LinkedIn, the business networking social media platform once known for being strictly ‘corporate’ appears to be undergoing an evolution in recent years.
As little as four or five years ago, you’d go onto LinkedIn with a clear purpose in mind. To achieve something within your work. Maybe that would be to connect with a new client, search for new talent for your company, or publish an article detailing your insights from a recent project – in an effort to build connection, credibility and authority in your space.
However in 2022, LinkedIn users are just as likely to log on to the platform purely to scroll and just see what is being said.
No longer is LinkedIn the platform solely for high-level executives and business leaders – it’s now a social network brimming with content from absolutely everyone, in every area of the nation’s workforce, from every background.
Not only has the user base of LinkedIn changed, but the content has also undergone a transformation. We’re seeing more critiques of company culture, more open discussion about mental health in the workplace, more sharing of salaries, more stories of workplace attitudes that ‘go against the status-quo’ and of course, more memes.
LinkedIn users, particularly Millennials and those within Generation Z, are expressing themselves more openly than ever before on the platform. Many have decided to drop the ‘corporate mask’ so to speak. Instead, they openly discuss their personal struggles both at work and home, and often how they’ve overcome them. Conversations that previously would have been kept between two team members over a lunch break, are now broadcast across the working world – often to much applause and praise.
With reactions, likes, comments and shares in the thousands, these posts appear to be going viral all over the place.
So what is causing this shift in the use of LinkedIn?
It probably stems from a few areas. Mental health awareness is likely a big factor.
To understand what is happening on LinkedIn, we only need to look at what has been changing on social media as a whole during the past five years.
For all its benefits, since the introduction of social media, there has no doubt been a significant toll placed on society’s mental health.
As human beings, we often tend to portray the best possible version of our lives to the rest of the world. This attitude is mirrored in our use of social media. It’s probably most apparent on Instagram, which since it took off, has driven envy for billions worldwide. A quick scroll through the platform will reveal your friends sipping cocktails on the beach, celebrities lounging on private jets, perfectly framed food photos, and new mothers who look completely well-rested thanks to scarily-realistic filters when in reality they slept for less than three hours last night.
Seemingly perfect people with perfect lives.
For many, it has become a challenge not to compare the reality of your own life with the perfect picture of what you see online, and this was made even more difficult during the pandemic, where millions of us were locked down inside our homes. The commonality of mental health issues has skyrocketed in the last ten years – a significant amount created or exacerbated by social media use.
Of course, the reality of life compared to what we see on social media is often very different. As a whole, we’ve been resistant so far to displaying our struggles and vulnerability to the world. And this has created a lot of frustration and a drive by some to change the narrative – and that leads to a conversation about authenticity.
When it comes to social media, to be authentic means to be completely yourself online, flaws and all. And to be authentic on social media is quickly becoming the cool thing to do. People have become frustrated of seeing carefully crafted, flawless personas online. And this drive to do things differently has finally gathered up enough momentum to make it over to LinkedIn.
There was a bit of a delay in this happening. Of course, work for the majority of us means our livelihoods, so speaking out against toxic company culture, grueling 60-hour work weeks, or openly discussing problems in your personal life at work, has for the longest time been a no-go.
In the landscape of corporate culture, where individual productivity has been pushed as the priority for so long, people have had a valid reason to want to ‘keep these things at home’.
However, when a society unites with a positive change they want to implement in the world, and that change is spurred on by existing frustrations with how things have been, it’s hard for a movement like this not to gain momentum.
Even those who do not feel comfortable with sharing so openly on LinkedIn, will often still support those who do, through likes, reactions and positive comments. Social media algorithms of course give the best reach to posts that garner the most engagement and attention, and in turn, having these posts appear more frequently inspires the confidence that it’s okay to be a part of the change.
The momentum of this change has really been staggering. With celebrities and public figures jumping on board with transparency and authenticity, it has almost become the new normal. And it’s probably doing people a lot of good.
Transparency is the key to content evolution.
Transparency and communication about how things are vs how we wish them to be (or how we wish them to appear) allows people to de-load their stress, live authentically and make better-informed decisions around their careers. Companies that adopt mental health awareness and encourage open communication are companies that are putting their staff first. And when the well-being of staff is prioritised over productivity, they are going to be happier. In turn, a happier workforce is more likely to perceive their work as meaningful. A workforce that finds meaning in their work is going to have a favorable opinion of the company they work for. It’s a positive cycle for everyone involved.
And the effects of this even break through into the more competitive side of the working landscape – especially when it comes to talent recruitment. The companies that adopt and encourage this new normal are going to have an advantage in attracting and retaining talent. The companies that fail to adapt to this are going to lose.
Like with most things, the balance in between two extremes is often the sweet spot where the most optimal results are found. And as the distinction between work personas and our true, authentic personas continues to dissolve, we’ll likely be seeing a further shift away from traditional corporate culture and ‘professional’ attitudes on LinkedIn.
In short, expect more emojis. 😀
