Managing Up TikTok trend: what is the social media workplace trend which experts say is 'key career skill'?

For most of us, it’s an undeniable fact that we spend more time at work than anywhere else. So, it’s no wonder that Gen Z workers, who are just starting out in their careers, are seeking to change their working environment to be able to enjoy their time spent at work and also get a better work-life balance.

There are many different approaches to work in 2023 that may have been unheard of a number of years ago, including working from home, the four day working week, bare minimum Mondays, lazy girl jobs, and also hush trips, summer hours and even time off for reaching goals. Some of these trends are influenced by discussions being had on popular social media site TikTok, which has now become the preferred news source for young people.

The latest workplace trend to sweep TikTok is the managing up trend. Videos with the hashtag #ManagingUp have a total of 5.6 million views - and the number is growing. But, just what is the managing up trend and what do experts make of it? NationalWorld has the answers you need so keep reading to find out more.

What is the managing up TikTok trend?

This trend has two sides to it. On the one hand, it is all about understanding your manager's working style and adjusting your approach as a worker to match it in an attempt to make work tasks easier for both yourself and your manager. It's also about working with your manager to set realistic goal expectations for yourself, both day-to-day and in your long-term career, and to get the most of your job. The overall idea is that both yourself and your manager will be pleased with your duties and your output, and therefore ultimately be happy at work and have a good working relationship.

Below is one of the TikTok videos, from a woman named Alex Schudy who calls herself “‘the career queen”, explaining managing up and how it’s beneficial for both you and your manager.

What do experts think about the managing up TikTok trend?

Corinne Mills, Career Coach and Managing Director of Personal Career Management, told NationalWorld she believes managing up is a “key career skill”. She said: “It’s about tuning in to not just what your boss wants from you, but how they want it. It means you need to be versatile because it might go against your own natural style.” For instance, she said, they may want lots of detail in a task you have been given or just a general overview.  Mills added: “They may want to drill down on the numbers, be a stickler for process or be fussy about the aesthetics of how things look. If you reflect this back in how you communicate with them verbally and in writing then you are much more likely to get a positive response than if you stick rigidly to your own preferences.”

She did, however, warn that some bosses are not only “impossible” to manage up to, but they are “positively hazardous to your health and well-being”, in which case, she advised, it’s probably best to head for the door. It may be that your boss is showcasing one of these 14 signs of a toxic workplace.

Workplace wellbeing expert and CEO of Officeology, Adam Butler, said he can understand that some people may think that managing up is being labelled as being “glamourised” as a “guaranteed route to success” at work, however he added that he believes the trend also “encourages open dialogue, which can result in expectations being met and can help build a more positive relationship with your manager”.

How can I implement the managing up TikTok trend in my own job?

The managing up trend may be particularly popular with Gen Z, but it isn’t exclusively for them. Any person, of any age, and at any point in their career. According to Mills, it’s possible to adapt this approach to work at any time as “managers will be giving you clues all the time about what they need if you are listening carefully”.  

She explained: “The person who seems brusque may just not be very good at small talk and prefer direct and plain speaking in which case you should cut out your waffle because it will frustrate them.  Others might like to think out loud with you as their audience or prefer to go away and think about things in which case give them the time they need.”

But, what are some general rules you can follow for managing up effectively?