In the latest turn in the legacy of social media, Gen Zers are turning to TikTok to learn about the benefits available to them at their workplace. The news isn’t particularly surprising considering the growing dependence on these platforms, but employers do stand to lose time and resources on the misunderstandings that may be circulated. The easy access to information online often dissuades efforts to actively share information or provide training within the workspace, but this tendency can often do more harm than good.
The advantage of seeing information on workplace benefits on TikTok or other social media platforms is that workers don’t have to feel ashamed about asking questions that everyone seems to know the answer to. But on the flip side, this further adds to apprehensions about open communication within the workplace. Gen Z may continue to seek knowledge about benefits via social media, but it doesn’t hurt for HR teams to do their part in providing them with some education on these aspects as well.
Whether due to a lack of communication at work or a concerning fear of asking questions, Gen Zers are using social media to understand workplace benefits. (Image: Freepik)
Gen Zers Turn to Social Media to Understand Workplace Benefits
Social media gets a considerable amount of negative press for being so detrimental to our individual well-being, but the perks that come with it make it hard to resist. A new survey by Equitable released earlier this month found that nearly 2 in 5 Gen Z employees use social media sites like TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, and YouTube to understand the benefits provided to them by their employers.
Millennials aren’t immune to relying on external sources to understand workplace benefits either. A surprising 30% of millennials admitted to using AI for benefits guidance. This isn’t surprising. Workers are eager to make the most of the workplace support tools available to them, but there is low awareness of the exact nature of these benefits and how to use them. Many are often unaware of the forms of resources their employers offer, and this low awareness continues to hinder enrollment.
Are There More Reliable Alternatives When It Comes to Making Decisions on Benefits?
While 55% of employees still routinely turn to material from their HR teams to understand workplace benefits, it is apparent that there is a disconnect between what is provided within the workplace and what is accessed externally.
Relying on social media and AI tools can be risky, as these platforms are known for spreading misinformation. Even without the concerns of being misled, the general understanding of workplace benefits may differ from what a specific employer provides, causing a rift between parties on miscommunicated grounds.
Instead of turning to Reddit and TikTok to understand benefits, it can be better to approach a financial advisor who has a far better understanding of how to manage and select benefits. Unfortunately, despite 80% of the respondents being aware of the importance of a financial advisor, only 20% report consulting one.
Education on Workplace Benefits Can Make A Difference to Employees
The benefits that an employer provides aren’t just a matter of convenience and luxury, as many of them can be life-changing for the receiver. This is particularly true when it comes to medical benefits, as this support goes a long way in easing financial worries and encourages many workers to seek treatment rather than put matters off. Preventive, proactive care can also aid in preempting costs and cutting future expenses, making it a top benefit worth investing in.
The work doesn’t stop there. Voluntary benefits are a very critical part of the workplace benefit system, but over 40% of workers lack confidence in their understanding of these benefits. That quickly changes with a little education, with 80% soon perceiving them as highly valuable.
Equitable’s survey also found that employers were just as aware of the value of these benefits, but many saw relatively low adoption rates among employees. Around 73% of small business owners believed that voluntary benefits were a clear indicator of their care and commitment to workers, but 4 in 10 reported low employee participation as a primary reason for limiting investments. The lack of clarity on what these benefits and services mean is detrimental to employee well-being and their relationship with their employer.
Gen Zers May Turn to Social Media to Learn About Benefits, but It Is Easy to Draw Them Back
When young workers use AI to understand workplace benefits or turn to Instagram and TikTok for education, there are easy ways to provide that information with greater clarity at work. Social media is often the go-to choice for its accessibility and simplified communication norms. Many content creators make a genuine effort to explain complex terms in basic language that allows viewers to understand and retain the information they hear, and creating similar content at work to explain the benefits might be a hit with Gen Zers.
Before you roll your eyes at the suggestion, it’s important to know that you don’t have to use Gen Z slang or meme-based imagery to communicate information. Rather than infantilizing them, it helps to consider them as workers who are just unfamiliar with the overly complex way that businesses and their benefits operate today.
Frequent training sessions, managers trained with communication skills, and a general culture that welcomes questions are enough to make a difference. These changes can encourage Gen Zers and millennials to refrain from solely relying on social media and AI to understand workplace benefits or other etiquette norms, and ask questions at work instead.
Have you seen Gen Zers look to social media to under benefits, or does your organization invest in educating workers on such topics? Share your experience with us. Subscribe to The HR Digest for more insights on workplace trends, layoffs, and what to expect with the advent of AI.