When a Workplace Quietly Points Everyone to the Exit

Sometimes the exit is the only open door.

Intro

Some jokes practically write themselves, especially when they come from why employees quit humor.

I conceived this cartoon after hearing stories from people who didn’t actually “quit” — they were simply guided toward the exit by a workplace that left them no real path to stay.

The idea of removing every door except the exit felt like the perfect metaphor for that quiet pressure.

The punchline

“Why did I quit my previous job? Hard to stay when they removed every door except the EXIT.”

This line came from imagining what it would sound like if candidates answered interview questions with complete, brutal honesty.

Why this why employees quit humor cartoon works

The cartoon works because it exaggerates a subtle reality: employees often leave long before they resign.

Sometimes the culture, the policies, or the leadership slowly close every figurative door until leaving becomes the most rational decision.

I just turned that feeling into a literal visual — one door left open, and it’s the one labeled EXIT.

The real-world mirror

Workplaces don’t always push people out directly. Instead, they add enough friction — unclear roles, shrinking opportunities, chronic negativity — that staying feels harder than leaving.

This cartoon captures that moment where an employee realizes: the organization has essentially made the decision for me.

Let’s stir the comments

• Have you ever stayed in a job until the “exit door” felt like the only option?

• What’s the biggest reason you’ve seen talented employees walk away?

• Should companies pay more attention to the quiet signals employees give before leaving?

• Does this cartoon remind you of a place you once worked?

If this cartoon hit a little too close to your last job, you’ll enjoy my other workplace departure humor.

👉 Explore more posts in the Career category and see where the next open door leads.