Quitting one's job dramatically to denounce unbearable working conditions: this is the principle of "revenge quitting," a phenomenon rapidly expanding in the United States. Should French companies prepare for this?
At work, power is a carefully cultivated illusion. We imagine it in the hands of those who sit atop organizational charts, signing contracts with an assured gesture and juggling figures in Excel spreadsheets. Wrong. While everyone is theoretically replaceable, some are less so than others.
And the real power lies with those who, behind the scenes, keep the machine running: answering customer inquiries, streamlining communication, and meeting targets. Those who know how to fix the temperamental printer on the third floor, retrieve a lost file in a few clicks, and who hold the sensitive passwords. Their importance is usually only realized when they leave, leaving behind unexpected chaos. A locked access point, a deleted backup… Enough to bring the system to a standstill for quite some time.
A resignation that leaves its mark
While awkward moments during a departure are fairly common, they can also be carefully orchestrated. After quiet quitting —that silent weariness that garnered so much attention in 2024, when employees settle for the bare minimum—a new trend is shaking up the workplace in the United States: revenge quitting or rage quitting . This time, there's no question of waiting silently for the end of an employment contract. The door slams shut at the worst possible moment for the company.
Colleagues are notified, and social media is abuzz. Work overload, toxic management, the imposed end of remote work: everything is aired publicly. This is no longer a simple resignation; it's a deliberate, noisy act of rupture, designed to make an impact and leave a lasting mark on the company's memory.
Contrary to what one might think, this phenomenon isn't limited to a few disgruntled employees. A study conducted in January 2025 by Software Finder reveals that 28% of employees across the Atlantic expect to see high-profile departures shake up their companies this year. Even more striking: 17% admit to having already resigned with a spirit of revenge, as a final blow to their employer before moving on.
A risky choice in environments where everyone knows everything.
So, should we expect this trend to spread to France? "Generally, a movement starts in the United States, crosses northern Europe, and then eventually reaches France," explains Éric Gras, a specialist in workplace trends at Indeed. "But it's not a hard and fast rule."
According to a Digitiz survey released in January 2025, more than one in three French employees are considering resigning this year. The reasons for this disengagement are quite varied: 24% cite a toxic or unfulfilling work environment, 22% lament a lack of career advancement opportunities, and 18% feel their position no longer aligns with their aspirations. Young people are particularly affected: 52% of 25-34 year olds plan to leave their company within the next few months. This trend is partly explained by greater freedom of movement and fewer family obligations compared to their older colleagues.
But there's a world of difference between expressing a desire to leave and a " drop the mic" resignation , designed to make a splash and leave a lasting impression. For those unfamiliar, this expression originates from the world of rap: after a memorable punchline, the artist drops the microphone and leaves the stage, to the astonishment of the audience. In the workplace, it could be that salesperson who, after months of pointless meetings and broken promises of a raise, waits for the weekly meeting with management to say a quick "Ciao bonsoir" before clearing out their office.
While many have fantasized about a dramatic exit, like a lottery ad, arriving in a bathrobe and slamming the door with a laugh, the reality is often more understated. Most employees choose to leave quietly, already anticipating their next move. "Personally, I resigned a few months ago, but I've always been careful not to fall out with my employers. I work in event communication, a field where everyone knows each other. You never know who you'll run into later," says Audrey, 33. Julien, 45, shares this caution. For him, publicly denouncing bad practices is a strategic mistake: "I might do it if I were planning a career change or if I had already found something else and my new company had no connection whatsoever with my former bosses."
France, a protected labor market
What disrupts the American job market doesn't necessarily translate to France. Differences in professional culture often hinder the spread of these trends. Remember the Great Resignation in 2021? A mass exodus of workers in the United States. Millions of jobs lost overnight. The economy trembled. In France, everyone held their breath. And then… nothing, or almost nothing.
Resignations have increased slightly, but the anticipated wave broke before reaching the shore. According to the Dares (Directorate for Research, Studies and Statistics), in the second quarter of 2024, there were 459,900 resignations from permanent contracts and 126,600 negotiated terminations in metropolitan France. This is more than before Covid, but far from the predicted mass exodus. Inflation is tightening the screws, geopolitical tensions are freezing the labor market, and uncertainties are piling up. Employees want to leave. All the studies show it. But where to go? To do what? Uncertainty is holding them back.
“Even though more and more employees in France feel trapped in their jobs, resignations from employers remain far less frequent than in the United States,” explains Éric Gras. In France, company and industry-wide agreements govern working conditions and prevent employers from abruptly rolling back benefits, such as remote work.
Reserved for areas under voltage
“So there’s less of a stir here,” he summarizes. Revenge quitting also exists in France, but it remains confined to sectors experiencing labor shortages, where an employee knows they’ll easily find another job. The hotel and restaurant industry and tourism are the primary areas of observation, sectors where demand is high and where leaving abruptly doesn’t necessarily damage a candidate’s reputation. “In these professions, an impulsive resignation isn’t a leap into the unknown, just another line to add to a CV,” observes the specialist in workplace trends.
Legally speaking, leaving your job abruptly is not without consequences. In France, an employee with a permanent contract (CDI) is required to work their notice period, unless they agree with the employer or resign. This resignation allows the employee to immediately terminate their contract by accusing their employer of sufficiently serious misconduct to make the collaboration untenable. "This approach is not without risk," warns Élise Fabing, a lawyer at the Paris Bar and co-founder of the firm Alkemist . "You need a solid case, with tangible evidence: unpaid wages, harassment, wrongful contract modification, etc. Otherwise, in labor court, it could be reclassified as a simple resignation."
Some circumvent the obstacle in other ways. Taking sick leave during the notice period. A way to avoid direct confrontation, but one that doesn't protect against everything. Without proof, it's impossible to say everything. A baseless public accusation, and defamation looms.
These management errors
Some situations, however, eventually break the silence of French employees. Pierre didn't try to hide his discontent from his colleagues. "I couldn't work for such a stingy boss anymore," he blurted out. For two years he'd been demanding a raise, two years watching his purchasing power erode with inflation. And then there was that Christmas dinner. An invitation from the boss, a moment meant to mark the occasion before the holidays.
That evening, ten employees waited in the cold for their late boss. When he finally arrived, out of breath, he casually asked, "So, shall we find a table?" He hadn't made a reservation. In the middle of the holiday party season, it was impossible to fit ten people in. Two hours later, they finally sat down at a brasserie. The owner laughed, clinked glasses, and congratulated his staff. Then the bill arrived. "Everyone pays their share." Pierre stood up. "I can't take it anymore, I'm leaving," he simply said before pushing open the door. He never returned. A few days later, he learned that three colleagues had followed his example.
For his part, Tristan had been working for several years at a startup that touted its work-life balance. Until the day, under pressure from shareholders, the priorities shifted, and everything changed. The flexible remote work option ended, his workload increased, and his flexibility vanished. He lasted a few months before planning his departure. During a strategic meeting, he spoke up: "By the way, I'm leaving. Good luck." He closed his laptop and left the room.
In the weeks following his resignation, he contacted his former employer's competitors. He has no regrets: "I didn't post anything on LinkedIn, but I confided in them off the record. I no longer want to work for companies that are overly ambitious and don't know how to manage their money. I prefer modest but healthy growth to complete chaos where, in the end, it's the employees who suffer for mistakes that aren't theirs."
Towards an epidemic of silent resignations?
History repeats itself. It all starts well: supportive management, flexible hours, a claimed work-life balance. Then, without warning, everything becomes more difficult. The market tightens, pressure mounts, demands increase. The atmosphere changes, trust erodes. Geopolitical tensions and economic instability: these are all shocks that weaken companies and ultimately affect their employees. "The more difficulties accumulate, the more the pressure falls on them," observes Éric Gras.
Some, at their wits' end, will eventually crack, slamming the door and denouncing the system's flaws. But the most likely outcome, according to him, isn't an explosion, but rather burnout. "In the coming months, we're likely to see even more silent resignations. Employees who stay without believing in it, out of caution or fear of the void." A sporadic presence, a fading commitment, a weariness that erodes daily life.
So, what is worse for the company? A dramatic departure, leaving behind an empty office, pending files and an awkward silence? Or this ghostly presence, this employee who stays out of habit, who goes through the days without putting in any effort, who fades away quietly? It's not that simple.
With kind permission from the newspaper Le Point
Our thanks to Romane Ganneval