Last Week in Workplace Culture

21 April 2025

CEO: People are our number one priority.

CEO: proceeds to make and support decisions that prove prior statement is absolute fiction

Way back, when, there was a song. Possibly not a great song, but one that is difficult to forget. Written by David Allen Coe and popularized by Johnny Paycheck (pen name, but would have been classic if given name!), the 1977 number one hit, "Take this Job and Shove It," indicates that people have had emotional responses to their work environment for quite some time.

With a 21st century zhuzhing, we call the idea of taking one's job and shoving it, "revenge quitting," is used to describe when employees resign with the intent to harm or make a statement against their employer due to perceived mistreatment or a toxic workplace culture. This isn't merely an HR issue; it's a symptom of deeper cultural problems that significantly impact the employee engagement and, ultimately, business success.

A recent study published at global.locton.com revealed that 28% of full-time employees anticipate revenge quitting occurring in their workplace, highlighting a considerable level of dissatisfaction and potential negative cultural dynamics. This phenomenon includes actions such as quitting without notice, sabotaging work, and leaving negative reviews on job boards. The consequences of such actions extend beyond direct turnover costs to include damaged employer brand and eroded employee trust, where a culture of resentment undermines even the most generous total rewards packages.

Unless your "generous total rewards package" includes a supervisor that truly cares about the well-being of their direct reports, the package will not, as they say, "check all the boxes."

Furthermore, a toxic work environment diminishes innovation by stifling creativity and collaboration.

While typically holding generational differences at arms length, a trend does appear. Gen Z employees entering the workforce are more likely to expect transparency, require flexibility, and prioritize mental health and wellbeing. How dare they want to be humans!?!? When these expectations are not met, they are also more inclined to share their negative experiences online.

Another crucial factor is declining employee engagement. Employees seek purpose, meaning, and belonging in their jobs, and when these needs go unmet due to lack of recognition, poor communication, or insufficient development opportunities, dissatisfaction is likely to increase. The shift in power dynamics, fueled by remote work and the Great Resignation, has also empowered employees to demand greater control over their work environment.

Addressing these challenges requires a proactive and empathetic approach, and data-driven decisions need to move from the vision statements and collections of corporate values to actual change in behavior. are no longer optional. There are more elements impacting the P&L than supply chains and sales figures. Turnover costs money. Every time.

Take care of your people and your people will take care of you.

Cutesy. Circular. Accurate.