Hospitality needs to watch out for revenge quitting

As businesses struggle to survive in an already tough economy, they now face a new challenge — a growing number of employees are choosing to leave without warning and without working their notice period.

This behaviour, known as “revenge quitting”, isn’t a new concept, but it’s something that’s been on the rise in recent times, according to a study by recruitment agency Reed.

For the UK’s hospitality industry specifically, which is amongst the sectors with the highest staff turnover, this comes as a significant concern, especially amid ongoing problems with labour shortages.

And while no industry is entirely immune, hospitality is feeling the effects more than most.

What is revenge quitting?

Revenge quitting happens when an employee leaves their job abruptly, often without notice. This usually happens in retaliation for perceived mistreatment or a toxic work culture. 

The term has become popular on sites like TikTok, as some ex-workers take to social media to vent their frustrations, and even document their dramatic exit.

According to new research from Reed, one in seven UK workers “revenge quit” their employer in 2025. Poor management was reported to be the top reason, while 27% cited bad organisational culture. 26% pointed towards low salaries.

No industry is safe from revenge quitting, but hospitality is particularly vulnerable. With staff shortages 48% above pre-pandemic levels, revenge quitting will only come as a further blow to an already struggling sector.

Why does hospitality have high turnover?

The Startups Workforce Report found that hospitality businesses had the lowest optimism about the future, suggesting a serious mental health crisis in the industry.

And it seems the staff are feeling it too. Research from Startups reveals that 76% of employees have experienced mental health issues — an increase from 64% in 2020.

But other aspects, such as poor work-life balance, toxic company culture and bad management have also played a part in the sector’s high turnover. 

45% of hospitality workers believed work-life balance to be the main issue in organisational wellbeing, while 43% and 40% cited heavy workloads and long hours, respectively.

The government’s Skilled Worker Visa reforms, which are due at the end of this month, are set to impose stricter restrictions for immigrants looking to work in the UK. 

Hospitality-related roles, such as chefs and bar managers, will become ineligible for the visa — making it even harder for businesses to plug hiring gaps and potentially adding further stress to the workforce. 

Why the pay crisis is holding back hospitality

Despite the troubles in hospitality, many employees are willing to endure busy holiday periods and demanding workloads for better pay. In fact, 72% of workers say that higher pay would boost hospitality’s appeal. But in today’s hospitality scene, it’s easier said than done.

Like many businesses across the UK, hospitality firms have been hit hard by increasing costs, most notably the rise in the National Minimum Wage and National Insurance Contributions (NICs). 

This has forced a lot of companies to hold back on pay rises, with 12% of businesses on average reporting no plans to increase wages in 2025, according to the Startups Workforce Report.

Guy Thorton, Founder of PracticeAptitudeTests.com, advises that employers should “understand the root causes behind such decisions” to help avoid revenge quitting.

“Conducting thorough exit interviews will help employers identify patterns and potential systematic issues that could be causing the dissatisfaction,” he says.