2025年は、「リベンジ退職」が職場における一大トレンドになっている。ある研究では、本年中に退職を計画している、と回答した従業員の割合は28％に達した。さらにグーグル検索では、「リベンジ退職」が検索される頻度が、ここ数週間で234％増加している。
この手の記事は、基本従業員側の立ち位置で書かれており、雇った側はやれブラックだなんだと言われ続けているわけで、雇う側がいらないと思えばいらない人だから、結局はすごいスキルを持った人の場合には当てはまる言葉なのだろうと思います。
リベンジ退職とは、かつての職場や上司に「見返してやる」という気持ちを抱きながら会社を辞め、その後に転職先や新しい環境で成功を収めることを指す言葉だそうです。辞めるきっかけには上司との衝突や評価の低さ、職場環境への不満などがあり、それらが原動力となってより良い環境での自己実現を目指すケースが多いのだとか。
単に仕返しを目的としたものではなく、辞めた後の新たな挑戦や努力が結果的に大きな成功をもたらし、その成功によって以前の職場が自分を過小評価していたことを証明するような形になり、たとえば退職後に転職先でリーダーシップを発揮し、大きな成果を残すことで元の同僚や上司から賞賛の声が届くような状況が典型的な例です。また、起業して成功し、かつての職場を取引先や競合相手として見返す展開も、リベンジ退職の象徴的なパターンになるようです。
とはいえ、多くの経営者はすべ手の社員が期待通りに動かないことを知っています。ある部分で従業員側も合う合わないがあるので、能力があってもこの会社では活かせないはある話だと思います。
以前自分がサラリーマン時代に働いていた企業は、上場企業の子会社という立場のところでしたが、福利厚生はしっかりしているとはいえ、その分それまで今でいえばブラック企業と呼ばれるぐらいの残業当たり前の会社で働いてきたので、物足りなすぎて耐えられずに辞めました。もう一つ、全く動かない営業部長の月曜のくだらない営業会議でメンバーが罵倒され続け、せっかく取れた案件を自社の都合で金回収を早くしろとのことでお客さんを怒らせた直後に辞めたものもあります。いずれにせよ、自分の能力と会社が合うか合わないかは入社前では絶対にわかることはなく、あくまで書類上の印象からでしか採用の可否は決められません。よって、今は採用を行わずに能力の高いと思う人と組んで仕事をするモデルがベストと考えます。それなら退職でもめることもないですしね。
たまに、お願いしていたフリーランスでも勘違いして自分ひとりで行けると離れていくことがありますが、大半は消えているように思います。名前を検索してもすごい活躍しているというものはほぼ見られませんし。キラキラが好きなフリーランスには気を付けたいと思うため、基本的には法人としかお付き合いをしません。
What is “Revenge Resignation,” which is rapidly increasing in the U.S., and Four Measures to Prevent It
In 2025, “revenge resignation” has become a major trend in the workplace. According to a certain study, 28% of employees have responded that they are planning to resign within the year. Moreover, Google searches for “revenge resignation” have increased by 234% in recent weeks.
Articles on this topic are typically written from the perspective of employees, often portraying employers as the villains with accusations of being “toxic” or “exploitative.” However, from the employer’s viewpoint, if someone is considered unnecessary, then they simply weren’t needed. In reality, this concept likely only applies to individuals with exceptional skills who can afford to prove their worth elsewhere.
Revenge resignation refers to the act of leaving a company with the intention of proving one’s value by succeeding in a new role or environment, often with the goal of “getting back” at a previous employer or supervisor. The reasons for resigning typically include conflicts with supervisors, underappreciation, or dissatisfaction with the work environment. These frustrations become the driving force that motivates individuals to seek better opportunities and achieve personal growth.
It’s not just about revenge, though. The key lies in the fact that post-resignation efforts and challenges often lead to notable successes. These successes, in turn, demonstrate that the previous employer underestimated the individual’s potential. For example, after leaving, someone might demonstrate exceptional leadership in their new position and earn recognition, which could lead to praise from former colleagues or even previous supervisors. Another common example is starting a business and achieving success, making the former employer a client or competitor, symbolizing a form of personal vindication.
That said, most business owners are well aware that not all employees perform as expected. There are cases where even talented individuals don’t fit well within a particular company. Just because someone has abilities doesn’t necessarily mean they can make the most of them in every environment. It’s common for a mismatch between the employee and the company to occur, something that often cannot be predicted during the hiring process. Decisions are generally based on resumes and initial impressions rather than deeper compatibility assessments.
When I was a salaried worker, I worked at a company that was a subsidiary of a publicly traded firm. While the benefits were solid, the environment felt stagnant compared to my previous job, which in today’s terms would be considered a “black company” due to its grueling work hours. The contrast made me feel dissatisfied, and I couldn’t bear the lack of challenge, so I left. Another time, I quit after dealing with a passive sales manager who held pointless Monday meetings filled with harsh criticism. Even when I secured new clients, the company’s own decisions to rush payment collection soured customer relationships, and I had had enough.
Ultimately, whether one’s abilities align with a company’s needs is something you can’t determine until you’re actually working there. Hiring decisions are inherently based on limited information. That’s why I now prefer not to engage in traditional hiring but instead collaborate directly with individuals I believe to be highly capable. This model avoids unnecessary conflicts and disagreements during resignation processes.
I’ve also encountered freelance workers who mistakenly think they can thrive independently and leave. However, most of them seem to fade away over time. When I search for their names, I rarely find evidence of significant success. Therefore, I remain cautious about working with overly ambitious or flashy freelancers and prefer to collaborate primarily with established companies.
株式会社ASAP
及川知也
