends popular in the media: quiet quitting and applying rage. Today they are joined by a third phenomenon - the title revenge quitting.
Quiet quitting is a phenomenon of gradual withdrawal from work - the employee performs only an absolute minimum of duties, until he finally gives up his job completely.
Applying Rage is, in turn, a trend in which a disappointed employee, under the influence of frustration, sends his resume en masse to different companies, often impulsively and without much plan.
“Retaliatory departure”, that is revenge quitting, is an immediate termination of employment, usually preceded by difficult, emotional and negative work experiences - most often in the employee-employer relationship. Such a way of leaving is sudden, spectacular and leaves the employer in a difficult personnel situation.
However, do these phenomena actually occur in the work environment or are they just catchy media headlines? We live in a world that produces a huge amount of information every day, and the media not only report reality, but often create it — often before a given phenomenon has actually managed to shape and establish itself in the social space.
Another issue is the very dynamics of trends, which today are changing extremely quickly. So it is worth asking the question: is it not the media that accelerates this pace, making us live in a world of excess names and labels that do not necessarily correspond to reality? Can we verify this somehow? Partly yes. Taking a closer look at the trend revenge quitting, we can try to arrive at empirical data that would scientifically confirm or challenge the thesis of its scale and popularity.
What is revenge quitting?
However, before proceeding to the verification of this phenomenon, let us pause for a moment with its media interpretation. According to various sources revenge quitting It has its roots in workplace conflicts and growing frustration. The very fact that someone decides to leave in such a violent way says a lot about the atmosphere in the organization.
In media reports, this way of leaving is presented as an act of revenge on employers who are suddenly left with a competence gap. Interestingly, some media also suggest that this behavior of a departing employee can lead to demoralization of the team or inspire acts of rebellion. However, this is a rather controversial claim - especially considering that the phenomenon itself revenge quitting has not yet been widely supported by empirical data. And if the employee's reaction to a toxic work environment is considered immoral, then perhaps the problem lies completely elsewhere.
Effects on employer and employee
It is said that revenge quitting trend can bring negative consequences not only for the employer and the entire organization, but also for the employee himself. For the company, this means the risk of loss of image and destabilization of the team, while for the employee - potential difficulties in finding a new job, as well as problems in relations with former colleagues, i.e. a kind of “burning bridges”.
The information often repeated in the media is also that this phenomenon is supposed to be especially popular among the representatives of generation Z — as if younger people were the first to dare to make such spectacular forms of statements. Revenge quitting seems to fit well into many replicated myths about Generation Z — for example, about their alleged claims, reluctance to professional stability or tendency to change jobs frequently.
Data
Let's look at the data. According to a study cited by Forbes, until 28% full-time employees foresee that in their workplace in 2025 there will be a situation referred to as revenge quitting. This may suggest increasing tensions and dissatisfaction with the current working conditions. This is also confirmed by other data: up to 65% employees declare that they feel “trapped” in their current roles (Glass door, cit. for WorkLife.News/DigiDay), and according to the report Gallup, 62% employees around the world do not feel involved in the work they do (Indeed, for Gallup). Experts, however, cool emotions - in the opinion of an economist quoted by Indeed, revenge quitting it is rather “a catchy name for isolated cases than a really common phenomenon” (Indeed, Ask an Economist). In turn, according to the DDI institute (Development Dimensions International), Rather, retaliatory departures can be a symptom of more serious problems, such as a toxic work environment, poor leadership or a lack of psychological security.
How to prevent?
The phenomenon can be assessed differently revenge quitting — for some it is an expression of courage and borderline frustration, for others a manifestation of unprofessional behavior. However, it is worth looking at them rather as a symptom of broader problems in the work environment than individual excesses. If employees decide to leave suddenly and spectacularly, often preceded by emotional tension and a sense of injustice, then perhaps we are facing a lack of viable tools to resolve conflicts, a weak organizational culture or an inefficient communication system.
Difficult to treat revenge quitting as a scientifically described phenomenon - so far it functions mainly in the media circulation and is based on anecdotal evidence that cannot be considered empirically reliable. However, this does not mean that they can be completely ignored - on the contrary, what we call “information noise” is often a reflection of social moods and changes in the perception of work, authority or the limits of psychological endurance.
So what can be done? Above all, invest in a work culture based on mutual respect, openness and psychological security. It is important that organizations promote transparent communication, respond effectively to conflicts and build an inclusive environment in which every person feels noticed and treated subjectively. It is also worth implementing regular feedback mechanisms, training in the field of communication and dispute resolution and ensuring fair and clear procedures for promotion and evaluation of work. In short, prevention revenge quitting It is not about controlling the employee, but about building a workplace from which one does not want to leave, much less to flee dramatically.
summary
Revenge quitting is not just a viral term, but a potential symptom of deeper problems in the workplace. Instead of focusing on the form of departure itself, it is worth looking at the organizational culture and relationships within the team.
Sources
- https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/shraddha-kapoor-and-instagram-head-adam-mosseri-discuss-indias-digital-renaissance/articleshow/120871114.cms
- https://theconversation.com/preventing-revenge-quitting-5-things-workplaces-can-do-to-help-employees-feel-like-they-belong-248411
- https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/revenge-quitting-6312572/
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2025/01/16/revenge-quitting-28-of-employees-expect-it-at-work-in-2025/?sh=59e2f2a964f2
- https://www.worklife.news/talent/the-rise-of-revenge-quitting-is-a-growing-challenge-for-hr-leaders/
- https://www.indeed.com/lead/ask-an-economist-should-employers-worry-about-revenge-quitting
- https://www.indeed.com/lead/ask-an-economist-should-employers-worry-about-revenge-quitting
- https://www.ddiworld.com/blog/revenge-quitting-explained
