‘I’m resigning because I can’t stand the weather and high cost of living here’ — Two ‘Gen Z’ workers quit in just two days with handwritten letter

MALAYSIA: In Malaysia’s chilly Genting Highlands, where the air is a refreshing 10°C to 25°C, two fresh-faced Gen Z employees decided that life was just… well, too cold!

After only two days on the job, they handed in their resignation letters citing “the weather” and “the cost of living” as the reasons for bowing out. Forget toxic bosses or endless OT; here, the deal-breaker was the climate and money matters.

The resignation letters that went viral!

The employer, still reeling from the shock, shared the drama on Threads. Along with a snapshot of the handwritten note, she captioned:

“Here’s the resignation letter I received from two Gen Z people — they only worked for two days. Then both of them took MC (medical leave). They came to see me just to say, ‘hello, how are you, here’s our resignation letter’. When I finished reading it… the two went missing even before I could sign the letter. Dumb.”

The now-famous letter read:

“Please accept this as my resignation, effective 8/9/2025. I have appreciated my time here, but I find it difficult to cope with the weather and the cost of living, so I feel it’s best to move on.”

Singaporeans reading this be like…

Over in Singapore, the story hits differently. The cost-of-living woes are no laughing matter. Whether it’s S$1.80 kopi-o threatening to hit S$2, or rents spiralling like our CPF graphs, many can empathise with the “high living cost” complaint.

However, quitting a job because of the weather? That’s where Singaporeans may roll their eyes. After all, if a local can tahan 35°C humidity day in, day out — running for buses, squeezing into the MRT, and still making it to work — Genting’s air-con-like climate sounds almost like a luxury.

Record-breaking resignation culture

To be fair, maybe these young hires are simply more upfront than previous generations. Where boomers would grind through decades of discomfort, Gen Z is unafraid to say, “No thanks.” While their timing and methods may seem immature, they reflect a wider trend of workers wanting better balance, comfort, and honesty at work.

Still, two days into the job and already penning “Dear Boss, I quit”? That’s record-breaking even for resignation culture.

Weather and wallet may play a bigger role

Love them or roast them, these Gen Z workers have sparked a bigger conversation. In an age of escalating costs and endless workplace pressures, perhaps their unrestrained honesty — however misplaced — is a reminder for all of us to re-examine what truly makes us stay in a job.

Because at the end of the day, Malaysia or Singapore, weather and wallet may play a bigger role in our careers than we care to admit.

Read related: 20 y/o Singaporean says older generations’ idea of job security — committing to a 9-6 full-time job — is outdated for Gen Zs like him in the age of AI