A growing trend of “resignation parties” is emerging in China as disillusioned young professionals are quitting their stable jobs with high salaries.
About the resignation parties: These parties, reminiscent of traditional wedding celebrations, involve friends congratulating the individuals who have left their jobs, with red and yellow banners and festivities. The parties often feature a somewhat nostalgic and tacky aesthetic that is reminiscent of past corporate culture celebrations in China.
Party trend: Using hashtags such as “quitting” and “resignation party,” many Chinese millennials and Gen-Zs are taking to the lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu to share photos and videos of their departure celebrations from prestigious companies.
The trend has become so widespread in the nation that some companies like Haidilao, a famous hotpot chain, now offer “resignation party packages.”
The viral trend echoes back to the country’s “lying flat” movement, a deliberate act of frustration and rejection of the notorious rat race among jaded youth. It is a larger shift away from the intense 996 work culture, or working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week.
Reasons for quitting: Many of these young professionals, who come from large tech companies like ByteDance, Shein and Xiaohongshu itself, cite reasons such as low wages, burnout and a lack of job satisfaction for leaving their careers behind.
The phenomenon is fueled by a sense of overqualification, where employees feel their jobs do not require the skills they acquired through education. While China’s education system has seen a surge in enrollment, the job market may not demand as many highly skilled workers. This mismatch between education and job opportunities is contributing to a sense of disillusionment among young workers.
“I fell into mechanized, repetitive work. It consumed a lot of my energy,” a man who resigned from his banking job told CNN. “Your innovative ideas would have been dismissed and vanished eventually.”
Potential demographic challenges: As many young Chinese workers are exploring alternative approaches to escape the traditional career path, the trend could have long-term consequences for China’s economy, as it faces a falling birth rate, an aging population and a shrinking workforce. If disillusioned youth permanently drop out of the labor force, it may exacerbate these demographic challenges.
However, it is uncertain whether the trend will ultimately impact fertility rates as some individuals may use their newfound freedom to focus on relationships, while others may delay family planning due to income concerns.
