Happy Thursday, everyone.
I'm Frank Richardson, an organisational psychologist observing the workplace with curiosity and care. Each week, I share insights to help HR leaders better understand the people behind the processes and build cultures where both individuals and organisations can thrive.
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This Week in Workplace Whiplash đ
From harassment stats to layoffs, this weekâs news shows just how many fault lines are running under todayâs workplaces.
đš 7 in 10 Women in Creative Industries Report Workplace Harassment or Bullying
A new survey from Bectu finds 69% of women and 72% of disabled people in UK creative fields say theyâve experienced harassment on the job in the past year.
đ The Guardianđ Major global firms continue deep layoffs in 2025
Major names like Starbucks, Nike, Oracle, and Scale AI have carried out staff reductions in 2025, often linked to automation, cost pressures, and strategic restructuring.
đ Business Insiderđ€ AI Front and Centre at Workday Rising
At Workday Rising 2025, the message was clear: AI should help HR, not replace it. Humans stay central, tools augment, and productivity is the aim.
 đ Unleash
Against that backdrop, itâs no surprise HR leaders are chasing new ways to look relevant. Even if it means jumping on TikTokâŠ
đ€ Supported by Leapsome
The 2026 Workforce Trends Report distills insights from 2,400 employees, managers, and HR leaders into practical strategies you can act on. Learn how to address disengagement behind retention, close critical skills gaps, enable AI adoption, and rebuild organizational trust. Stay ahead of whatâs shaping HR in 2026 with research-backed guidance for People teams.
Iâll admit it, I once fell down a TikTok rabbit hole watching âday in the lifeâ videos from tech consultants in glassy offices and junior bankers ordering $18 salads. Itâs addictive. You get a front-row seat to someone elseâs job without ever stepping inside their office.
That same voyeuristic pull is now being used by HR teams. Forget LinkedIn job posts with stock images of smiling coworkers. The hottest recruitment tool right now is TikTok. As HR Brew reports, more companies are leaning into short-form video to show off their âauthenticâ workplace culture, in hopes of reeling in Gen Z talent.
Itâs easy to see why. TikTok has over 1.5 billion active users, and hashtags like #WorkTok and #DayInTheLife rack up millions of views. SmartDreamers notes that a simple âtour of the Google San Francisco officeâ pulled in nearly 400,000 likes.
The playbook isnât rocket science: show a âday in the life,â toss in the office coffee machine, and hope TikTok does the rest. But like every shortcut, the cracks show fast if culture and reality donât line up.
đ§ The Behavioural Science Lens
TikTok recruiting works because of psychology, not just algorithms.
Authenticity effect. Research shows job seekers rate employers as more attractive when they believe content is authentic. ResearchGate confirms that employer branding on social media drives engagement and shapes attractiveness. But hereâs the catch: âauthenticityâ canât be faked for long.
Social proof in action. When thousands of people like or share a video, it signals that the workplace is worth joining. Itâs the classic herd effect: if others are interested, it must be good. But herd effects cut both ways. One badly received video, and suddenly youâve branded yourself as âtoxicâ instead of âtrendy.â
The reality gap. If your TikTok promises ping-pong tables and flexible hours but your employees are slogging through 60-hour weeks, the psychological contract breaks. A PMC study shows that misalignment between employer branding and lived reality tanks trust and increases turnover risk.
Risk amplification. The same virality that boosts brand awareness can amplify mistakes. Recruiting News Network highlights employers are betting big on TikTok, but warns that recruitment videos often blur the line between playful content and serious employer claims.
đ What This Means for Leaders
Strategy before content. Donât chase trends just because everyone else is. HRPA advises employers to define what they actually want TikTok to achieve before posting.
Match message to culture. If you hype up âcasual Fridaysâ in a video but everyoneâs still stuck in suits, thatâs not branding, thatâs false advertising. People notice the gap, and it kills trust fast.
Empower, donât exploit. âEmployee takeoversâ look authentic, but only if theyâre voluntary. Forced participation screams PR stunt and risks reputational damage.
Plan for backlash. Have a playbook for moderating comments, responding to criticism, and correcting errors fast. TikTok moves quicker than most HR approvals.
Measure beyond views. Likes donât equal hires. Track whether TikTok applicants actually apply, interview, and stick around. A million views means nothing if those applicants bail before day 90.
đŹ Final Thoughts
TikTok is HRâs newest playground. Itâs cheap, fast, and full of reach. But social media attention is fickle, and the line between employer branding and empty marketing is thin. The science is clear: when employees see a mismatch between whatâs promised and whatâs lived, trust collapses.
By all means, post the dance video or the free-pizza Friday highlight reel. Just donât confuse views with culture.
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Until next week,
Frank
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