One in seven (15 per cent) UK employees have ‘revenge quit’ their employers, a survey by recruitment site Reed has found.
The term refers to dissatisfied employees leaving mid-shift, deleting important files or publicly criticising the company in an effort to cause as much disruption as possible on their exit.
A range of factors are contributing to the spate of revenge quitters, with more than a third of people surveyed citing poor management, 27 per cent blaming a toxic company culture and 26 per cent quitting because of low pay.
Combatting the rise of revenge quitting
From ‘burnout blocking’ to ‘revenge quitting’: the buzzword predictions for HR in 2025
From quiet quitting to grumpy stayers – how HR can identify and turn around disengaged workers
Some employees also took to platforms such as Glassdoor or TikTok to criticise their former employers – a trend Reed said was helping to normalise and amplify revenge quitting online.
What causes people to ‘revenge quit’
While leaving a job without notice can raise concerns with prospective hiring managers, Carl De Cicco, employment lawyer at Reed Smith, said so-called revenge resignations were often the result of long-standing dissatisfaction.
“The discontent that leads to resignation is likely to be simmering away for a period of time before any resignation takes place,” he said. This frustration may go unnoticed if employers lack effective feedback channels.
Businesses should make efforts to address any employee concerns before matters escalate. This requires having “clear, effective processes and procedures for raising issues”, De Cicco added, and a workplace culture where staff feel safe to raise issues.
Charlotte Sloan, legal director in the employment team at Birketts, advised HR teams to avoid making hasty decisions when someone quits abruptly. “When dealing with a ‘revenge quitter’ we suggest employers take a measured approach in response and ideally seek written confirmation from the employee,” she said.
“Employers should also exercise caution in accepting such a resignation and consider if it was truly voluntary and whether there are any unresolved issues that should be addressed, whether with the specific employee or more generally within the workforce.”
What are the legal risks – and how far should employers go?
Quitting without notice may seem like a personal decision, but it can carry legal consequences, said De Cicco. “An employee who fails to serve their notice may be in breach of contract,” he explained. “Where this leaves the employer unexpectedly short staffed, this may result in the employer having to incur higher than usual costs to replace personnel at short notice, which the employer may then seek to recover from the employee.”
He added that, in certain cases, the business might consider obtaining an injunction to enforce the notice period, compelling the employee to remain on garden leave until the contract ends.
Still, legal recourse is not always the best option, said De Cicco: “All types of enforcement are costly and time consuming. The decision typically involves broader commercial considerations, such as the extent of harm caused, the level of competitive risk and the potential deterrent effect on others.”
There are also professional consequences for employees, he warned. “They may be unlikely to get a reference, and colleagues who have witnessed events may share what they have seen, potentially leading to informal reputational consequences,” De Cicco explained.
Where resignations involve sabotage, such as deleting files or breaching confidentiality, Sloan advised employers to act fast: “Employers should take swift action in accordance with any relevant contractual provisions regarding confidential information and social media.”
Creating a culture that prevents resentment from boiling over
While swift action is important, prevention is the best long-term approach. That means addressing the root causes of disengagement before they escalate. “Consistent training on appropriate workplace behaviour and a focus on the organisation’s values is key,” De Cicco said.
“Mandatory, standardised training for all personnel that includes a test that must be successfully passed to complete the training can be particularly effective. There are many online offerings that allow the employee to complete the training at their desk or during their commute as they prefer.”
Beyond policy, De Cicco stressed the need to respond quickly to performance or misconduct issues to drive appropriate behaviours and reinforce the message that employees will be supported if they come forward with concerns.
Exit interviews can also be useful for identifying workplace issues, according to Sloan, and can yield “valuable insights” for HR.