Episode: 382

Episode Title: The Rise of the Rage Quit

What’s the rage quit—and why is it on the rise? Let’s talk about it, next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 382 show:

You’re now in The Perna Syndicate—welcome! Today I want to talk about a new trend in the workplace: the rage quit. First off, let’s define it. Rage quitting is a term that originated in the gaming world, where a player who was losing badly would abruptly exit the game in frustration. When it’s just a videogame, that’s one thing. But rage quitting in the world of work is something else entirely. 

Like road rage or any other type of explosive outburst, usually a rage quit has been building for awhile before the anger erupts. And for many people, that’s exactly what’s been happening during the past two years. 

The pandemic has been stressful for everyone. Education, healthcare, and many other industries are grappling with longstanding issues that the pandemic has only intensified. And while there isn’t a lot of hard data on the rise of rage quits, anecdotal evidence points to an uptick in people storming out of their place of employment—and not coming back. 

But as satisfying as it might feel in the moment to rage quit, it’s not a smart move in the long term. You never know when you might need recross a bridge you burned. And in our networked era, your reputation for rage quitting may follow you to the next role. 

There are times when you may need to leave a job under poor circumstances. But if you can avoid it, resist the urge to quit in a rage. It may feel good for a minute, but you’re not doing yourself or your career any favors. Keep it professional—and move on. 

Tomorrow, can valuing employees over customers actually end up benefiting customers more? We’ll discuss it on the next episode of The Perna Syndicate. See you then!