Employee activism is part of (not separate to) company culture
Back in the day, in the era of ‘jobs for life’, any notion of employee activism was typically tied to being unionised and employers often sought to stamp out any collective thoughts and feelings in pursuit of ‘harmony’.
We no longer live in that world. The separation of the work and non-work self has all but disappeared. Employees now have access to vast amounts of information and platforms to share their opinions. They have also got wise to using these platforms to hold employers to account. All of this has happened in combination with a decline in trust for the institutions we used to rely on to tell us what was right.
The 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer reports a continued global decline in trust in government and media. As a result of this, it says: We see an even greater expectation of business to lead as trust in government continues to spiral. And this can be quite confronting for leaders who are used to being silent on social issues, as they can no longer sit on the sidelines.
I wrote recently about navigating a workforce that now prioritises purpose and is poised to punish empty words that are not backed up with actions. Employee activism is not going away, it’s on the rise and will shape the corporate cultures of the future. A recent survey of global executives found that 4 out of 5 companies expect an “unprecedented rise in workplace activism” over the next three to five years ― with sustainability and climate change an increasing concern.
‘Taking a stand for what we believe in’ is a powerful message. Ben and Jerry’s is a great example of a values-based business that takes a public stance on social issues. In today’s increasingly complex and divided world, that includes ‘resistance’ activities and strategic partnering with organisations that are working to improve social, environmental and economic conditions globally. The ice-cream maker also has a Head of Global Activism with responsibility for advancing social justice through the day-to-day operations of the business.
According to a survey by law firm Herbert Smith Freehills, employee activism could cost organisations up to 25% of their global revenue each year due to the disruptive nature of strikes and reputational damage leading to lost business. Saying you stand for one thing and acting another way is one of the fastest ways to erode trust. It also looks really bad to customers.
Platitudes for International Women’s Day were exposed recently by a clever Twitter Bot that exposed the gender pay gaps (from freely available data in the UK) of these organisations. The creator of the Bot — Francesca Lawson — had simply had enough of seeing bland marketing statements about equality with zero action behind them.
So how do leaders take the lead when it comes to taking a stand on social issues?
Understand what’s at stake:
- Reputation and credibility
- Employee recruitment, engagement and retention
- Stakeholder relationships
- Future growth.
With the pandemic illustrating how ill-prepared we are for disaster, the spotlight is shining on social responsibility and more formal structures, such as ClimateVoice, are giving employees a way to mobilise their collective might.
In trying to embrace social responsibility as a brand value, some organisations have done more harm than good by dictating the company position rather than engaging with the workforce. Recent examples include Atlassian’s tepid take on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Basecamp’s banning of political and social discussion; Google’s handling of sexual harrassment claims.
Whether it’s LGBTQI rights, local pollution, working conditions or unethical practices, there are people in your workforce who are directly impacted and want leaders to speak out on their behalf.
Agents of change
Instead of fearing employee activism, this is an opportunity to empower your people and demonstrate to stakeholders and customers that you stand for something, with actions behind the words. Keeping employee activism outside of your culture creates division and can even end up pitting teams and functions against each other.
Your greatest agents for change already exist in your organisation. Bring them together, from all levels of the business; from out in the field to the shop floor, the post room to the boardroom. By creating an Employee Activism Coalition from different levels, units, and regions you access a varied set of perspectives and influence channels, as well as garnering broad support for your initiatives.
Give a little context
It’s important that leaders understand how current social issues relate to the organisation’s purpose, mission, and values. It’s not enough to state your position or policy — provide reasons and rationale for it. Describe how the organisation will respond to the issue and what that might look like for employees.
Next time you feel under pressure to take a stance, pause and:
- Listen to your stakeholders
- Give employee activists a voice
- Be clear on why this matters to your business
- Engage with outside agencies to understand the issue
- Back up words with actions.
It’s a fascinating perspective flip where instead of the brand you might have spent decades cultivating, each employee now has the potential to represent trust and credibility for your organisation. Don’t make the mistake of using employee activism as a box ticking exercise — engage, understand and evolve your culture around what really matters.
