Why ‘revenge quitting’ is set to be 2025's biggest career trend

Have you found yourself more reluctant than usual to return to the office after the Christmas break? Of course, getting back to your desk (and an overflowing inbox) after a few days of holiday is never the easiest task. But if you’re heading to work feeling demotivated, burnt out and resolved to send out as many new job applications as possible, you may be one of a growing number who have decided that enough is enough.

The Glassdoor Worklife Trends 2025 Report recently found that 65 per cent of employees are feeling trapped in their current roles. This has been the case for some time: poor career progression and salaries that fail to keep up with the rate of inflation have prompted increased unhappiness among workers. According to Glassdoor, employee satisfaction across a variety of industries has largely fallen over the last two years.

“Workplace cultures and behaviours in many organisations simply aren’t where they need to be,” says Viv Paxinos, CEO of the careers-focused women’s members club, AllBright, and Everywoman, an organisation that connects women in business worldwide. “Our recent AllBright Future of Work research revealed a concerning reality. The data shows that 43 per cent of women are looking to step down from their roles, 73 per cent are unhappy with their progression and 43 per cent feel entirely burnt out.”

In 2024, as resentment continued to build among the workforce—against the backdrop of a slower job market and fewer opportunities to move on—many of us simply disengaged with our jobs in a phenomenon known as ‘quiet quitting’: doing the bare minimum required of a role, simply to score a pay cheque at the end of the month.

However, most economic forecasts are predicting a more profitable 2025, with business confidence, and hiring efforts, expected to pick up. If that’s the case, a new trend for ‘revenge quitting’ will be ushered in, whereby employees, emboldened by new opportunities, choose to finally throw in the towel. And, in a post-pandemic age, women aren’t just looking for better salaries and more impressive titles.

“I’m seeing huge workplace culture shifts with purpose and values, a sense of belonging, and an inclusive and diverse working environment becoming increasingly important to employees,” says Emily Button-Lynham, the founder of EBC, a coaching consultancy. Paxinos agrees, adding that “women are truly feeling the impact of poor workplace cultures, with many reporting experiences of microaggressions, lack of recognition, and barriers to advancement.”

Employees are increasingly looking for jobs with companies that offer matching values and a like-minded community, as well as adequate pay and that all-important work-life balance. “The pandemic forced many to reassess their relationship with work, leading to the realisation that the traditional ‘hustle culture’ often comes at too high a personal cost,” notes Paxinos. That, coupled with social media amplifying and normalising conversations about leaving toxic workplaces, has made people “less willing to endure situations that impact their wellbeing”.

What should you do if you feel as if you’re on the verge of revenge quitting? “The key advice is not to make any snap decisions, especially driven by emotions,” says Button-Lynham. “I always advise my clients to spend time assessing if leaving their job is the only option. A helpful exercise can be to ask what success means to you, and to explore the future life you want to be living and how the work you do now can elevate you to that.” If you can, tease out what you need to feel happier at work—whether that’s more responsibility, flexibility, money or recognition—and speak to your employer first.

Paxinos is also an advocate for taking time to calmly think through your decision. “Strong emotions cloud our judgement,” she warns. “Pause to identify exactly what’s triggering your feelings. Is it a specific incident? A pattern of behaviour? Sometimes, what feels like an insurmountable issue might have a workable solution if properly handled.” There are some instances, however, in which resigning may be your only option. “If you’ve experienced harassment, discrimination or ethical violations, these are clear red flags,” says Paxinos. “If you’ve attempted to address issues through proper channels with no response, or if the environment is impacting your mental health, it’s completely valid to prioritise your wellbeing.”

If you feel tempted to revenge quit this year, remember the golden rule: to focus on yourself, rather than trying to make a point or deliver retribution (no matter how tempting it may feel at the time). After all, surely the best ‘revenge’ is to make your decision from a place of strength – and to move on to an opportunity that better suits you, your values and your career goals.

Lead image: Warner Bros Digital/Spondoolie Prods/Rob Thomas Prods/Kobal/Shutterstock

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