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VIRAL TREND DUBBED ‘QUITTOK’ SEES GEN Z EMPLOYEES DITCH TOXIC WORK ENVIRONMENTS 

 

 By Ed Johnson, PushFar Co-Founder & CEO

  • The viral TikTok trend has taken the internet by storm, with the hashtag #quitmyjob garnering almost 365 million views
  • Research reveals 3 in 4 of Gen Z are more likely to switch career paths entirely to find a job that suits their overall values and offers the opportunity to develop new skills
  • Two-fifths of UK employees stated that they have left their job permanently due to a toxic workplace

Over the years, many of us have made the decision to leave our jobs and move on to greener pastures, whether it be for personal reasons, job dissatisfaction, or pursuing other opportunities.

Whilst traditionally most of us would submit an official letter of resignation to our bosses, a new viral TikTok trend dubbed ‘QuitTok’ has taken the internet by storm, where Gen Z employees are recording preparation and resignation videos as it happens or are recounting their story retroactively and uploading them to the popular social media platform.

The hashtag #quitmyjob has garnered almost 365 million views, with the ever-growing TikTok subculture being devoted to stories and real-time recordings of people leaving their jobs across the globe.

It’s no surprise that Gen Z is getting involved in this viral trend, as recent research from leading career progression and mentoring platform PushFar developed in partnership with Sheridan Worldwide has revealed that there has been a 134% increase in Gen Z switching their job roles relative to before the pandemic, compared to 24% increase in Millennials*.

Furzhermore, two-fifths of UK employees in 2022 stated that they have left their role permanently due to a toxic workplace culture** and as the UK starts to see an exodus of employees following ‘The Great Resignation’ which evolved amid and after the pandemic, predictions are being made that up to one-fifth of the UK workforce will search for a new job in 2023 in hopes of better benefits, a supported workplace culture, and higher salary**.

So, why are employees taking to the internet to leave their jobs, and what can employers do to retain their staff?

Ed Johnson, CEO and Co-Founder of PushFar provides his expert insight: “The phenomenon of QuitTok is no surprise, as Gen Z has grown up in a digital era and feel more comfortable voicing their thoughts and opinions through social media as opposed to in person”, says Ed.

“Whilst some of us wouldn’t feel comfortable airing our grievances on social media, this trend does send an important message to employers surrounding how they should treat their staff and accept accountability.

“Our recent research with Sheridan Worldwide has revealed that 3 in 4 of Gen Z are more likely to switch career paths entirely to find a role that suits their values, offers better financial initiatives, or the opportunity to develop their skills*, and QuitTok has unintentionally reflected our data for us. Organizations of any size need to ensure that they are meeting the development needs to retain their Gen Z talent in the long term.

“Mentoring is a crucial tool for businesses to reduce a high turnover of Gen Z staff, from ensuring employees feel more valued, to improving organizational understanding of different cultures. Whilst this generation may seem more demanding overall than the last, Gen Z has clearly vocalized their wants and needs in the workplace, so it’s important that employers can offer them the tools to get what they want from the workplace, and mentoring offers just that.”

To find out more information about mentoring and its benefits to ensuring employees feel valued, visit www.pushfar.com, where you can also read its latest industry report predicting the future of mentoring and coaching in the HR sector.