What TikTok Can Teach TR Pros About Financial Benefit Messaging

A recent Forbes study revealed nearly 80% of millennials and Gen Zers are turning to social media for personal financial information and insight — a number that is staggering but also a bit concerning, considering a study by Social Capital Markets found 71% of the financial advice given via these platforms is misleading or off-base.

The latter study found:

83% of videos on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram lack disclaimers about the risks of investing.
70% of these posts encouraged stock-specific investments without offering adequate context.
57% of posts implied guaranteed returns despite the volatile nature of stock markets.
45% of influencers recommended investing a specific proportion of income regardless of personal finances.
Only 13% of posters have relevant qualifications to offer financial advice.

It is apparent that young workers have great interest and perhaps equal trepidation when it comes to their financial well-being and future. So, this article aims to address three questions:

Why might the millennials and Gen Zers in your organization be turning to TikTok for financial clarity?
Where might the total rewards function be falling short, leading to this trend?
And, how might TR pros take a page or two from social media best practices to better connect with this workforce on the financial aspects of their rewards packages?

Employees Are Overwhelmed

Total rewards pros currently share information about financial benefits in myriad ways, including company-wide meetings, emails, internal websites and print brochures. But while this approach ensures accessibility, it often lacks personalization, said Cara Macksoud, the managing director and CEO at Money Habitudes, a personal financial tool provider.

“Employees are typically presented with a large volume of benefits and incentives, which can be overwhelming,” she said. “There’s a lack of practical, relatable guidance on how to maximize benefits. Humans are naturally inclined to avoid complexity and decision fatigue, which is where traditional communication methods often fail.”

Emails with all the details about benefit options and enrollment deadlines can sometimes be too dense, while open-enrollment meetings or workshops are often too brief to get into the specifics people care about, stated Amy Mosher, the chief people officer at isolved, an online HR and payroll solution company.

“While these methods cover the basics, they often don’t resonate with younger workers like millennials and Gen Z,” Mosher said. “PDFs, long emails or dry presentations just don’t compete with the short, punchy, visual content they’re consuming on social media. These employees want personalization, easy access and ongoing conversations — not just a once-a-year email blast or a static portal.”

Personalized, Digestible Content

Young workers turn to social media for financial insights and answers because of the perceived connection with content creators, Macksoud said.

“These influencers share personal anecdotes, routines and advice in a way that feels authentic and relatable,” Macksoud said. “This magic formula lies in the personalized, digestible and approachable delivery of content. Influencers break down complex financial topics into bite-sized, actionable advice.”

But while this relatability is a strength, it also means the advice may be overly generalized or inaccurate, as influencers don’t have access to the specifics of a follower’s financial situation or benefits package, she added.

According to Mosher, the secret sauce is authenticity and storytelling.

“Younger generations are drawn to personal stories that feel honest and relatable — not overly polished or corporate,” she said. “Add in high-quality visuals, animations or live demos, and you’ve got a formula that makes even complex topics easy to digest. It’s informal, interactive and, most importantly, feels relevant to their everyday lives.”

Tailor the Message

Younger workers are thinking about paying off debt, building emergency savings or maybe buying their first home — not just planning for retirement, Mosher said.

“Personalization is key. Younger workers need advice that speaks to their priorities, whether that’s paying down student loans or building a rainy-day fund,” she said. “Interactive tools, like calculators or personalized dashboards, can help make financial planning feel doable.”

Mosher added that TR pros need to better embrace technology and utilize it to design seamless, succinct and compelling experiences.

“Push notifications, chatbots or easy-to-navigate apps can make it simpler for employees to get the info they need, when they need it,” Mosher said. “And, let’s ditch the jargon — clear, straightforward messaging is a must.”

Short videos that explain benefits like 401(k) matching or health savings accounts (HSAs) in plain language — and maybe even feature real employees — can go a long way, she said. In addition, short, focused microtraining sessions may help to break down complex topics into digestible pieces, making it easier for employees to quickly understand and apply key takeaways without feeling overwhelmed.

Communication should be consistent and continual, Mosher added.

“Most communications are timed around enrollment periods, leaving a huge gap for the rest of the year. This means employees don’t get the ongoing support they need to really understand and use their benefits,” she said. “Even casual Q&A sessions can keep the conversation going.”

Make your communications bite-sized, relatable and actionable, Macksoud said.

“The goal is to replicate the trust and accessibility of social media content within the workplace, while ensuring that the information provided is accurate and specific to the benefits being offered,” Macksoud said. “By meeting employees where they are and speaking their language, total rewards professionals can foster better understanding and engagement with financial benefits.”

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