Employee Activism: Embracing New Ideas Can Benefit Business for all the Right Reasons
While many organizations may have had inclusion and diversity initiatives in place for years, the recent #BlackLivesMatter protests, Supreme Court gay rights ruling and growing consensus on climate change present an opportunity to reevaluate the scope of current programs, consider how they might be more effective and reconfirm (or even recalibrate) corporate values. Now is the time for leaders to step forward and shine.
It should be no surprise by now that, according to a report from global communications and marketing firm Weber Shandwick, the majority of U.S. employees, especially Millennials, believe they have the right to speak up about issues that impact society. Additionally, they expect that their employers (as well as the businesses they spend money with) be thoughtful corporate citizens regarding people, communities, society and the economy.
Industry analyst and researcher Josh Bersin reminds leaders that inclusion and diversity programs also serve as a business strategy and that, “Companies that embrace diversity and inclusion in all aspects of their business statistically outperform their peers.”
The secret to that success is found in the top metric considerations in assessing the success of their diversity and inclusion efforts. According to Forbes Insights, 60% of surveyed companies measure:
employee productivity (77%)
employee morale (67%)
employee turnover (58%)
Before organizations dive headfirst into this latest groundswell of activism, they should pause to consider the nuances of diversity and inclusion — and how employee expectations about their already-in-place initiatives and policies may have changed. Affinity groups launched to appeal to, for example, women’s issues, multi-cultural sensibilities, LGBTQ+ employees and their allies, or young professionals may no longer be as relevant as the times demand.
Diversity and inclusion: Intertwined but different
Corporate Inclusion and diversity initiatives may be promoted under the same umbrella — I & D, seamlessly folded into a sea of corporate acronyms — but research shows that recognizing the difference between the two terms can be the first step taken by organizations to create a culture more representative of their workforce.
Diversity encompasses a broad range of demographics. Gallup specifies them as race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, socio-economic status or physical disability. They also note that many companies “consider lifestyles, personality characteristics, perspectives, opinions, family composition, education level or tenure elements of diversity, too.”
Inclusion speaks to a feeling of belonging, specifically feeling “valued, respected, accepted and encouraged to fully participate in the organization.” Without workplace inclusion, however, the representation that diversity promises is simply window dressing. As the Harvard Business Review article "Diversity Doesn't Stick Without Inclusion" notes: “Without inclusion … the crucial connections that attract diverse talent, encourage their participation, foster innovation, and lead to business growth won't happen."
Understanding bias and changing mindsets
The moment is here. Attention must be paid — anew or finally, for the first time, if that is the case. Smart organizations will rethink their current I & D programs, or start one if they haven’t already. SHRM recommends asking the following questions to begin sussing out and addressing unconscious or overt bias and policies that affect diversity:
Do referral programs throw up unintended barriers to diversity if employees tend to refer candidates like themselves (e.g. same race, religion, nationality)?
Does the company culture skew primarily one way or the other? Is it homogenous in regard to certain viewpoints or traditions? Does that send a non-inclusive message?
Is appropriate action taken when employees, supervisors or managers do not respect other’s opinions or differences? Is structured training across the company needed?
Are all employees activists now?
No, but four in ten American workers consider themselves activists, according to research.
The first half of this year has brought a tsunami of challenges for citizens and corporations alike. So employers should be prepared to expand the conversation beyond diversity and inclusion to what corporate responsibility entails in an increasingly inter-connected world. As leaders consider their approach to more and more employee activism and input they might consider these SHRM suggestions:
Understand that activism can be a positive force that ultimately enhances your business and reputation. Embrace it.
Communicate your corporate purpose, values and culture clearly — internally and externally. Does it need updating? Do it.
Listen to your employees and engage them in the process.
Cultivate a culture of openness and transparency by giving employees a means to communicate their concerns to leadership.
Connect company values to a solution. Paid time off for employee volunteer activities or corporate matches to charities of their choice might be a good place to start.
Communication is crucial to everything
If organizations find that employee engagement needs a boost, embracing the activism and ideas their own workforce is passionate about can be an ideal launchpad. Do their causes align with company values? Taking the issues seriously and then taking the time and effort to determine where the alignment lies requires thoughtful planning — and good communication every step of the way. Incorporating the causes of equality, diversity matched with inclusion, and good stewardship of the planet’s resources and its people can be a win for everyone.
Companies taking these concerns seriously may discover new markets because of more diverse employee perspectives and skills and ultimately establish themselves as a preferred employer. For leaders with vision, protests — and the new paths they reveal — can become a positive tool for recruitment.
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