2025’s Corporate Crisis: The Rise of Revenge Quitting
An emerging pattern of ‘revenge quitting’ is observed in the corporate workplace in 2025. As opposed to quiet quitting (where a worker performs the bare minimum tasks without taking any initiative themselves), revenge quitting is when a disgruntled worker abruptly leaves the job without notice, owing to a toxic work environment, office politics, low pay, broken promises, and frustration.
Picture this: You have made a presentation of a new marketing campaign, but your senior takes all the credit for it, while pitching it to the client; you have been working with the same company for a few years, but you are yet to get the much-needed promotion/pay hike; you have been diligently working, putting in extra hours, but the senior level management does not acknowledge your efforts; In the given circumstances, you feel cheated, demoralized, unrecognized, and choose to abruptly quit the job, to prove your point that the company will regret losing you.
Why revenge quitting?
What can be the reasons or factors that lead an efficient and trusted worker to take the ultimate step of revenge quitting?
1. Toxic work culture
The toxic work culture where negativity and jealousy are rampant is one of the reasons why revenge quitting is on the rise. Non-cooperation by co-workers, untrue accusations relating to work, and too much pressure to perform are some reasons that make workers quit.
2. Employer conduct
Employers often overlook the hard work of the diligent workers, who have given their time, effort, and energy to the organization. There are instances of rebuke and reprimand, which further decrease the morale of the workers, despite giving their best.
3. Insufficient pay
Employers often go back on their word, making them work more time for less pay, often citing losses and other such reasons. In today’s expensive times, a low pay package is insufficient to make ends meet and therefore, the workers may contemplate revenge quitting.
4. Opportunities
Employees may quit in the hope of better opportunities, as their company is unable to cater to their needs by way of a good and clean work culture, pay parity and recognition of their work with overall growth. With the rising trend of work from home (WFH) culture, employees may perceive this as a better opportunity than their present job.
5. Partiality
Employers often are partial to certain workers, giving them raises or promotions, irrespective of whether they deserve them or not. There is quite a bit of flattery by such undeserving workers that blinds the employers into not seeing the efforts put in by the deserving workers. This leads to negativity in the workplace.
6. Unrealistic demands
The workers are often faced with unrealistic demands, i.e. more overtime, no pay for overtime, no perks, shorter deadlines, faster results, leaving the workers with no time for themselves and burnout. Not to mention the stress and anxiety that results therefrom.
7. Health
Workers often feel trapped in jobs, which they cannot leave, owing to personal reasons or because they are unable to speak up. This makes them all the more frustrated, and they are more susceptible to mental pressure and health issues. This adverse effect on their mental and physical health may make them contemplate revenge or quitting.
Responsibilities of the employer
There are certain responsibilities of the employer which may prevent revenge quitting and maintain peace and decorum at the workplace
- Work culture: The employer should ensure that the work culture is safe and clean. The work culture should be positive, and the morale of the workers should be high. The employer should appreciate the efforts of the workers. The co-workers should be ready to assist each other and refrain from feelings of jealousy/ego/flattery.
- Timely remuneration: The employer should pay the workers as per their performance and ensure timely remuneration.
- Trust: The employer should trust the workers and vice versa. The employee should be able to share their thoughts, ideas, and suggestions with the employer. The employer should patiently listen to the workers and acknowledge them.
- Encouragement: The employer should encourage the workers and build up their morale. The employer should clarify the job roles and requirements to the workers, to avoid any confusion in future.
- Delegation: The employer should delegate tasks equally, according to the abilities and skills of the workers. This delegation will help to reduce burnout and foster trust and equality among the workers.
- Employee wellness: The employer should promote employee wellness. It could be weekly trust-building activities, an indoor gym/meditation area, hygienic meals, proper work timings, workshops by counsellors/life coaches, a complaint redressal committee, among others.
- Feedback: The employer should encourage feedback from the workers, for the greater good of the organisation.
- Recognition: The employer should recognize, appreciate and reward the efforts of the workers. It could be giving a promotion, a reward, acknowledgement before the entire staff, additional responsibilities, which make the workers feel a sense of belonging to the organisation. This greatly reduces the likelihood of any worker.
- Empathy: The employer should show empathy towards the workers by listening patiently and understanding their outlook before making any hasty decisions. Humans err and deserve a second chance. Empathy makes the employer understand the situation and feelings of the workers.
We spend most of the day at our workplace, so it is only right to expect a positive, cheerful and dynamic work atmosphere. All essential information about the job and its expectations should be clear to both the employer and employee. All the employer has to do is be fair in their outlook and provide a safe work environment.
Remember, you were not born an employer; you, too, worked your way up, from being a worker, to become the successful employer you are today. So, it is easy for you to identify with the workers and their struggles.
Your efforts have put you where you are today. So, don’t deny your workers the same rights. If they succeed, then the entire organisation benefits, as does the goodwill. There is no organisation without workers, and there are no workers without an organisation. Both are integral to each other.
Once the workers are in a positive work culture, they thrive and are satisfied with their work/acknowledgement, they will not even dream about revenge, quitting or quitting, for that matter.
