‘Fail watching’: The rise of workplace schadenfreude

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). 

Many know the German name for this impulse, schadenfreude: pleasure derived by another’s misfortune. But another, more work-related term that has emerged recently is fail watching: a coping strategy born from today’s challenging job market as a way to make us feel better about our own position. 

Research has shown that seeing others fail can give us a self-affirming boost. Those with low self-esteem are more likely to be threatened by overachievers (and to enjoy watching them fall flat on their face). These reactions are simply human nature. 

Yet there are nuances to reveling in others’ misfortunes: from a fleeting, vindictive thought to public gloating or workplace bullying.

“This phenomenon is a symptom of a lack of trust within the team, with employees waiting with bated breath for someone to mess up,” Peter Duris, CEO of Kickresume, tells Fast Company. “You’re much less likely to see it in a healthy workplace where everyone feels supported.”

Fail watching is far likelier to occur in workplaces that don’t recognize and reward their employees’ contributions. 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. In the current hiring slump, applicants submitting a résumé today have just a 0.4% chance of actually landing the job, according to Business Insider. Fresh graduates are being hit hardest, with global entry-level job postings falling 29% since January 2024, according to World Economic Forum data. 

The competition doesn’t stop there. Researchers from Zurich University found that highly competitive working environments foster the perfect conditions for emergence and development of schadenfreude. 

It’s understandable to feel somewhat reassured if someone else is finding things tough at work when you are too. But there’s a big difference between this and praying for someone’s downfall. 

If you notice someone struggling, the best way to respond is to offer help if you can, or just be kind and supportive. If another colleague tries to gossip with you about a coworker’s recent failure, change the subject—or at least save it for outside of work hours. 

As the age-old adage goes: If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. 

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