TikTok Trend Watch: Employers are giving us a behind the scenes look at their office and culture
If you’ve scrolled through TikTok recently, you’ve probably come across multiple videos following the “we’re” trend.
It’s a way to show an inside look at the dynamic of people who share a common trait among interpersonal relationships like dating, roommates or siblings. Those situations have led to videos featuring highlights like “we’re roommates, we’re going to tell each other everything,” or “we’re dating, of course I’m going to steal their hoodie,” or “we’re siblings, I’m going to ask you to pay for lunch.”
These videos have gained millions and millions of views. And people quickly realized the trend didn’t need to stop there. It grew to give people an inside look at another thing: their job.
It’s led to videos like “we’re teachers, we’re going to spend way too much money on our classrooms and our students,” and “we’re X-ray techs, we’re going to get mad if you call us a nurse,” which gives you an idea of what it means to have that profession.
Dunkin’s take on the trend has nearly one million views. The video kicks off with an employee saying “we work at Dunkin’, we’re going to have an office for Ben Affleck,” a nod to his ad partnership that garnered headlines. But the video also gives a tour, including showing its in-house coffee and donut station and a huge strawberry-frosted donut statue.
“People love behind-the-scenes,” said Mae Karwowski, CEO of influencer marketing agency Obviously. “It plays to people’s natural curiosity of what the headquarters looks like. It’s an exclusive, something you wouldn’t otherwise see from them. And it allows companies to have fun and not take themselves too seriously.”
And Free People jumped on the trend, too with a video at nearly one million views that gave an office tour and highlighted the company culture. It includes employees saying “We work at Free People, of course we’re going to have social events for every holiday” and “We work at Free People, of course we’re going to have cute fabric on everything” — that includes their office chairs and elevator walls.
These videos could play into a new trend of employees appreciating office deisgn. The New York Times reported the rise of “Instagrammable office design” as a way to potentially lure young workers back to the office. It’s getting people there and even encouraging them to share the experience online.
Croisette, a real estate industry advisory firm, covered its new 4,300-square-foot headquarters in hot pink to “inspire Croisette’s employees and visitors,” said Zach Adams, president and general manager of Bjelin, the company that transformed the office.
“The space not only fosters productivity but also leaves a lasting impression on visitors, creating a vibrant ambiance for both work and events,” Adams said. “This ‘Instagrammable’ office space is a testament to Croisette’s dedication to creativity, innovation, and a cohesive brand identity.” Neither Dunkin’ nor Free People responded to WorkLife’s request for comment.
“I think it’s fantastic to see people excited by their workspace,” said Bastien Baumann, partner and chief design officer of Le Truc, a creative collective within the global advertising company, Publicis Groupe that recently redesigned its office space in SoHo NYC to be more fluid and aligned with what younger generations have reportedly said they are looking for in the workplace. “It’s also very valuable for everyone to have a real and honest point of view of what it’s like from the inside. It forces us to make the experience truly special so that the content created serves as a calling card.”
Another company that hopped on the trend was Good Morning America, which posted a videos of a schedule that begins with a 3 a.m. wake up call. Their clip includes employees saying, “We work for GMA, so we’re going to have 20 alarms set for the morning,” and “We work in GMA, we’re going to be in full glam by 7 a.m.,” and “We work at GMA, we’re going to cancel plans to cover breaking news.”
“This trend establishes the culture of the given company,” said Karwowski. “It illustrates it pretty clearly too. People are like ‘oh yeah, they are all a part of the company culture.’”
There are different trends on the app every day, which means that companies need to choose which one makes the most sense for them to join in on.
“It all depends on what you want to highlight and what’s most authentic to your brand,” said Karwowski. “Let’s not just jump on everything that’s trending. But this one is a great one for brands to get involved in because of the opportunity to give a peak behind the curtain. It’s great content and helps brands be more relatable to their core audience.”