Top 5 Workplace Trends on TikTok Business Owners Should Worry About

There are many workplace trends on TikTok business owners should worry about. 

Social media has given employees a voice they never quite had before. To tackle "toxic workplaces," the younger workers in the new workforce have invented and popularized certain concepts.

Funny enough, in response, business owners have created their own trends including quiet hiring and quiet firing. But this back-and-forth does little to resolve the underlying issues (such as the Great Resignation).

So:

In this article, we will explore exactly what these are and advise you on handling them. Let's begin:

(1) Quiet Quitting

Now, you've probably heard of this one.

But, Quiet Quitting has nothing to do with quitting. It involves staying within (1) allotted times for work and (2) assigned duties. In short, it's about doing the minimum required.

It's a trend centered around preserving physical and mental well-being. It also expresses dissatisfaction towards employers getting “free labor.”

How do you fix this trend on TikTok business owners should worry about?

Well, it's tricky because you may be tempted to blame this solely on a poor attitude towards work.

However:

The best way to go about it is to see the merit of what is being suggested: is your company not giving due rewards for physical and mental toil? How can this be fixed?

By taking steps to compensate employees appropriately, you can prevent this from happening in your business.

(2) Act Your Wage

A clever play on the phrase "act your age," the trend "Act Your Wage" refers to putting in the amount of effort equivalent to what you're being paid.

With this trend:

Employees earning minimum wage for their corporate job will put in the minimum amount of effort.

How do you fix this?

The solution here is simple: pay people what they're due according to market norms.

And if you can't, offer a clear financial reason why this is so. Employees are well-informed these days, so it's best to be transparent.

Of course, there may be an underlying attitude issue, as not all employees may "act their wage" in good faith. Michael Collins, the managing director of Sphere IT, had this to say:

I do not believe there is much merit to these trends. I think they serve as excuses for not taking the necessary measures to succeed in the business environment. To be successful, it's important to put in the full effort required to achieve the desired results.

 Shortcuts do not often lead to sustained success. I would encourage my employees to be fully committed to the process of success rather than seeking out "quick fixes."

In the case of excuse-seeking behavior, it may be best to address the realism of what the employee expects from you.

(3) Bare Minimum Mondays

The idea with Bare Minimum Mondays is simple: get over the Monday blues by taking it slow and easing into the week. Focus on self-care and do enough to "get by." Now, depending on the industry, this trend may be viable.

However, it can also be detrimental in certain circumstances.

How do you fix this?

Addressing the underlying "Monday angst" motivating Bare Minimum Mondays may be the best way to go about it. This may involve:

• Having one-on-one talks with employees.
• Discussing work-from-home options.
• Or even evaluating if the employee shows symptoms of burnout and if they truly need self-care.

Of course, sometimes it's about keeping a balance between business productivity and employee wellness. Hanne Wulp, the founder of Communications Wise, had this to say:

Finding a healthy balance also means: not going along with excuses and justifications for being lazy. Excuses and laziness won't lead to greater productivity/performance and/or well-being.

So when the promoters and supporters of these trends are being listened to by others (most likely: decision-makers/leaders), it should become clear which ones are truly looking to be better contributors and who are looking for excuses.

It all starts with a conversation.

(4) Rage Applying

Rage Applying is a reactive trend in response to excessive work stress and dissatisfaction. It occurs when an employee applies for various new roles while still currently employed.

How do you fix this?

Most of the time, if an employee does "rage apply" you'll never really know.

But ultimately, it's an expression of unhappiness. This could be because the employee has an unrealistic expectation of work as a whole. But it may also be because employees are being overworked or underrecognized.

The best way to deal with this is to be honest with yourself and ask yourself these three questions:

1. Am I paying my employees appropriately?
2. Do my existing employees have too many duties?
3. Do my employees have the appropriate amount of time off and a healthy work-life balance?

(5) Career Cushioning

Employees that engage in "Career Cushioning" will try to protect themselves in case something goes wrong with their current job. This means doing things such as:

• Updating their LinkedIn profile or CV.
• Actively applying for a new job.
• Networking with other professionals.

How do you fix this?

Career Cushioning isn't necessarily a problem. However, if you find that employees are feeling insecure about their positions, you can address this concern by:

• Engaging in one-on-one conversations.
• Getting employees "in touch" with the vision.
• Doing team building exercises. 

The importance of emotional intelligence

Sometimes the onus is truly on you. At other times it may be on the employee and their arguably immature view of the world of work. It's up to you as the employer to figure out which it is and take action accordingly.

A little bit of emotional intelligence goes a long way.