"Today's job market is more ruthless than ever, leaving many desperately clinging to their roles amid mass layoffs and side-eyeing the competition. In such environments, a rival colleague or workplace nemesis may make themselves known. Watching a smug colleague get called out for a mistake in a meeting or blundering a promotion is often deeply satisfying (even if we may not admit it)."
"At present, only 30% of U.S employees feel that someone at work encourages their development, down from 36% in March 2020, one 2025 Gallup survey found. Duris also links fail watching to Gen Z employees due to the immense pressure younger workers are facing from all angles. "Many have had to really fight to get their foot in the door," he says."
Fail watching refers to taking comfort in colleagues' mistakes as a coping strategy amid a brutal job market. Schadenfreude describes pleasure derived from another's misfortune and overlaps with fail watching in the workplace. Seeing others fail can boost self-affirmation, particularly for people with low self-esteem who feel threatened by high achievers. Fail watching can range from fleeting thoughts to public gloating or bullying. Low trust within teams and poor recognition of contributions increase its occurrence. Only 30% of U.S. employees report encouragement for development, down from 36% in March 2020, and Gen Z faces intense hiring pressure that may intensify the behavior.
Read at Fast Company
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