‘Job shift shock’ has emerged as the most popular workplace trend on TikTok and Google, according to a new report from Datamax Texas.
The report, which analysed TikTok hashtag counts and Google search volumes, found that job shift shock had a total of 1.7 billion TikTok views and 120,710 monthly searches on Google.
It was also most popular in the Philippines, according to the report, which reviewed data up to February 2024.
Job shift shock, first coined by The Muse co-founder and CEO Kathryn Minshew, refers to the feeling of employees when they start a new job and realise that the position or company is "very different" from what they were initially told.
This feeling is usually associated with surprise and regret, according to Minshew, with Gen Zs and millennials driving this trend.
The second most popular workplace trend on TikTok and Google is quiet quitting, with 1.1 billion TikTok hashtag views and 612,560 searches on Google. It was mostly popular in Canada and Singapore.
Coming in third is malicious compliance or ‘chaotic working,’ which has a 172 million TikTok hashtag views and 30,720 Google searches. It is mostly popular with social media users in the United States.
The full list of workplace trends based on TikTok and Google include:
Chart from Datamax Texas
Datamax Texas said many of the trends are "focused on addressing employees' demands from improved working conditions to a better work-life balance."
According to a spokesperson, their research highlights how the work environment is changing.
"Big trends like 'Job Shift Shock' and 'Quiet Quitting' show us that people are openly talking about what they need and want from their jobs, thanks to social media," the spokesperson said.
"It's a wake-up call for employers to really listen and make changes that matter. Understanding why these trends are happening is just as important as knowing they exist. Moving forward, it's all about creating a workplace where everyone feels heard and valued."
