Quittok Trend: Video Depicting Gen Z Quitting Jobs is an Expression of Their Power Over Untenable Situations

In an age where private journal entries are public ‘Gram stories, it comes as no surprise when we witness young workers live-streaming their resignations. The anxiety-inducing videos are garnering millions of views, and the internet is cheering them on.

When the economy plummeted to descent in 2008, Millennials and Gen Z saw their parents struggling in their corporate careers, and some of these young people are now mired in low-paying jobs. Covid-19 also shaped their early work experiences. A combination of these stressors has led to Gen Z and other young workers prioritizing mental well-being, contentment, and optimistic corporate culture. So, it is a no-brainer when they feel deeply motivated by content displaying people quitting ‘toxic workplaces’ and defying unfair bosses.

Even after the Great Resignation, and despite economic uncertainty, workers continue to recklessly leave their jobs in hordes. Although many employees still send resignation emails to the higher-ups, the younger lot – confused, lazy and entitled mob with their unearthly frailties, weird paradoxes, and unwarranted excitement – are live quitting.

In July 2021, a clip of UK McDonald’s workers quitting mid-shift went viral ¬– and now TikTok is packed with real-time footage of the time they informed their bosses ‘I quit.’ Sometimes anxious, often comical and almost always fascinating, these short videos have attracted millions and thousands of views on the social media platform.
What’s driving the #quittok trend?

What’s happening?

Though these #quittok videos take different forms – filming workers’ departures on a live Zoom call, or documenting the second they turn in a letter of resignation – each clip captures the real-time moment when workers quit.

“I had a nice paycheck, got to travel and worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, but I was completely miserable” – Ahmed Farid who works in an advertising agency.

Ahmed Farid used TikTok as a “fun, creative outlet”, sharing content as a way of “fighting his discontent at work”, when he decided to live-quit his job with the company.

The 26-year-old was in the deepest burnout of his life, couldn’t think about anything besides work, and was struggling with stress-induced health issues.

As we find out, the #quittok trend will definitely enable and encourage transparency in the corporate world, a much-needed system across the board.

His clip shows him worried as he receives a call from his boss – and then the immediate relief. “It’s like an elephant foot off my chest, but I’m also sad,” he said.

It is a memorable #quittok moment. Expressing his feelings on the platform felt natural, he said, “Although it wasn’t really a conscious decision to film it, as it was just something that I did routinely. As I always share my self-development journey, it took a natural course to share a huge life event.”

With varied responses from “OMG, congrats,” to “You’re an entitled millennial who deserves to be unemployed,” most of it was positive – which led him to continue his video-sharing exercise.

What’s driving this?

Most of the young TikTok users have grown up as digital natives, as they share every milestone online. So, it is only natural that they would also share private conversations with employers about quitting decisions. This is the way they have learned to be in the world.

For instance, if you grow up used to recording and sharing things, why wouldn’t you share huge, more significant moments in time?

This rings true for me as I witnessed an enormous shift in work-life balance and priorities since Covid-19. We must take control of our lives. We must reflect on making big career decisions. It is important to be in control of your own happiness. We must make the decisions for our life. And eventually, a job is just a job sometimes – not your whole identity.”

What does this mean?

Any generational trend has long-term implications. However, it leaves us wondering or predicting how they will shape the new Human Resources trends, affect future career opportunities, or carve new career paths. As we find out, the #quittok trend will definitely enable and encourage transparency in the corporate world, a much-needed system across the board.

Another important implication is that it has given employees a sense of power over often untenable situations.

On the corporate side, company loyalty will not be what it was earlier. There is a cultural disillusionment with the promises that ride behind the world of work.

So, while it all unravels before us, let’s enjoy the hilarious videos.

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Sara Danial is a mother of two. A Pakistani writer/editor, born, raised and survived in Karachi, though to be precise, reared in the dunes of Dubai, she was corrupted by English and a voracious appetite for books. She’s certain to die in the present century as she was born in the last. Stained by several vices, like reading and writing and with a Master’s degree, she thought the world should be at her feet, but she was wrong. She took up her old vice to land up in the world of literature, through which she shares her love for all things sacred to the English language. Her writing has been published in Dawn, The News on Sunday, The Friday Times, Pakistan and Gulf Economist, South Asia, BOL, The Friday Times, The Nation and The Express Tribune. She can usually be found musing about over a cup of coffee or occasionally ranting. You may vent out at sara.amj@hotmail.co.uk.