You've likely encountered “quiet quitting,”, the movement where workers performed only the essential tasks and disengaged from roles they disliked but required for income. Following this was “loud quitting,”, which, as its name suggests, involves employees vocally announcing their departure from their positions.
TL;DR
- Revenge quitting is when employees leave jobs without notice due to poor work environments and leadership.
- Monster's findings show almost fifty percent of American employees have revenge quit, often after two years.
- Unhealthy environments, poor leadership, and lack of appreciation are primary drivers, not pay.
- Proactive leadership, respect, and clear career paths are key to reducing sudden resignations.
However, employees are currently so fed up with detrimental work environments that they're quitting their positions without any prior notice or formal resignation—or more accurately, “revenge quitting.”
It's not only recent graduates who are abandoning their jobs without proper notification or even a simple heads-up that they won't be present the following day: The job board's Monster’s revenge quitting findings indicate that almost fifty percent of American employees admit to having done so.
The majority were in their post for over 2 years before deciding to silently walk out of their job.
“Sudden resignations aren’t just individual exits, they’re warning signals flashing across workplace culture,” says Monster’s career expert Vicki Salemi. “When workers walk out without notice, it’s often because they’ve lost trust in leadership or feel their voices aren’t heard.”
Reasons employees leave jobs in retaliation: Unhealthy work environments and poor leadership
Unexpectedly, the primary drivers behind revenge quitting aren't financial. According to Monster's research, the leading causes are detrimental work environments, ineffective leadership, and a lack of appreciation. Insufficient compensation or the absence of perks contribute to a mere 4% of employees leaving without notice.
The absence of advancement prospects is ranked even less significantly, demonstrating that organizational atmosphere and leadership foster allegiance—or its downfall.
Furthermore, this has a cascading consequence for those remaining. Approximately 60% of employees have witnessed a coworker depart without prior notification, and the effect on work groups is swift. Undertakings halt, the existing staff struggle to cover the vacant roles, and general spirits decline. As many as one-third of employees have observed four or more colleagues suddenly resign without explanation.
Even more concerning, it could potentially spark your subsequent retaliatory resignation. Observing the chaos it creates, approximately 90% of employees believe that revenge quitting is acceptable in an unfavorable workplace, while simultaneously, fifty percent assert it's a legitimate method of dissent.
Strategies to decrease retaliatory resignations at your company
Proactive leadership, rather than just increased pay or benefits, is the solution. According to feedback gathered by Monster, a more positive work environment (63%), acknowledgment of their efforts (47%), and even a different manager (46%) might have prevented employees from leaving suddenly.
Defined career trajectories are also important. Employees desire to perceive their time and energy as contributions to development, rather than merely a means to maintain operations. When there aren't evident avenues for progression, combined with a lack of feeling heard, dissatisfaction mounts—and commitment wanes.
The researchers suggest that employers who want to reduce turnover should focus on four things:
- Creating safe, respectful work environments
- Training managers to lead with empathy and clarity
- Recognizing and rewarding contributions
- Offering competitive pay and clear career paths
“In today’s competitive job market, addressing these issues proactively could mean the difference between losing talent suddenly—or building a loyal, long-term workforce,” the report concludes.