By Mina Gazikalovic | 22-23

In today’s digital age, social media has become an integral part of our lives. We use platforms like Instagram to connect, share, and even showcase our achievements. But did you ever think that your Instagram follower count could influence your job prospects? Surprisingly, it can, and this blog will delve into the fascinating world of social media and hiring decisions.

Imagine you’re a recent graduate, eager to land your dream job. You’ve got the qualifications, the skills, and the enthusiasm. But there’s one more thing that might make a difference – your Instagram follower count. Yes, the number of people following your Instagram profile could impact your chances of getting hired, and here’s why.

The Instagram Effect on Hiring Decisions

We all know that first impressions matter, and in the digital age, your online presence is often the first thing potential employers see. This is where Instagram comes into play. As part of my research, I wanted to understand how employers view Instagram follower counts when making hiring decisions.

I conducted a study that involved asking participants to evaluate hypothetical job candidates based on their resumes and Instagram profiles. The results were intriguing. It turns out that candidates with a high number of Instagram followers were more likely to be selected by participants. This suggests that having a substantial online following can be seen as a valuable asset in the job market.

Why Does Instagram Follower Count Matter?

You might wonder why employers care about Instagram follower counts when hiring. Well, it all boils down to a few key factors:

 1. Social Influence: A high follower count can signal that a candidate has the power to influence and connect with a broad audience. In today’s interconnected world, this ability is highly valuable, especially in roles that require effective communication and relationship-building, such as sales and marketing.

2. Personal Branding: Employers are increasingly looking for candidates who can represent their company well, both online and offline. A strong Instagram presence can showcase a candidate’s ability to manage their personal brand and align it with the organization’s values.

3. Digital Skills: In a world where digital literacy is crucial, a substantial Instagram following can demonstrate a candidate’s proficiency in utilizing online platforms. This is particularly relevant for positions that involve online marketing or social media management.

Age Matters Too

But the story doesn’t end with Instagram followers. Age also plays a role in hiring decisions. In my study, I found that younger candidates were more likely to be selected, highlighting a preference for youth in the job market. While this might be discouraging for older job seekers, it’s essential to recognize these trends and work on strategies to counteract potential biases.

What Can You Learn?

Digital Branding: Individuals and organizations can learn the art of digital branding. Just as companies build their brand identity, individuals can strategically craft their online persona to match their professional goals. Organizations can foster a culture that encourages employees to develop a positive digital brand.

Digital Literacy: In an era where digital skills are paramount, my research underscores the importance of digital literacy. Job seekers can enhance their marketability by becoming proficient in utilizing social media platforms effectively. Organizations can invest in training programs to upskill their workforce.

Bias Awareness: Recognizing age bias is the first step in combating it. By acknowledging that hiring decisions might be influenced by age, organizations can implement measures to ensure fairness in their recruitment processes. Practitioners in HR and recruitment can incorporate age-blind hiring practices.

Theory Meets Practice

Theoretical concepts like Social Identity Theory, Signaling Theory, and Impression Management Theory aren’t confined to the ivory tower of academia. They have real-world applications.

• Social Identity Theory: Understanding how people identify with online communities can help organizations create inclusive workplaces and foster a sense of belonging among employees.

• Signalling Theory: The concept of using signals or cues can be applied to recruitment beyond Instagram follower counts. Organizations can explore innovative ways for candidates to signal their skills and suitability for roles.

• Impression Management Theory: The art of shaping perceptions applies not only to individuals but also to companies. Organizations can utilize this theory to manage their online reputation and brand image effectively.

What Does This Mean for You?

If you’re a job seeker, here’s the takeaway: your online presence matters. It’s not just about what’s on your resume anymore; it’s about how you present yourself in the digital realm. Consider these tips:

1. Build Your Online Brand: Use Instagram and other social media platforms to showcase your skills, interests, and achievements. Craft a consistent personal brand that aligns with your career goals.

2. Engage With Your Audience: Don’t just focus on numbers; engage with your followers. Respond to comments, share valuable content, and actively participate in discussions related to your field.

3. Stay Current: Stay up to date with digital trends and technologies. The more digitally literate you are, the more appealing you’ll be to potential employers.

4. Age Shouldn’t Define You: If you’re an older job seeker, don’t be discouraged. Highlight your experience, adaptability, and willingness to learn new skills. Age is just one factor among many.

In Conclusion

In the ever-evolving landscape of the job market, your Instagram follower count has become more than just a number. It’s a potential asset that can set you apart from the competition. Employers are increasingly valuing candidates who can leverage their online presence to benefit their organizations.

As you embark on your career journey, remember that your personal brand, your ability to engage with others online, and your digital skills can make a significant difference. So, while you’re scrolling through your Instagram feed, keep in mind that your online presence could be the key to unlocking exciting job opportunities.

In the end, it’s not just about the number of followers; it’s about the impact you can make in the digital world and beyond.

A qualitative exploration of the experiences of male leaders who have been offered mindfulness at work

By Anya Beaumont | 22-23

“Wherever you go, there you are”, wrote Jon Kabatt-Zinn, whose work was paramount in the field and study of mindfulness. Mindfulness interventions continue to be developed and evolved for personal and professional life. With mindfulness hitting the mainstream zeitgeist, mindfulness has caught the attention of the working world, with programs promising stress reduction, resilience, and performance improvement. Most studies on mindfulness in personal life and in the workplace, have included female-identifying participants. This study set out to hear from men in leadership roles and shine a light on their experiences of mindfulness programs in their workplaces.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness stems from Buddhist traditions, with a variety of definitions. Some dated definitions of mindfulness allude to memory, some referenced a state of mind, and some referenced being present and centred (Anālayo, 2019). The more modern definition is by Jon Kabatt-Zinn, “paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment non-judgmentally” (p. 4). Mindfulness has gained popularity in the modern world of self-care, pop culture, and well-being. Evidence shows that mindfulness can help people decrease stress, and increase focus on the present moment (Taylor et al., 2021).  Mindfulness is the opposite of being in “autopilot” mode. It’s a way of being and state of mind that can be learned, to help people live positive lives in relationships, at home, and at work (Tobias-Mortlock, 2020).

Mindfulness in the workplace

Mindfulness at work comes in different formats. Sometimes companies offer apps, workshops, or retreats. While workplaces want their employees to be less stressed, they usually focus on the outcomes or benefits of mindfulness, as ways to offer mindfulness programs. For example, some workplaces want to prioritise performance-based outcomes and will therefore market the mindfulness programs as such, or as a general well-being improvement offering (King, 2019). Businesses are looking to increase profits and financial success, and some of them are realising that less stressed employees means more positive results in their work (King, 2019). Therefore mindfulness has become more popular in workplaces. However, the intention and impact are not always aligned when offering these programs. Perception of the program, who is participating, and their communication of them are all influential factors in the engagement and success of a program.

The study

For this study, 21 men over the age of 18 were recruited. They were required to currently be, or have previously held a leadership role, and have been offered a mindfulness program at their workplace. They were not required to have participated, they only needed to be offered a mindfulness app, workshop, meditation session, or any stress-reduction or mindfulness-based program within their workplace.

Several strategies were utilised to recruit the participants. One method was social media, on various platforms. The researcher connected with both personal and professional networks this way. In-person recruiting was also used, via personal and professional networks. Participants were recruited via snowball sampling as well, meaning once someone participated, they were encouraged to find others to participate as well. In the end, 21 men participated in this study.

The participants filled out an open-ended survey of 10 questions. The survey was inspired by a decision tree, in that they were asked their experiences of whether or not they participated and why, what did or did not go well, and so on. They were also asked to describe mindfulness and leadership in several words.

What we found

Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. This means that the researcher looked over all the survey answers, seeing which types or words, phrases, and ideas were repeated throughout.  This process is called coding, which the common words and phrases are compiled into overall themes. Three themes were identified to describe the experience of male leaders who have been offered mindfulness at work.

The themes included:

1) Intervention participation seems to be impacted by social influence

People are affected by their coworkers, what people think of them, and how they want to be perceived. This all plays into their decision to participate in mondfuness offerings or not.

2) The way the interventions were communicated did not include clear benefits to leaders

A lof of the participants reported getting a couple emails, or a passing mention of these apps or workshops. Most of them were not informed of why they should participate, or what benefits were to be gained from them

3) The format of the intervention impacted the engagement, experience, and outcome.

Studies show that apps are useful for mindfulness practices on an individual level, but they aren’t as powerful and impactful as in person or live gatherings. This seemed to be the case with these participants as well. Some people liked the freedom of using an app whenever they wanted, while some didn’t see the point of they just did it alone.

What this means

While fruitful insight was gained from the results, just as much can be taken away from the process of this study itself. There are both takeaways for the broader scope of research and for every day life from findings. For example, this study seemed to align with previous studies on mindfulness, wellbeing intervention participation, and workplace leadership. This study revealed valuable gaps that still remain in the literature, and what can be explored more in the future, for example specifically linking mindfulness to leadership performance has yet to be researched in depth.

Multiple participants shared how they were influenced or impacted by their peers, in their decision to participate in the intervention. This means in order to implement an intervention, one can refer to methods of organisational change and development. In order for change to occur in an organisation, there needs to be a champion leading the efforts. This is also the case with participation influence.

Where do we go from here?

In the future, it would be beneficial to run interviews instead of having open-ended surveys. It is thought that the participants might open up more if they are given more follow-up questions and guidance on how much information and data is asked of them. This would allow more room for more questions as well. Since the intention was to have the survey as short as possible but gain as much insight as possible, it ended up potentially being another limiting element to getting more full answers. In a face-to-face interview, either in person or virtual, a future study can ask the participants questions to encourage them to share more and be more detailed, therefore offering clearer and potentially insightful data.

Overall takeaways

Through qualitative measures, this study sought to gain insight from male leaders, who have been offered mindfulness at work. Researchers learned that the participants’  peers, social groups, and the role of them being a leader, all influenced their participation. The study showed that mindfulness (MBI) is not a one-size-fits-all intervention and that if it is introduced, it should be implemented with a champion at the lead, clear benefits outlined, and scheduled in person where possible. There also can be the acknowledgement that perhaps mindfulness isn’t for everyone. There was reflection on this study that mindfulness was “what everyone needed”, when perhaps that is not the case. Everyone has different journeys, styles, and goals. Those need to be addressed first before tyring to implement a one-size-fits-all intervention at work.

Future research can explore the direct links between leadership and mindfulness, to better expand the participation and engagement of men in leadership roles. Overall, this study showed the limitations in the methodology, participation, and potential bias in the intervention itself. It serves as a beginning step into future potential research in this area of mindfulness-based interventions in the workplace.

Blog References

1. Anālayo, B. (2019). Adding historical depth to definitions of mindfulness. Current Opinion in Psychology, 28, 11–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.09.013
2. Kabat-Zinn, J. (2003). Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Context: Past, Present, and Future. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 144–156. https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy.bpg016
3. King, A. P. (2019). Mindfulness-Based Workplace Interventions for Wellness Promotion. Mental Health in the Workplace, 191–208. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04266-0_13
4. Taylor, H., Strauss, C., & Cavanagh, K. (2021). Can a little bit of mindfulness do you good? A systematic review and meta-analyses of unguided mindfulness-based self-help interventions. Clinical Psychology Review, 102078. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2021.102078
5. Tobias Mortlock, J. (2020). More than meditation. Routledge EBooks, 251–265. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429244667-14