In China, a new trend has emerged among young workers who are choosing to celebrate their job resignations as if they were wedding celebrations, highlighting a generational culture shift regarding work-life balance in the country. Overwhelmed by stress and overwork early in their careers, many youngsters have started to celebrate their decision to leave unbearable jobs, as reported by Sina News. Mainland social media has fueled the popularity of this trend, with posts featuring quitting parties, final words to managers, and other similar anecdotes becoming increasingly common.
The primary reasons for resigning include long working hours, bullying, toxic work environments, unrealistic targets, and poor work-life balance. Many seize the opportunity to express their true feelings to managers and colleagues on their last day as a form of protest. For example, one worker from Sichuan province shared online that after submitting his resignation, he promptly changed his profile photo in the company’s internal system to the words: “A humble servant could not serve his master anymore. Hahaha, I feel pretty good.”
Another employee changed her desktop wallpaper to a digital countdown clock on her final working day, which read, “I will leave my job next week, please stop bothering me.” A week later, she changed the text to “Leaving my job” in a bright red font. Before her last day, she highlighted the text in bold, red letters and added, “I am removed from the WeChat group for colleagues in southeastern China — please stop bothering me.”
Many organize parties with friends at home or in bars and restaurants to celebrate their decision, with some even putting up banners praising the individual’s choice or offering best wishes for their future. This phenomenon has sparked further debate in China, as it is seen as an extension of the popular “lying flat” culture, or “tang ping” in Chinese. Advocates of this movement promote a passive attitude towards career and ambition, choosing to be content with doing the minimum required to survive. The tang ping lifestyle is increasingly viewed as a dream among China’s youth, who face intense competition, high youth unemployment, and a clash between traditional and modern values.
This growing trend has attracted mixed reactions from the public. While some online observers believe it reflects a changing attitude towards work and life, others question whether the individuals resigning have thoroughly considered their next steps. One commenter asked, “Have they thought about what they are going to do after leaving their jobs?”
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