The Return of Corporate Survival Mode: TikTok’s Viral ‘Workplace Hacks’ Reveal Deepening U.S. Job Market Anxiety
- Raymond Lee
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
Key Findings:
A quarter of U.S. workers (24.50%) have used strategies or tips from TikTok to help them at work.
21.40% feel less confident about their job security compared to this time last year.
Over 1 in 5 workers have taken on extra work or searched for new jobs “just in case.
TikTok reliance is surging among younger workers: 48.22% of Gen Z and 36.29% of Millennials use TikTok workplace strategies.
As economic uncertainty and “layoff season” return across corporate America, new research from Careerminds reveals a striking new trend: U.S. workers are increasingly turning to TikTok for workplace survival strategies, advice experts warn may be more harmful than helpful.
In response to this mounting anxiety, Careerminds polled 1,000 full-time U.S. workers to uncover how Americans are navigating job insecurity and where they're turning for guidance in an increasingly volatile workplace landscape.
TikTok is Becoming the New Corporate Coach
According to Careerminds’ research, a quarter (24.5%) of U.S. workers have used strategies or tips from TikTok to help them at work at least once. For younger employees, the number skyrockets: nearly half of Gen Z (48.22%) and a third of Millennial workers (36.29%) say they’ve taken advice directly from TikTok creators to navigate their corporate lives.
These viral videos include everything from “keyboard slamming to look busy” to detailed scripts for asking for more projects, avoiding layoffs, or managing burnout, including:
@corporategirlielo’s “corporate survival tips you need right now
@ida_theresa’s “5 behaviours employees adopt when layoffs are coming”
@cons.journals’ “corporate hacks that help you, and the ones that will get you fired”
Careerminds experts warn that while some tips may be harmless, others can fuel unhealthy overwork, create visibility pressure, or even backfire professionally.
Layoff Season Anxiety Is Back
The survey found that 21.4% of U.S. workers feel less confident about their job security than this time last year, including 8.5% who feel much less confident.
This anxiety is driving employees to take on real-life “corporate survival” behaviors in hopes of protecting themselves:
46.47% looked for another job "just in case"
41.18% spent more time worrying about job security
38.2% took on extra work to appear indispensable
33.53% avoided taking PTO or sick days
29.41% cut personal spending due to fear of job loss
17.06% increased visibility to leadership
15.29% delayed asking for a raise or promotion
“These findings show that workers across the U.S. are bracing for instability, even if their companies aren’t explicitly talking about layoffs,” said Raymond Lee, President of Careerminds. “When employees turn to TikTok for corporate survival hacks, it’s a sign that trust in workplace communication has eroded. Companies need to address this anxiety before it leads to burnout, turnover, or harmful workplace habits.”
Younger Generations Lead the Corporate Survival Surge
Younger generations, who grew up online and entered the workforce during economic upheaval, have been revealed as the most likely to adopt TikTok-driven workplace tactics:
Gen Z
31.25% looked for another job “just in case”
25% took on extra work to appear indispensable
22.32% avoided PTO
22.32% delayed asking for a raise
Millennials
26.37% took on extra work
24.80% job-searched defensively
24.54% avoided PTO
In contrast, only 4.04% of Boomers and 11.82% of Gen X report taking advice from TikTok, highlighting a widening generational divide in how workplace uncertainty is navigated.
Men Are More Likely to Overwork; Women More Likely to Cut Spending
The research also uncovered gendered differences in how workers respond to job insecurity:
24.28% of men took on extra work (vs. 19.01% of women)
20.43% of men avoided PTO (vs. 14 15% of women)
28.85% of men used TikTok tips (vs. 21.2% of women)
14.21% of women cut personal spending due to fear of job loss (vs. 10.34% of men)
The data revealed that while women appear more likely to protect themselves financially, men are more likely to adopt performance-driven behaviors aimed at demonstrating value.
The Bigger Picture
The rise of TikTok workplace survival content is not just a trend; it reflects a workforce increasingly worried about job stability, confused about expectations, and unsure how to navigate the modern corporate environment.
“Employees shouldn’t have to rely on TikTok creators to understand how to protect their jobs,” said Raymond Lee, President of Careerminds. “The surge of corporate survival content points to a breakdown in employer communication and a growing culture of fear. Workers need clarity, transparency, and real support, not viral hacks. Companies that fail to address this anxiety risk losing talent, engagement, and trust.”
Sources:
Campaign methodology: This survey was conducted by Careerminds in November 2025, gathering insights from 1,000 full-time U.S. workers examining job security perceptions, workplace anxiety, and the influence of viral TikTok trends on work behavior. Data recorded: November 2025
About Careerminds: Careerminds, a career.io brand, is a leading global outplacement, career development, and coaching provider that offers customized solutions and world-class software to help companies support employees in career transition and development. Combining cutting-edge technology with personalized, one-on-one career coaching allows us to deliver customized services in over 80 languages and every major market globally at a lower cost than traditional firms. Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.
Raymond Lee is the President of Careerminds, a contemporary global outplacement firm headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware. He has over 25 years of human resource, outplacement, and career coaching experience. He is also an industrial/organizational psychologist and a certified retirement coach. Raymond has contributed to SHRM, ATD, and other publications on the future of work, employee experience, outplacement, offboarding, and career fulfillment and has been featured in media outlets including SiriusXM Business Radio, Career Talk, HR Podcasts, and The Wall Street Journal. He is an active speaker through the SHRM’s speaker’s bureau and author of the book, Clocking Out: A Stress-Free Guide to Career Transitions.
