Some frustrated workers quit in weird ways

— -- In late August, Joey DeFrancesco fulfilled the fantasy of many a disgruntled worker: He quit in an incredibly outlandish fashion.

The 23-year-old snuck members of a brass band into the Providence hotel where he worked and had them strike up a lively Serbian folk song just as he turned in his resignation letter. DeFrancesco posted a video of the dramatic resignation on YouTube in mid-October.

In the weeks since, he has garnered a chorus of cheers from the discontented working class. The video has been viewed more than 2.8 million times. It has more than 20,000 "likes" and more than 4,600 comments such as "I would have so loved to do that to a few of my employers!"

DeFrancesco joins a growing list of workers who have exited their jobs in an extravagant manner. They include a wide range of employees from an array of professions, including fast-food workers, journalists, salespeople, even a tech company CEO.

While some people have a natural penchant for all things dramatic, including giving notice, many of these over-the-top resignations come from frustrated workers who've reached a boiling point.

"Many people are doing twice the work with half the resources," says Anne Kreamer, author of It's Always Personal: Emotion in the New Workplace. "They feel overwhelmed and undervalued. … It comes to a point where they just want to open their doors and shout out, 'I just can't take it anymore!' "

It's easy to see why folks may want to go out swinging, says human resources consultant Peter Ronza. Yet, it's usually a bad idea.

An extreme exit can show bad judgment, and word can quickly spread to a potential employer, especially via social media.

"Have a target of your boss at home that you use a paint gun on" to get frustrations out, he says. "But your presence at work is your brand. It's what you're going to carry on to your next employer."

Still, he acknowledges that it's tough to stay tranquil when burdened with an ever-increasing workload. "It just beats a person down," he says.

Four in 10 employees say their work stress level has increased in the last six months, according to a CareerBuilder survey from late this summer. Two in 10 feel burned out. (USA TODAY parent Gannett is a part owner of CareerBuilder.)

More than half of workers say they have more responsibilities than at the start of the 2007 recession, with 70% saying they have not gotten a pay increase to compensate for the added work, according to a survey from employee support services provider Workplace Options.

Many workers simply feel like "an anonymous cog in a wheel," says Kreamer.

Building up resentment

Joe Sale, who joined daily-deal coupon company LivingSocial in August 2010, grew increasingly frustrated with his working conditions. He initially enjoyed the job as a marketing consultant, but "that feeling turned to resentment and then to bitterness," he says.

He says pressure to meet quotas increased as commissions fell, he wasn't able to reach the earnings potential that was discussed when he was hired, and he received less management support than workers in other markets.

He quit in October, sending his business cards, marketing material and promotional items back to LivingSocial's Washington, D.C., headquarters in a white trash bag. He attached a note that said, "Treat your sales force like trash and see how bad your company starts to 'stink.' "

Sale, who works in St. Petersburg, says he wasn't going to make his monthly sales quota and decided to resign rather than wait to be fired.

With the trash bag delivery, he wanted to send a message about his unhappiness as a regional employee. "I didn't want to be overly rude," he says, "but at the same time, I wanted to do something that would make an impact."

He hasn't heard back from the company. In a statement. LivingSocial spokesman Andrew Weinstein said: "We don't talk trash about our former employees, but we think this was an isolated issue, as we were recently ranked a top company where employees love coming to work, and most of our employees adore their jobs and the company."

A public declaration

Thanks to technological advances, workers now have more ways than ever to make a grand exit. They can bid adieu via a list of gripes sent to a company's global e-mail list, disseminate scathing information through Facebook or Twitter, bash an employer on a blog and upload videos of their departures on YouTube.

Sale says he let his 1,500-plus Facebook friends know about his unconventional exit, posting a photo of the trash bag and note. Those friends include about 50 current and former LivingSocial employees, he says.

Last year, Sun Microsystems CEO Jonathan Schwartz quit via Twitter. Days after Oracle acquired Sun, he tweeted: "Today's my last day at Sun. I'll miss it. Seems only fitting to end on a #haiku. Financial crisis/Stalled too many customers/CEO no more."

In September, TechCrunch columnist Paul Carr used his column to announce his official resignation and to criticize the site's new editor.

Very public notice by employees will likely continue, with younger workers more apt to broadcast their malcontent, workplace experts say.

Workers in their 30s and older typically "have enough life experience that you learn to bite the tongue and to not to overreact," says executive search consultant Charley Polachi.

Younger workers are also accustomed to sharing many aspects of their lives with the people around them, says Kreamer.

"People entering the workforce today have grown up in a 24-7 completely transparent, socially connected life," the author says. "They all are very comfortable with sharing and revealing things that an older generation may have thought was too private or provocative."

Another reason workers might think it's okay to go rogue: Outrageous behavior is often highlighted, even celebrated, in many areas of society.

After JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater exited down an emergency chute last summer (with a beer from the jet's galley), many observers initially took to the Internet to post their support. Commentators discussed the pressures of air travel, and related to Slater's stressful working conditions.

Athletes and celebrities who act in shocking ways often end up on morning TV shows to discuss their antics, Kreamer says.

Then there are the over-the-top reality TV shows that showcase supposedly ordinary people acting out in ludicrous ways.

"We are also encouraged by reality programming to 'live out loud' and not consider the consequence," says Roy Cohen, author of The Wall Street Professional's Survival Guide: Success Secrets of a Career Coach. "But that reality is artificial and often scripted to engage and incite an audience."

A minute of joy, but …

The combination of workplace frustrations and social media tools might make a public resignation difficult to resist. But workplace experts caution that a few moments of satisfaction aren't worth the long-term ramifications.

"While flashy and attention-getting antics may be tempting as a way to feel avenged or make a point as you leave a job, they put your future job prospects at risk," says career coach Barbara Babkir. "Employers search Google, and scour LinkedIn and Facebook profiles for reasons why they should or should not hire job candidates. They are not likely to look favorably on people who go public with their negative campaigns against past employers."

DeFrancesco, who has a new job with a company that doesn't want to be disclosed, says he doesn't have second thoughts about bringing in the band. "I don't have any regrets," he says.

He worked at the hotel for slightly more than three years, most recently in room service. He had been vocal about his discontent, so he didn't worry about ruining his chance for a good job reference.

"I had already burned my bridges long before I did this by speaking up," he says.

The marching band, in which he plays trumpet, has an affinity for the "unconventional" and was looking for a forum to do something unusual, he says. Giving notice was an ideal opportunity for the band to do that, as well as for him "do something big to get one last shot at (management)."

DeFrancesco says he also wanted to highlight the poor working conditions of the hotel, which he says included long hours and little respect for employees. "It's tied to workers' rights," he says.

On Monday, he announced the creation of a new website — JoeyQuits.com — where hotel employees can share their own workplace issues.

Marriott, which franchises the Renaissance Providence Downtown Hotel where he worked to a separate franchise company that operates it, sent this statement to USA TODAY: "We take employee satisfaction very seriously as a company — creating a sense of community and pride within our hotels is a top priority. … While this is an unfortunate way for an employee to resign, we are confident that hotel management works closely with staff to continue to find ways to make the hotel a rewarding place to work for everyone."

DeFrancesco says "it's a mild concern" about how future employers will react to his exit. He did wait until his current job was secured before posting the resignation video on YouTube.

Legal consequences

In addition to professional ramifications, there are potential legal issues for those who quit in an outlandish manner, says attorney Kristine Feher, a partner at Day Pitney who specializes in employment litigation. An angry employee could make libelous statements or divulge confidential company information. For those who make decrees via social media, the employer has easy access to proof, she says.

When an employee goes public with a video or e-mail, employers "have a much greater likelihood of showing damage to reputation or to the good will of the business," Feher says.

"You've always had disgruntled employees who have left their job and said bad things about an employer," she adds. "But when you do it on social media, you really up the ante."

An employer has to overcome some legal hurdles, such as determining if the statements were meant as opinion or fact. But nonetheless, employees put themselves at risk by even putting a potentially damaging statement out there, she says.

"There are a million ways that this could go wrong," says Feher.

"The reality is that a long time ago, we had the luxury of being able to get angry and blurt things out. Now, people get angry and blurt things out electronically. But then it's out there — and it's out there forever, and it's accessible for everybody."