Aditi's Monologue

Did you hear about it? I did not, tbh. Workwise, I am in a nice bubble where things feel stable and solid. But I found out recently, and it’s slightly unsettling to my millennial brain. What am I talking about? So apparently, “revenge quitting” is now a thing. Not just regular quitting, where you give two weeks’ or three months’ notice (whatever applies to you) and awkwardly spend the notice period while looking forward to your last day, and probably a farewell party. No, this is theatrical. Abrupt. Designed to cause maximum chaos. Think quitting right before the festive season if you’re in e-commerce, or walking out in the middle of a big launch campaign if you’re in advertising. AND – get this, quitting one job before securing another. *Gasp*

And this isn’t even all, they are quitting in ways even more damaging than leaving at the worst times! They are also exposing the company online. Yes. Public resignation letters, viral videos on Instagram and X, and lengthy all-telling posts on Reddit are not uncommon these days – no matter how jarring they still feel to me.

And I know what most of you are thinking, but before we blame Gen Z for being “too sensitive” or “entitled,” let’s pause. Because this isn’t just about one generation throwing tantrums. This is a far bigger issue than Gen Z or the managers left scrambling to fill positions. I seriously believe that this is a cultural issue with the current working place environment, combined with the outlook of the workforce. And maybe, just maybe, we’ve been ignoring the cracks in the foundation for too long.

The Numbers Don’t Lie (Even If We’d Like Them To)

When I read about Rage Quitting, I did a little bit of research. Google Gemini immediately threw up research (I’ve added all sources at the end so that you can read at your leisure and get unsettled like me, you’re welcome) that shows that 28% of employees expect revenge quitting to happen at their workplace this year. In India specifically, 50% of Gen Z cite low pay as their top reason for leaving within a year, followed closely by misaligned values and poor workplace culture.

But here’s the kicker: it’s not just Gen Z. Millennials lead the revenge-quit charge at 59%, driven by stagnant career progression and the broken promise of “work hard now, reap rewards later.” Sounds familiar?

And oh, the advertising and marketing sector? We’re at the top of the list, with 16% considering dramatic exits. Surprise, surprise. (not really).

So, What Changed?

Here’s where it gets interesting from a psychology standpoint: Gen Z treats a job like a job. Not an identity. Not a family. Not something worth sacrificing mental health for.

And honestly? That might be because they can afford to.

My take is that most Gen Z professionals in corporate India have Gen X or older Millennial parents who are doing okay financially. They didn’t grow up watching their parents struggle through economic liberalization or juggle multiple jobs to make ends meet. Their baseline for “financial security” is different. So when a workplace offers no growth, no flexibility, and no work-life balance, they’re not thinking, “but I need this job to survive.” They’re thinking, “Why am I tolerating this?”

And they are out.

Now, compare that to us Millennials, who saw our parents stress about finances, EMIs, and their general relationship with money. As a result, we learned early: stability = safety. So we stay. We tolerate.

We don’t Revenge Quit. No. We quiet-quit before we loud-quit.

But – and that’s a big but – the world witnessed something during COVID that changed everything: That remote work is possible! (mostly)

That flexibility is possible.

And just like that, the “you should be grateful to have a job” rhetoric started feeling… hollow.

It’s Not About Toughening Up or Loosening Up

I thought about this a lot recently, given the constant restructuring that WPP India has been in since the last 3 to 4 years (if not more), and the Omnicom – IPG merger acquisition, which is steadily changing the advertising scene. And when I think of these things in correlation to Revenge Quitting, I believe that the problem isn’t that Gen Z needs thicker skin or that companies need to be more “chill.” The problem seems systemic.

Hear me out. Workplaces in India are still operating on a pre-pandemic, pre-flexibility, “face time equals productivity” model. Growth is glacial. Appraisals are performative. Work-life balance is a LinkedIn caption, not a policy. And while some of us get into the grind to “see this through”, hoping our massive efforts will be rewarded at the end of the tunnel, some of us have stopped buying into the distant dream, and also, maybe some of us are not even made to buy into the entire reward after trial psychology anyway. A job is a job is a job mindset, remember?

So, they leave. Dramatically. On their own terms. Most of the time, even before securing their next job! Because if the workplace isn’t going to respect their time, mental health, or contributions, why should they give it more of those things?

Sounds bizarre, scary, and… fair at the same time.

What This Means for the Future

I was once discussing this phenomenon with my friend in HR. Both of us agree that people quitting without having a job in hand seems dangerous and volatile. Like, what about the EMIs, the financial responsibilities? But, here’s the uncomfortable truth: revenge quitting will only increase until corporates (not individual managers, but the decision-makers at the top) fix the culture.

Because if 65% of employees feel trapped in their roles (according to Glassdoor’s 2025 report), and 93% of full-time workers are frustrated, this isn’t a Gen Z problem.

It’s an us problem.

And the sooner the companies and corporates attend to the changing/already changed sensibilities of the new workforce, the sooner we can move past dramatic exits and into, you know, actual sustainable work cultures as we had before, and still reminisce. Top leaders need to find ways to provide growth and a future, even when especially when times are tough, because this is where leadership is actually displayed and proven, and this is how you build culture. Not just in the good times, but in uncertain times as well. Burnout needs to be attended to, and bad and/or weak leadership at mid-levels needs to be dealt with. Because yes, businesses are about profitability, but that can come when the wheel of attrition is not spinning out of control. When we can retain people who add value. When profitability is the obvious and easy outcome because all your resources are geared for it, without worrying about the things I mentioned above.

Until then? Let’s get comfortable with more farewells to colleagues and team members who have no clear path ahead but still feel okay about it.

And as for me, I don’t think I have it in me to revenge quit, even if by some cruel twist of fate, I find myself in a situation. Plus, I don’t think I will be nonchalant if this happens in my team. You know my leadership style by now, so I’m hopeful it will never come to that. Fingers crossed.

Sources & References

1. Software Finder survey on revenge quitting trends (2025) – IBTimes
2. Randstad India’s “Gen Z Workplace Blueprint 2025” – Adgully
3. Gen Z job tenure and switching trends in India – Outlook Money
4. Glassdoor 2025 Workplace Satisfaction Report

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