Top six #WorkTok trends that HR should know about

#WorkTok, the career-related side of social media app TikTok, is a place that users can go to get all their career related content – from advice on having tricky conversations around a pay rise, to office-related humour. But for HR, it can also be a treasure trove of insight into what employees are struggling with in the world of work.?

For those of us who aren’t on the app, here’s a roundup of what’s been going viral.?

1. The “Social Media Girl”?

Having an employee whose role is dedicated to making content for businesses’ social media marketing and promotion isn’t new. But it is generating a lot of humorous videos around interactions with the “social media girl” (although of course the job isn’t exclusive to women). Although the videos are light-hearted and are usually made by the content creator, they reveal some employee frustration around having to take time away from day-to-day tasks to participate in videos, and a view that jobs on social media do not require the same effort that others put in!?

Find some examples here, here and here!

2. Day in the life?

Employees are posting mini vlogs of their day at work, to show what tasks they regularly get up to and how this fits around their personal life. For HR professionals, watching these videos could be a good way of getting an insight into employees’ work-life balance, and which tasks they enjoy. The videos may also hint that employees enjoy knowing what is happening in different areas of the business, and getting insight into other’s roles, in a way that is traditionally shared through job shadowing and secondments. It may be important, however, to remind employees not to share any private company information through these vlogs!?

Check out office day vlog, this example of an admin assistant and this one as a radiographer for examples of this trend.

3.?Career advice?

A huge section of #WorkTok is dedicated to career advice. This ranges from how to deal with poor mental health at work to how to handle unfair treatment. Although some great advice is shared, other videos are less helpful, for example directing employees who are struggling with their mental health to disengage with their job by “quiet quitting” rather than seeking help from their manager or an employee assistance programme that may be in place. The appetite for these videos could be a useful reminder to HR professionals to communicate any support that is available to employees who are struggling or are unaware of how to effectively raise a grievance.?

Examples of this trend include this video on employment law, this one on unfair treatment and this one on mental health.

4. New job videos?

These videos often provide advice on what to do when starting a new job, how to manage new starter anxiety, and what people should know before they start. These videos can comfort a beginner, particularly younger workers who are just beginning their careers. Although these are a useful resource, they also emphasise the importance of a thorough and friendly onboarding programme, and making sure that new employees know where to go with any questions.?new starter anxiety, and what people should know before they start.

Check out this video on what you should do in the first month of a new role, this one on settling in and this on being nervous!

5. Burnout and overworking?

Sadly, many videos chronicle employees’ experiences of feeling burned out and overworked. These videos will sometimes offer advice on how to set boundaries with managers and reduce stress, but often they simply share users’ feelings and sense of hopelessness at the situation. HR can use this as a reminder to be meticulous about job design and line manager training, to ensure that manageable workloads are set and workers are able to seek support when they need it.?

Examples include this video, this one on being overworked and this more humorous one!

6. Office humour?

The lighter side of #WorkTok contains lots of humorous videos about life, work and employees' feelings. We all know the importance of humour to morale, and there’s no harm in joking about our common struggles. However, if employees are regularly sharing dark jokes about feeling overworked or disengaged, this can be red flag that things may need to change.?

Check out examples here, here and here.

By Maisy Danielli?