The AlliedUP Co-op Blog

By Tammy Johns
Strategy and Talent CEO, Mom, GaGa and Proud AlliedUP Board Member

Anonymous annual surveys have long been the backbone of understanding employee satisfaction — structured, safe, and consistent. They highlight workload, leadership support, career development, and culture, giving organizations a reliable measure of staff sentiment over time. But in today’s social media-driven world, another “survey” is happening in real time: employees sharing their day-to-day experiences on TikTok, Instagram, and beyond.

Public Sharing is Insight Gold

While only a small fraction of healthcare workers post publicly, these voices are highly engaged and influential. They reveal the realities of the job — burnout, long hours, and moments of triumph– providing an authentic pulse of workplace culture that traditional surveys can miss. 

Ignoring these signals is risky. Prospective healthcare workers see this content, too. If frustrations or systemic issues are shared online and go unaddressed, it becomes a red flag for people entering the profession. Conversely, acknowledging these voices and demonstrating action signals that your organization listens, values its team, and takes employee experience seriously.

And it’s not just TikTok. Platforms like Glassdoor, Indeed, Comparably, and Fairygodboss are full of candid feedback on pay, culture, and leadership. These external signals can offer insights that even the best internal surveys sometimes miss. But scanning these platforms isn’t about catching “social media offenders.” It’s about turning employee signals from social media and review sites into actionable insights and retention solutions. 

Think of it as a modern bridge:

• From outside to inside: turning candid, real-world feedback into actionable HR initiatives.
• From awareness to action: addressing pain points before they become retention crises or public reputation issues.
• From passive observation to active improvement: building trust with both current and prospective employees.

From a New Approach a New Role Emerges

Traditional surveys measure the temperature; social media and review platforms show the pulse. Both matter. Traditional surveys are structured, standardized, and safe, giving organizations a reliable measure of employee sentiment over time. However, they are often retrospective and limited in scope, capturing only what employees report at a single point in time each year. Real-time signals from social media, review sites, and early-exit narratives provide a complementary, dynamic view, highlighting stress, burnout, and disengagement as they emerge, not months later. 

Beyond TikTok and review platforms, healthcare workers are increasingly sharing candid experiences online, describing burnout, moral distress, staffing chaos, and even reverse exit interviews detailing their reasons for leaving the profession. Some posts chronicle a shift from full-time roles to travel or contract work, then to ultimately leaving healthcare altogether. While anecdotal, these narratives are compelling early-warning signals.

Think of them as a “pre-resignation survey.” They often appear before turnover data reaches HR reports, highlighting systemic stress and engagement issues in real time. As said above, ignoring them is risky: negative patterns visible online can deter prospective employees, exacerbate retention issues, and damage employer brand.

From a New Approach a New Role Emerges

This is exactly why I believe that there is a critical need for a new role in HR; a Workforce-Pulse Analyst. By tracking these signals, analyzing patterns, and translating them into actionable interventions, (much like a longitudinal employee survey process, but in real time) organizations can proactively respond to burnout, retention risk, and workforce dissatisfaction. Thereby changing the perception that social media posts and reviews aren’t just venting, but rather are signals of systemic problems that, when monitored and addressed, can prevent attrition and strengthen culture before crises occur.

HR strategists that integrate insights from all sources can spot friction points early, respond proactively, and build trust with their workforce, which is essential in a competitive and high-stakes healthcare environment. 

Finally, consider the timing. Burnout in healthcare peaks during flu season, holiday staffing crunches, and other high-demand periods. These times are critical opportunities to listen, respond, and support the team. Waiting until the next annual survey or crisis is too late. Real-time listening, across surveys, social media, and review platforms, allows organizations to act when it matters most, demonstrating they value employees and their well-being. 

Social Listening Benefits All

In the age of TikTok, Glassdoor, Indeed, and Fairygodboss, the most authentic early distress signal may be coming from employees themselves. Listening, understanding, and acting on it can transform not only retention and morale, but the very culture of care.