Rage applying, the latest corporate trend, has taken Gen Z workers by storm. Similar to quiet quitting, rage applying started off as a TikTok trend and now seems to have become the talk of the town.
Disgruntled young Millennials and the Gen Z workforce have started applying for new jobs out of fits of rage and feelings of distress in their workplace. Employees who feel like they deserve a raise or a career progression opportunity but aren’t being given one, have begun exploring other opportunities elsewhere and are seeing positive results.
“Employee trends make no sense in the present market. With the economy being as volatile as it is, the employee is at the behest of the employer for better pay and benefits.”
Chandrasekhar Mukherjee, senior president – HR & CHRO, Bhilosa Group.
According to numerous videos, the people who have participated in the social-media trend have received better wages, more suitable work environments and are, on the whole, happier with their jobs after moving from their previous organisations.
As inflation rates in the US hover around eight per cent, young workers are looking for alternatives to the skyrocketing cost of living in the country. And rage quitting is what they have resorted to.
“In today’s market, the employers hold bargaining power. Employee trends such as rage applying make no sense in the present market. With the economy being as volatile as it is and issues such as student loan debt and inflation in interest rates, the employee is at the behest of the employer for better pay and benefits,” says Chandrasekhar Mukherjee, senior president – HR & CHRO, Bhilosa Group.
Why is it happening?
It’s been tough for the new generation in the West. With soaring interest rates and high inflation, living in the US has become more difficult than ever. A Forbes article suggests, this may be the first generation to have it harder than their parents.
As heavily documented, the new generation of employees strive for more than just monetary fulfilment in their work. Looking for meaningful opportunities for growth is an important part of their work expectations.
This generation — burdened by the collapsing economy and battling the ever-impending issue of college loan debt — is left with little to no discretionary income.
India vs the West
Certain cultural and economic differences have played a major role in why trends such as rage applying don’t take India Inc. by storm.
The Indian corporate culture is known for its hierarchical structure, emphasis on authority and respect for elders, as well as collectivism, where group harmony and interdependence are valued over individualism. It also places a strong emphasis on building personal relationships, which is often considered important for business dealings.
“India’s work culture and general cultural differences do not allow for such trends to influence the employees’ working life.”
Rishav Dev , CHRO, Noveltech Feeds
In contrast, the West has a corporate culture shaped by individualism, where self-expression and autonomy are valued and appreciated. This is reflected in flatter organisational structures, more open communication, and a greater focus on meritocracy and results-oriented performance.
Indian corporations are trying to move towards a Western corporate structure with the birth of employee-empowerment drives in the country. However, the overarching culture around work acts as a deterrent to individualistic trends such as rage applying.
“India’s work culture and general cultural differences do not allow for such trends to influence the employees’ working life. People are more wary of other issues that come along in their lives, and therefore, work is not the main focus,” observes Rishav Dev, CHRO, Noveltech Feeds.
Even though the Indian economy is in bad shape today, it really isn’t as bad compared to the dire situation in the West.
India’s inflation rate is up closer to nearly five per cent, and the college loan debt is almost 100 times lesser than the US. Although interest rates are at an all-time high, Gen Z in India is majorly credit free. Only six per cent of Gen Z is credit active — the least amongst the US, Canada, Hong Kong, Columbia and South Africa, according to a CIBIL report.
TikTok was also banned in India as a part of the China ban in 2020, which has inadvertently minimised the popularity of such trends in the country, creating a generation of workers dedicated to finding good work, aligned with their requirements in a manner suitable to both the employees and the employers.
How social media affects the new working population
According to data from Greenbook, almost a fifth of Gen Z spends close to five hours or more on TikTok.
Spending about 20 per cent of one’s day on a single app only goes to prove how immensely influential it can be when it comes to critical decision-making. The app provides users with the perfect platform to spell out their displeasures and cause a rift in the way people think about their jobs.
“Trends like these come and go. Some may last longer than the others, but at some point, organisations will understand how to cope with them.”
Rajesh Jain, CHRO, Welspun
“While the power of social media is immense, it should not be blown out of proportion. Trends like these come and go. Some may last longer than the others, but at some point, organisations will understand how to cope with them,” says Rajesh Jain, CHRO, Welspun.
Trends such as quiet quitting will only backfire on those practising it in the long term. Workers could miss out on crucial career-advancement opportunities and end up creating a worse work experience for themselves.
Rage applying is yet to be analysed in a detailed manner, though any form of impulsive, rage- driven decision-making never ends in a good way. We may be seeing positive outcomes today, in its early stages, but in the long run, organisations will become more wary of such situations and will find ways to gain the upper hand.
How do we stop it?
A study by John Hopkins University found that the new generation of employees is much more comfortable conversing over text than on call. This habit has proven to be one of the key reasons behind such trends taking off.
Workers from the new generation would rather resort to covert measures such as rage applying and quiet quitting than sort their issues out over a phone call with their managers. This gap in communication is allowing such trends to fester in the new corporate landscape.
Organisations need to make concerted efforts to reach out to their new-age workforce and help foster a culture of open communication, making them feel more comfortable expressing their discomforts with their employers.
Jain rightly points out that corporate communication is a two-way street. “Both employees and employers have to be open to sorting out their issues and must work towards creating avenues of communication for each other. Organisations must make open communication a priority when it comes to the new generation,” he suggests.
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