Our job takes up a large part of our lives. No wonder we have to vent frustrations now and then. We used to do that at pub after beer number two, now we prefer — and en masse — on social media. And yes: those hilarious films about demanding bosses and annoying colleagues (also known as the ‘office Linda’s’) are very recognizable.
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Videos about everyday office struggles. Videos about how much our workday has changed since the pandemic. Videos about the toll of capitalism and of that eternal nine-to-five† Working gen Z’ers and millennials post them without embarrassment under the hashtag #WorkTok on video platform TikTok. That hashtag has been viewed more than 580 million times. And the thousands of work-related frustrations you find there are very recognizable for many.
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Overshare or remain silent?
In a popular video, we see a woman happily on her way to work, captioning: “Me telling my boss that inflation means I can no longer do three jobs for the salary of one.” Under another video, she honestly asks herself: “Do I feel like eating today? oversharen at work or am I not going to say a word all day?”
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(Read more below the video.)
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The videos of American account manager Chase Coleman, @thecorporatechase on TikTok, are especially popular. He has already collected almost three million likes. “Companies encourage us to take paid time off. So that’s what we do,” he says in one of his videos. “But every time we return there is more work, more stress and more emails. Can someone explain to me why that is?”
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Also the typical ‘office Linda’ can’t do much good according to Chase: she complains for days on end about all the overtime she does, makes meetings last much longer than necessary by asking extra questions at the last minute, and constantly tries to explain to you how to do your job to do.
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(Read more below the video.)
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One of Chase’s videos even garnered more than half a million likes. “I’m so happy that millennials and Gen Z are slowly taking over the corporate world. Done with office jargon. No more boomers looking down on you when you take your paid vacation days. Are you not feeling well mentally and want a day off? No problem. Soon the boomers will be gone and we will set the standard”, he communicates.
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Move your mouse to stay online?
Many people started to express their work frustrations online during the lockdown, when video app TikTok became hugely popular and we started working from home en masse. “I was bored,” Chase said. The new professional habits that we developed at home, such as secretly getting some fresh air, taking an afternoon nap or doing laundry during the working day, were a source of inspiration for the account manager. Many recognized themselves in videos with titles like “move your mouse to stay online on Slack or Teams”.
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Attorney Henry, @thatcorporatelawyer on TikTok, also shares videos of the same nature. About how he cheerfully pays a ‘visit’ to the office once a week. Or how he unabashedly does household chores while being paid to be at work.
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(Read more below the video.)
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Yes, it can wait 10 minutes
One video is a bit lighter than the other. “My nine-to-five is killing me. Is it normal to skip lunch and dinner for a PowerPoint presentation? Is it justifiable that I have to have a panic attack to get paid? Is this okay on other planets?” someone complains openly.
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(Read more below the video.)
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If your job exhausts you so mentally, then of course something isn’t right. Attorney Henry sums it up nicely in his videos. He communicates that we shouldn’t worry about things like answering ten minutes later (everything can wait) and making mistakes (because everyone makes them). In the end it is ‘just’ a job, he says. And above all: our mental and physical health should always come first. If there’s one message that sounds the loudest on #worktok, it’s this one.
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Poll
Do you also have an ‘office Linda’ at the office?
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Also read:
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“You don’t have to accept being barked at work.” Expert gives tips to respond to a screaming boss (+)
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6 tips to stay productive in the heat. “It is best to answer emails in the afternoon”
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