‘Rage applying’ and how it captures employee frustration

A recent workplace trend has been revealed, highlighting the frustration that many employees are feeling at the moment.

“Rage applying” has become a common trend, with 60 per cent of white-collar professionals claiming to have done so since the beginning of 2024, according to research from Robert Walters.

Rage applying refers to employees taking out the anger and frustration of a bad day at work by sending out multiple job applications for different roles.

The main factor behind people resorting to his measure was due to toxic workplace culture (65 per cent). Following was poor work/life balance (20 per cent), unmanageable workloads (13 per cent), and disagreement with management (3 per cent).

“It’s rather intriguing to observe that this surge in job applications is not primarily motivated by factors such as salary or career advancement. Rather, it seems to stem from the work environment and policies, which lie entirely within the employer’s control,” commented Shay Peters, Robert Walters ANZ chief executive.

“Identifying toxic workplace cultures isn’t always a simple task, yet it can profoundly affect the mental wellbeing, morale, and creativity of employees.”

Positive culture has become a top priority for candidates. In fact, Robert Walters has revealed it to be the number one thing that attracts professionals to a job advert.

“As we embrace the arrival of more Gen Z individuals into the workforce, it’s crucial for employers to recognise that the priorities of employees are evolving. While salaries may have once reigned supreme as the primary driving force, Gen Z is considerably more concerned about the office culture and working policies,” explained Peters.

Of those who admitted to rage applying in the past six months, 47 per cent noted that they had applied to multiple new roles within a short space of time.

Identifying problems with culture and mitigating them should be a priority of any employer. According to Robert Walters, three effective ways of enhancing challenging environments are:

1. Elevate its importance in your management’s agenda: Ensure that managers fully understand that fostering team morale and cultivating a positive work environment is a fundamental aspect of their role. Business leaders should consistently raise this topic in management meetings while also inquiring about the initiatives and activities implemented to promote inclusivity over the past month. 
2. Introduce anonymous feedback surveys: A relatively straightforward initiative that regrettably remains underutilised by employers. Obtain genuine insights into how your employees truly feel by asking open-ended questions regarding the company culture. Dedicate sufficient time to thoroughly review all comments and gain valuable insights into the root causes of any existing issues.  
3. Allocate resources: Developing a conducive culture requires investment. The reality is that the workplace comprises individuals brought together based on their diverse skill sets, not necessarily because they would naturally form close friendships. Consequently, companies need to proactively invest time and resources into creating a friendly, social, and inclusive environment, as these elements rarely materialise by chance.