Gabriel Judge's job at a tech company didn't end with a whimper or a bang, it ended with a video. It documents a grueling, in Judge's words “daunting” performance review meeting, during which she told her manager she was leaving.
Judge, who has been doing the job while also moonlighting as a content creator, posted abridged versions of online meetings on social media under the nickname “Anti-Work Girlboss.” The purpose, she said, was to show viewers that she had moved on from a less stressful, relatively well-paying role after her employer began laying off her team and giving her additional tasks.
The public resignations sparked debate among young workers, many of whom also feel dissatisfied and undervalued in their positions.
In another video posted on TikTok, Christina Zumbo looks shocked and teary-eyed — “numb,” she said — having just hit send to inform her boss that she's quitting. She said the job made her unhappy, and below are the words of support from her followers. In the recording, a call comes from human resources to inform her of her decision, and Zumbo is free.
Such videos, with titles like “Quit with me” or the hashtag #layoffseason, are part of a wave of so-called “Quit-Tok” videos that seek to take what would normally be private chats aside. Have a room with the manager and be as open as possible.
Gen Z employees, in particular, have posted online videos of their resignations or layoffs on social media sites like TikTok as they launch a movement for workplace transparency. The sources for many of the videos were technicians and school teachers, but blue-collar workers also posted the videos. The vast majority of people behind them are women.
“I think Gen Z in general is very skeptical and a bit nihilistic,” Judge told the Financial Times.
One motivation for these corporate leavers is to increase their social media presence—some of the videos have been viewed millions of times—but the trend is also one of exposing and changing what employees perceive to be poor working conditions or poor treatment. Way by the bosses. Some are calling the upsurge “loud resignations,” in contrast to the pandemic trend of “quiet resignations,” in which workers try their best to keep their jobs.
“It touches on the economic crisis, skepticism about the 9-to-5 job… all these topics that Gen Z cares about,” said Shira Jeczmien, CEO of Screenshot Media. ” The company’s website, which focuses on 18- to 24-year-olds, features many of these stories.
“Every time we touch it, millions of people watch it. In the beginning, getting emails, answering phone calls, looking at the computer, you can hear their managers asking questions. It's super big.”
The staff making the clips often film themselves over a video call without the manager on the other end knowing they are being recorded. Others occur within the workplace. For example, a nine-second clip shows an empty McDonald's restaurant, supposedly after all employees resigned en masse. Another photo from the DMV of KennyMan (who did not reveal his real name) shows him wearing a blue Walmart uniform angrily telling his manager he would stop stacking the shelves before storming out.
Employees may be questioned for secretly filming, but most TikTok users don't seem worried about legal action from their employers.
Media observers say the trend reflects Gen Z's culture of bringing in personal, often emotional responses to show “authenticity” and take control of situations that cause anxiety or stress. It also highlights a lack of respect for long-standing corporate relationships and hierarchies that older generations might respect.
Tech companies and HR departments are already feeling the impact of these videos. Executives, employment lawyers and employment agencies (which sometimes do layoffs for companies) don't want to be targeted by a viral TikTok. This trend is forcing some employers to step up their efforts in communicating with employees and handling unemployment issues.
Nolan Church, the former head of talent at tech company DoorDash and now CEO of compensation data platform Faircomp, said layoff videos have become “an accountability mechanism to make sure people are treated humanely.”
A wave of tech layoffs has fueled distrust among employees. Technology companies have cut more than 312,000 jobs since the start of 2023, according to industry tracker Layoff.fyi. Layoffs that occur without a manager present, without providing proper reasons, or without severance pay, can be devastating to the person experiencing the layoff. “Employees feel like the social contract has been broken,” Church said.
He believes the trend is driven by the rise of platforms like Glassdoor and Blind, which are anonymous forums where tech workers can discuss their companies and salaries.
While post-pandemic trends like hybrid work are prompting some companies to monitor employees more closely, TikTok's video of layoffs may put management back on the fence in the workplace.
“I think the next step for this technology is that people will be using their iPhones all day while talking to their managers,” Church added.
In a viral video, Brittany Pietsch filmed herself being fired from her job as an account manager at Cloudflare after just three months. After Pietsch heard what happened from her colleagues, she filmed the call with an HR director and another supervisor, who told her, “We have completed our review of our 2023 performance. But you have not yet met Cloudflare's performance expectations. We have decided to part ways with you.”
She spends the rest of the video arguing with the two about her performance.
The post forced Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince to respond on social media platform X, saying “obviously we are far from perfect” and that the video was “painful for me to watch.” He added: “Any healthy organization needs to absorb underperforming employees. That's not the fault here. The fault is in not being more kind and humane like we are.”
Ann Frank, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Management, said the videos could “serve as a wake-up call for leaders about potential management shortcomings”.
“Younger workers are more likely to be open and transparent about their employer's views.”
But it could also pose risks to workers. “Any employee who publicly speaks ill of their employer may be viewed as a 'troublemaker,' which could affect their future employment opportunities,” Frank adds.
“My advice is, no matter which side of the camera you're on, be aware of the potential consequences.”
But have employees gained any tangible benefit from these public outbursts? Church said the videos had an impact on the layoff process, prompting more thoughtful communication and, in some cases, better severance packages.
But Lindsay Witcher, global managing director of outplacement firm Randstad RiseSmart, said some organizations were staying away from the redundancy process or giving written notice to avoid potential reputational risks. “I'm shocked at how little planning and execution the company has done with the layoffs.”
She believes employers should spend as much resources firing employees as hiring them. Taking the time to plan the process, providing adequate severance packages, and helping employees find new jobs can work to the company's advantage.
If downsizing is done well, former employees can become strong advocates for the company throughout their careers, Wycher said.
Crucially, failed layoffs can also have a strong impact on the morale of the remaining workforce, especially those who are being asked to increase their own productivity after others have lost their jobs.
The Witcher hopes TikTok videos will spark a bigger shift. “I hope it forces companies to take action a little bit and drive the practices and benefits they provide to people.”
#young #workers #refuse #quietly #leave #jobs
