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Across the UK, workers are uploading video clips of themselves goofing off in the workplace. Uniformed builders do a rooftop dance routine. A policewoman and her partner sing along to the radio. The clips have been watched millions of times on Tiktok, a short-form video social media platform.
The videos are popular for many reasons. Brendan Gahan, chief social officer at Mekanism, a marketing agency, told The Guardian that viewers think the “public embarrassment is definitely fun and cringeworthy”. People also like to watch others avoiding work. And the clips show a more welcoming side to professions such as law enforcement.
Many employers, however, worry that the videos may make workers seem unprofessional or distract them from their work. The UK supermarket chain Tesco has banned workers from making clips. “We ask all our colleagues to use their judgement … and make sure that it doesn’t get in the way of doing their jobs,” says a Tesco spokesperson. Videos made in Tesco and three of the UK’S other major supermarkets have been viewed nearly 100 million times on Tiktok.
Employers will have a hard time preventing workers from making viral videos at work. Perhaps a better strategy would be to turn on the camera and join in the fun.