Rage Applying: Change jobs out of frustration?

Do you know this situation: You are stuck in a traffic jam and arrive late at work, all your suggestions are shot down at the management meeting, and then you find out that there is no salary increase again. You are frustrated and want to apply for a job somewhere else. You seem to be in good company. The trend of so-called "rage applying", which could be translated as "angry application" or "frustrated application", seems to have reached a peak after the time of the annual employee appraisal interviews. This trend manifests itself in employees sending their CV to a great many companies because they just had a bad day at work. Of those who have already done so this year, nearly half (48 %) even say they have applied to multiple ads in a short period of time. These are the findings of a new survey of nearly a thousand professionals in Switzerland conducted by HR consultancy Robert Walters.

Responsible for "rage applying": the working environment

The main reason cited for sending resumes en masse is the work environment and corporate culture, which some employees find "toxic" (56 %). After that, 40 % say they were encouraged to "rage apply" by a lack of a pay raise or promotion. Commenting on the findings, Christian Atkinson, Director of Robert Walters Switzerland, said: "Switzerland continues to be an applicant-driven market, which puts companies in a sometimes difficult position; therefore, they cannot afford to allow 'rage applying'. While the toxicity of an environment can sometimes go unnoticed, its impact on the mood of teams is very large. This leads to disruptions in well-being, productivity or innovation. To counteract this, 'culture match' stages are becoming increasingly common in our clients' hiring processes. They make it possible to assess the match between the company's expectations and the applicant's, and to see if the team and the workplace will be a good fit." It's not surprising that professionals would also place value on salary and career, Atkinson added. "The good news is that these items are much easier for employers to manage. That's why we recommend that companies look at salaries and benefits in the current marketplace. Having objective conversations with their employees about their ambitions and expectations is also critical."

Focus on corporate culture

Robert Walters' teams would increasingly observe that company culture and colleagues have become important criteria in the job search. These factors are on par with job flexibility or benefits. Christian Atkinson offers the following three tips that companies should consider when improving a company culture:

1. Put corporate culture at the center of top management's attention. Every manager in the company is responsible for the mood and atmosphere in his or her team. The topic should therefore be regularly reminded by management and managers should be challenged regarding their actions and decisions.
2. Launch an anonymous survey. This is a simple initiative, but few companies have implemented it. Don't hesitate to ask open-ended questions that allow you to understand exactly what employees have in mind. Take note of all comments to understand specifically what is going wrong.
3. Invest, both time and money. Corporate culture doesn't unfold on its own. The office is a place where teams come together to develop their skills. The company must then do everything it can to create the best chemistry through a friendly, social and inclusive environment. This is something to think about carefully.

Source: Robert Walters