How TikTok is reshaping workplace culture, starting with Gen Z

Could a platform like TikTok change the way we work? For Gen Z, it already has. 

According to the World Economic Forum, 73% of Gen Z workers say their workplace expectations or behaviors have changed due to content they've seen on TikTok. From videos depicting someone sprinting to their favorite co-worker to share gossip they heard in the office, to clips of people expressing frustration at getting more work instead of better pay for excelling at their jobs, TikTok has become a convenient place for workers to share—and sometimes complain—about their professional experiences. 

But amidst the somewhat satirical videos about how workers pretend to look busy in the office, or day-in-life posts showing a person's day consumed by their commute, it's clear that young workers are unhappy about the culture in their workplaces.

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"These videos are almost some kind of hybrid form of unionism," says Heather Walker, people scientist at Culture Amp, an employee experience platform. "Young people are coming together to say, 'I'm not the only one who's having these experiences.' And when you know it's not just you, you're more likely to say something." 

Walker emphasizes that TikTok isn't necessarily revealing anything new about work culture in the U.S., but instead, it's showing workers just how much they have in common with one another. She believes the platform is an essential part of why Gen Z is perceived as more demanding than other generations about conditions in the workplace. They are not only aware that their experience is shared with other workers, but they have confirmation that the experience is negative. This is bound to impact young workers' attitudes, notes Walker. 

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"This collection of videos isn't necessarily calling on leaders to make changes, but they are focusing the voice of the collective," says Walker. "On the employer side, the major con is that your employees may ask for more control over what they're doing, or they will ask for more pay."

Notably, in a survey by Resume Builder, managers and leaders voted Gen Z as the most difficult generation to work with. But given that Gen Z will make up 30% of the workforce by 2025, according to the World Economic Forum, leaders can't ignore the new expectations workers have from their employers. From the Standford Report to Johns Hopkins, most surveys agree that Gen Z cares about diversity and inclusion, flexibility, work-life balance, learning and development and the social awareness of their company. 

Ultimately, a platform like TikTok amplifies those priorities through content that focuses on the lack of said qualities — a phenomenon that can negatively impact workers even as it empowers them, says Walker. 

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"If your [TikTok] algorithm gets stuck on doom and gloom, there might be some mental health ramifications there," she says. "But moving away from isolation is also beneficial for mental health. It's not cut and dry." 

Walker advises leaders not to fight against the influence of TikTok. The workplace is changing, and if employers try to dissuade workers from sharing and speaking up about their experiences, it could end up alienating a big portion of the workforce.

"Social media has impacted everything about how we communicate," says Walker. "It's changing how people think about work and approach work and see a place for work in their lives."