The workplace is buzzing about a rising trend known as “revenge quitting,” in which employees express their job frustrations and retaliate against detrimental work trends, initiated by big companies like “stealth sackings.” The business leaders I spoke with expect the “revenge quitting” trend to boil over and become more prevalent in 2025.
What Is ‘Revenge Quitting’?
“Revenge quitting” is the trend of workers fighting back against big business. Employees abruptly leave a job in response to negative experiences such as lack of recognition, burnout or disengagement with workplace culture. Experts say that it’s an inevitable result of a workplace evolution that’s been brewing for years and that rapid technological advancements, coupled with changing generational expectations, are accelerating the shift.
John Scott, head of learning design and strategy of MasterClass at Work, told me through email that weʼve seen “rage quitting”—where employees resort to quitting a job with dramatic flair and without warning—and “rage applying,” where mounting frustration or specific trigger events lead to employees applying to a bunch of jobs in rapid succession looking to land a new opportunity.
Scott posits that if forecasts for a stronger job market in 2025 come to fruition, there is anticipation of a rise in “revenge quitting,” which he defines as pent up frustrations, where given the opportunity for an employee to move on to a new opportunity, they take it.
The Glassdoor Worklife Trends 2025 Report finds that 65% of employees are feeling stuck in their current roles. If left unchecked, the report predicts that pent-up resentment will boil over, sparking a wave of “revenge quitting” in 2025.
Dr. Marais Bester, senior consultant at SHL, sees “revenge quitting” as the employee’s way to get even with big companies. He believes platforms liked LinkedIn and Glassdoor have expanded how the workforce sees others successes and makes it look like the grass is greener on the other side. He contends that it’s the employer’s responsibility to avoid “revenge quitting,” and suggests how companies can minimize the risk.
“Ultimately, ‘revenge quitting’ is about people taking control in a world where they’ve historically had little power,” Bester explains. “It’s a message to employers: evolve or lose your best talent. Organizations that cling to outdated models of work, fail to embrace flexibility or overlook the voices of their workforce are the ones that will suffer most. Employees today have options, tools, and the confidence to demand better—and when those demands aren’t met, they’re no longer afraid to walk away. This isn’t just a trend; it’s a wake-up call for businesses to adapt to the realities of a rapidly changing workplace.“
How Employers Can Address ‘Revenge Quitting’
I spoke with Matt Paese, Ph.D., senior vice president of leadership insights at DDI. Paese told me that addressing the root causes of growing employee resentment will require executives to take off their rose-tinted glasses.
He insists that worker resentment stems from the top and addressing the root causes will require greater self-awareness from CEOs. Execs need to ask themselves tough questions, like:
- Have I devalued management roles through my actions and words?
- Am I truly recognizing and developing leadership potential, or simply advancing high performers?
- Have I modeled work-life balance to prevent a burnout culture?
DDI’s Global Leadership Forecast found a significant perception gap between employees and CEOs—CEOs are far more optimistic than employees about key issues such as burnout, turnover, inclusion and senior leader quality.
Paese suggests that CEOs must critically reflect on the “red flag” some of these leadership behaviors that can exacerbate employees’ feelings of stagnation and resentment:
- Promoting high-performing individual contributors, rather than those who truly have the skills to lead. The reality is that an organization’s best leaders are probably not considering leadership roles. Executives must build leadership development systems that unlock leadership potential, as opposed to simply rewarding performance. By favoring the most visibly successful employees, companies risk a lack of diversity and overemphasis on technical skills in their leadership pipeline – which can ultimately erode leadership quality and exacerbate turnover of hidden stars.
- Devaluing management roles. With the “unbossing trend” ushered in by prominent CEOs like Mark Zuckerberg, many executives slashed middle manager roles and advocated for organizational flattening. The problem? Middle managers are critical to connecting organizational strategy to execution and closing the perception gap between CEOs and frontline workers. As middle managers feel increasingly scrutinized, burnt out and underappreciated, this crucial cohort is at a heightened risk of revenge quitting.
- Perpetuating burnout culture. Many CEOs are encouraging employees to achieve greater work-life balance – but few are walking the talk. 72% of leaders report feeling used up at the end of the day, and employees are taking note of executives’ own inability to set boundaries and manage burnout. When those at the top aren’t modeling behaviors, such as unplugging during PTO or avoiding sending emails after business hours, it has a trickle-down effect on employee wellbeing.
- Failing to invest in high-potential players. When high-potential employees don’t receive development, they are three times more likely to be making plans to leave. In the modern workforce economy, those with leadership talent have options, and without sufficient opportunity to grow their skills and career prospects, they will quickly leave their employers for better learning environments.”
To reduce the risk of “revenge quitting,” Bester believes leaders must focus on fostering a workplace culture that values employees’ contributions and meets their evolving needs. “This involves actively listening to feedback, providing clear opportunities for career progression and cultivating an environment of respect and inclusivity,” she explains.
He goes on to explain that flexible working arrangements, competitive pay and genuine recognition of employees’ efforts are vital for retaining talent, particularly as younger generations demand greater transparency and alignment with their values. “Leaders should also prioritize upskilling their workforce to equip them for the future, demonstrating a sincere commitment to their development,” he suggests.
Bester concludes that, “By taking these proactive measures, organizations can rebuild trust, strengthen engagement and mitigate the frustrations that drive ‘revenge quitting’.” As the “revenge quitting” trend gains traction, it might be the game-changing factor in the 2025 job market as January approaches and budgets open up.