Nearly half of US workers are believed to have “revenge quit” in the past year, leaving their jobs without notice or a resignation letter, according to a survey by recruitment website Monster.
The trend is being linked less to pay than to workplace culture, with toxic environments, poor management and feeling undervalued identified as the main reasons for sudden departures. Only 4% of silent exits were attributed to low pay or a lack of benefits.
Monster’s March 2025 report found that revenge quitting was not confined to young or newly recruited employees. Most of those who walked out had been in their roles for more than two years.
Vicki Salemi, Monster’s career expert, said abrupt resignations could reveal wider problems within an organisation.
“Sudden resignations aren’t just individual exits, they’re warning signals flashing across workplace culture,” she said. “When workers walk out without notice, it’s often because they’ve lost trust in leadership or feel their voices aren’t heard.”
Why workers are revenge quitting
The survey suggested that limited opportunities for career progression ranked below workplace culture and management as a reason for leaving. The findings point to the importance of how employees are treated and managed in determining whether they remain loyal.
The effects can extend beyond the person who leaves. Almost 60% of workers said they had seen a colleague quit without notice, while as many as one in three had seen four or more co-workers leave abruptly.
Projects can be delayed, remaining staff may have to cover gaps and morale can suffer, the report said. Despite those consequences, about 90% of workers considered revenge quitting justified in a poor working environment, while half viewed it as a legitimate form of protest.
How employers can reduce revenge quitting
Monster’s findings suggested that higher salaries and workplace perks alone would not necessarily prevent sudden resignations. Some 63% of workers said a healthier workplace culture might have persuaded them to stay, while 47% cited greater recognition and 46% pointed to the prospect of having a different manager.
The report said employers should create safe and respectful workplaces, train managers to lead with empathy and clarity, recognise employees’ contributions, and provide competitive pay alongside clear career paths.
Workers also want to see how their efforts could lead to professional growth. Where advancement appears limited and employees feel ignored, frustration can build and commitment can weaken, the report said.
“In today’s competitive job market, addressing these issues proactively could mean the difference between losing talent suddenly—or building a loyal, long-term workforce,” it concluded.
