The pandemic has brought about many changes in the workplace, and one of the latest trends is rage applying. This phenomenon involves gen z and millennials applying to multiple jobs to escape their toxic work environments.
Rage applying has recently gone viral, following in the footsteps of quiet quitting and the great resignation. But how much of a concern is this trend for employers, especially during a labour shortage?
The Employee’s Market
According to business analysts, employees currently hold the power in the job market. In Canada, the employment rate is growing at a historical high of 62.50 per cent. There are more open positions than workers available to fill them.
This has made it easier for employees to find job opportunities. Many are taking advantage of the situation by rage applying. Employers are finding it challenging to attract and retain top talent during the labour shortage. This combination has forced employers to be more forgiving in requirements when hiring new employees.
What Motivates Rage Applying?
Rage applying is often motivated by a toxic work environment. Employees who feel undervalued, overworked, or mistreated are more likely to rage apply.
TikToks with millions of views popularized the term: “it’s the new quiet quitting. It’s where you apply to a gazillion other jobs because you feel undervalued, underpaid, and stressed at your current one.” Employees are going viral with their experiences in toxic work environments and the success they have found in getting new jobs.
Rage applying creates temporary solutions for toxic work environments, but it does not address the root causes of the issue. Employers need to take a proactive approach to create a healthy and positive work environment that values and supports their employees.
Should Employers Be Concerned About Rage Applying?
While rage applying may seem like a minor issue or trend, it can have significant consequences for employers. Rage applying is contributing to turnover rates, which is costly and laborious for employers. The employee can harm morale and create a negative reputation if they share their experience on social media.
In a labour shortage, retaining employees is more critical than ever. Addressing the root causes of rage applying can help create a positive workplace culture. This culture can help nurture talent that can push the company to new heights.
5 Strategies for Addressing the Root Causes of Rage Applying
To address the root causes of rage applying, employers can take several steps:
- Avoid burnout in the workplace:
Employees experiencing burnout have a more negative outlook on their workplace and perform worse. Check out our blog for 7 tips to avoid burnout.
- Address toxic work environments:
Identify and address toxic work environments by conducting surveys and listening to employee feedback. Employers need to encourage transparency with issues of all sorts – employees will help to create a happier environment.
- Provide support:
Offer resources and support for employees who are struggling with their workloads or facing other challenges. Not all employee needs are equal. Offering benefits through an HSA (Health Spending Account) allows employees to use benefits in a way that matters to them – plus it is easy to set up with PayEvo.
- Communicate effectively:
Be transparent and communicate openly with employees about company policies and decisions. Letting the team guide decisions and shifting power towards the employees can help create a sense of belonging and significance in the office.
- Create a strong offer:
In a labour shortage, employers need to be competitive with their compensation and benefits packages to attract and retain top talent. Offering competitive compensation and benefits is essential to achieving this goal.
There are tons of options for supporting employees that are not costly. From an HSA to financial support, it is more important than ever for employers to research how to support their team.
How to Respond
Rage applying is a growing trend among gen z and millennials who are looking to escape toxic work environments. While it may seem like a minor issue, it can have significant consequences for employers.
During a labour shortage, retaining employees is critical. Addressing the root causes of rage applying can help create a positive workplace culture. Workplace culture should value and support its employees.
Retaining top talent is the new struggle for employers. But, when the proper measures are put in place, the results of a motivated and happy team can be staggering.
Employers can create a workplace that employees love and want to stay in by creating a healthy work environment. They can address toxic work environments, provide support, communicate effectively, and offer competitive compensation and benefits.
Looking for an inexpensive way to attract, retain and reward the top talent in your industry? Try offering an HSA through PayEvo. With tailored benefits for your business, you can write off 100% of the costs. Get started today.
The employment market is growing faster than ever and there are more open positions than workers available to fill them. This has made it easier for employees to find job opportunities and many are taking advantage of the situation by rage applying. Employers are finding it challenging to attract and retain top talent during the labour shortage, so it is important to be more forgiving in requirements when hiring new employees.