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YPulse Trend Timeline: Employees as Influencers

After years of tracking youth culture, YPulse has seen many “trends” that keep resurfacing, sometimes renamed and treated as new, even if they’ve been recurring for a decade. YPulse’s Trend Timeline series traces where trends that keep going started, how they’ve evolved, and why they’re returning now. For brands, understanding a trend’s history can help distinguish fleeting viral moments from deeper consumer behaviors. Employee creators are the latest example of a tactic that’s been building for years…

Written and Edited by the YPulse Editorial Team

Jul 8 2026
North America

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Employees have spent years posting about their jobs and building loyal audiences along the way
Over the years, more brands have realized employee voices can be some of the most valuable marketing assets
Many companies have built actual programs to support employee creators and their content

Trend history has a funny way of repeating itself. The latest example: employee-generated content (EGC). While recent headlines are treating “employees as influencers” as the next big thing, YPulse knows this strategy didn’t suddenly appear out of nowhere. From baristas sharing drink hacks to retail associates recommending products, employees have shared on socials what it’s really like to work at their jobs and what to buy from them for years, and have gained loyal followings in return. In response, YPulse has watched many brands create formal creator programs like Macy’s Style Crew and American Eagle’s Creator Community designed to encourage...