Should I ‘revenge quit’?

Should you ever quit to punish your boss?

We share some tactics to help you take a step back before you hit the nuclear button at work.

Revenge quitting has been trending on TikTok, reportedly one of the top 2025 "work trends" apparently popular among Gen Z workers. So, what is it? It involves abruptly resigning from a job out of frustration, anger, or a desire to retaliate against an employer. It can be about punishing the employer in response to mistreatment, unfairness, or a toxic work environment. The far more impulsive cousin of ‘quiet quitting’ (see our article on this concept here on the Lowdown) is driven by strong emotions and is intended to send a message to the employer, rather than being a carefully considered career move. The focus is to make your employer feel the impact of your sudden departure, rather than perhaps, your longer-term well-being and career goals. So, is revenge quitting ever a good idea?

Many of us are rightly looking for work environments that align with our values, such as EDI, work-life balance, or clear paths to progression and we shouldn’t have to always settle for less. However, abruptly quitting a job out of revenge can be a risky decision. Before making this decision, reflect on whether you've ever acted out of spite or revenge in any other area of your life and felt genuinely good about it. Did it help you grow positively as a person? Probably not. It is important to distinguish between not putting up with a bad situation and reacting impulsively. You shouldn’t be sticking it out regardless of how you’re feeling. Sometimes, a work situation is so unsustainable that leaving is the best option. However, instead of quitting abruptly and burning bridges, consider these five strategies first:

1. Talk to someone objective
   Reach out to someone you trust at work, a friend or family member, or a mentor. A career coach can also provide valuable guidance and act as a professional sounding board to walk you through your options. Just the act of downloading all of your negative and most brutal thoughts in a safe, confidential space can give you the release you need to make a more informed and objective decision.

You can book a one-off coaching session to talk this through here on our website. 

1. Have you exhausted all options?
   Is there anything else you can try to improve your current situation? Is there an internal move that you can make that will mean working with a different manager/team? Have you discussed your experience with HR, tried mediation, or requested a sabbatical or secondment elsewhere to give you a break and some perspective?
   

2. Ask yourself what is best for you
   Focus on your own well-being and career goals. List what you need to feel happy and fulfilled at work. Make decisions based on what is best for you, rather than how you want your employer to feel. It might, in the heat of the moment, feel best for you to quit with immediate effect. But are you burning bridges and saying goodbye to a positive character reference for your new employer if you do this? Is there is a way of negotiating exiting early while helping your employer with some handover NOT because that helps your employer, but because it maximises your reputation for future prospects? If it’s important to you to explain to your employer why you felt you had to leave, could this be done in an exit interview if your employer uses them (or you can request one) to calmly outline the challenges you have experienced?
   

3. What can you line up before you quit?
   Having a new job lined up or a financial cushion to support you during the transition is sensible. Consider whether you need to complete any training or projects that will benefit you before leaving. This will help you leave on better terms and maintain professional relationships.
   

4. Think about how public you want to make this
   It might be insightful and even entertaining to read public resignations and LinkedIn essays about someone's experience with a barely anonymised employer. But ask yourself how will you feel if this comes back to bite you in the future, or prevents you from getting another job. We live our lives so much more publicly than we used to, but some discussions and feelings should be out of the public domain. How do you want to appear to potential employers and people you respect? Have a narrative ready to explain why you left, especially if it might appear abrupt or after only a short stint in a role. This will help you control the narrative around leaving a job that you can't tolerate anymore.

Revenge quitting might seem satisfying in the heat of the moment, but it's important to consider the long-term impact on your career and well-being. By taking a step back and evaluating your options, you can make a more informed decision that prioritises you and your future career.