Is it ever worth revenge quitting your job?

You’ve been working from home for half of the week since the pandemic, but your boss has decided everyone needs to return to the office full-time.

There doesn’t seem to be a reason for the move – and in fact, you’ve been more productive and creative while working remotely. You feel frustrated, stressed, and are considering quitting.

As the remote work culture war rumbles on, more workers are expected to revenge quit. Put simply, revenge quitting is when workers resign as a way of showing their dissatisfaction with their workplace.

It is often driven by feelings of anger, resentment, and frustration usually after a particular event or conversation.

A recent survey of 1,007 full-time employees by Software Finder found 17% of full-time employees have “revenge quit” in the past. About 4% of full-time employees plan to quit in 2025 – and nearly a third (28%) of employees expect revenge quitting to occur at their workplace this year.

“Revenge quitting is often used to describe a situation in which a frustrated or annoyed employee quits their role as a form of revenge against their employer,” says Eloise Skinner, a career expert, author and psychotherapist.

“The pros could include a feeling of satisfaction and fulfilment from leaving a workplace in which you had a negative experience. You may also experience a sense of agency and autonomy and a feeling of freedom.”

Revenge quitting also sends a clear message to your employer that their decisions or behaviour isn’t appreciated. “It can give you the ability to take actions that align with your identity, like standing up for your values,” says Skinner.

But if you work in an industry where news spreads quickly, revenge-quitting may come back to bite you.

“While revenge quitting might seem like a way to assert autonomy and express dissatisfaction, it often leads to more harm than good for both the employee and the employer,” says Lynn Burman, director of Clover HR.

“It can be problematic because it can disrupt an entire workplace and have a negative impact on team morale but, importantly for the individual, it can damage their professional reputation as employers are unlikely to provide a reference.

“Sudden revenge quitting may also be in breach of an employment contract, which could lead to disciplinary action being taken against the individual.”

A better alternative – depending on the situation, and on the individuals involved – might be to take some time off work to reflect and plan out your next steps.

“For example, if you have vacation days coming up, you might use them to switch off from work, reflect on how you’ve been feeling recently, and think about your future goals and ambitions,” says Skinner.

Once you’ve had some time to think, you might prefer to take practical steps to prepare for your future goals, like looking up training, courses, or starting a new job search.

If the revenge-quitting desire is coming from a need to send a clear message to your employer, you might also consider ways in which you could do this without leaving your job. You could organise a meeting to discuss an issue in a controlled and professional way – and come up with ways to address the problem.

“Are you able to send feedback to the management of the business, or chat with colleagues or peers about how best to approach systemic issues?” says Skinner.

“If you feel you have unprocessed emotions or strong emotional reactions to your working environment, it could also be helpful to seek mental health support through therapy or counselling.”

Yahoo Finance