HR leaders set to cope with more employee activism in the new year
Between the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza, continued fallout from the U.S. election, and a range of other political and social conflicts, partisan tensions don’t show any sign of abating in the coming year, with employers likely to face continued pressure to address employee activism while maintaining harmony in the workplace.
With younger workers especially vocal about their political views and their expectations around corporate responsibility, HR leaders will have to strike a delicate balance between supporting employee engagement and managing any discord.
“Our current political climate seems more divisive than at any point in recent history,” said Laurie Cure, CEO of Innovative Connections, an executive coaching and HR services firm. “Organizations and leaders are working hard to balance a variety of issues in relation to the needs of both the organizations and their employees with the ultimate goal of supporting employees and ensuring they create a workplace that fosters respect, inclusion and well-being, even amid division and tension.”
The numbers tell the story: 83% of millennials consider it important for their employers to align with their own beliefs and values, while 9 in 10 Gen Z employees expect their workplace to act on social and environmental issues, according to the social impact platform Engage for Good. This, as three-quarters of Gen Z workers evaluate a potential employer’s community engagement and social impact before agreeing to go to work there.
Sam Caplan, vp at the social impact platform Submittable, advocates for a democratic approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs.
“It’s about creating a structure where employees have the autonomy to support the causes that matter most to them at both the individual and collective levels through giving, volunteering and other shared efforts,” he said. The shift away from top-down decision-making can guide companies aiming to channel employee activism constructively while minimizing workplace tensions, to his thinking.
Employers must set boundaries
With political passions running deep, organizations must also establish clear boundaries. The reasons are clear. Half of 1,000 workers surveyed in the U.S. said workplace political discussions hurt the work environment, according to a report from resume service provider ResumeHelp. Yet, just 8% of companies have policies regarding political expression in the workplace, per the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM).
Of 925 U.S. employees surveyed by Gartner in September, one in four said they had witnessed hostile behaviors between coworkers including offensive name-calling, actual arguments, or avoidance of each other due to political polarization. And inter-workplace tensions are expected to flare up again around the inauguration in January and future legislative and policy outcomes in the years to come.
HR leaders must plan for these anticipated “social and political flashpoints,” throughout 2025 and beyond, stressed Alex Kirss, senior principal in the Gartner HR practice. “HR leaders need to think about how they can repair some of the harm that might have been done [post-election] by establishing and maintaining a team culture centered on civility and mutual respect,” he said. “That’s not a one-off activity, that’s something you have to be continuously investing in.”
Cure stresses the importance of businesses developing and communicating clear policies, with employers being called on to answer a range of questions, among them: Are employees allowed to wear candidate attire or pins? What is allowed in terms of endorsements for political candidates or ballot initiatives? Can employees circulate petitions or demonstrate? What about fundraising?
To effectively manage employee activism while maintaining order, experts offer several recommendations for people managers, including:
Define your stance
Organizations must clarify their position on various issues and communicate this to their teams. “Get clear on where your organization falls on the continuum,” Cure advised. “Where will the company take a stand and where do you want to walk a fine line?” Such transparency is increasingly important as both employees and stakeholders scrutinize company practices and political donations.
Democratize social impact
Caplan recommended implementing CSR programs that give employees agency in choosing causes to support, an approach that can include virtual volunteering events and empowering employee resource groups (ERGs) to lead programming. Transparency about the impact of these efforts is crucial for maintaining engagement, he contends.
Establish clear guidelines
With workplace incivility a reality of today’s political and work cultures, companies must set explicit boundaries around employee political activities while ensuring compliance with workplace discrimination laws. Employer guidelines should address everything from politically themed attire to fundraising activities.
Support employee resource groups
ERGs can serve as valuable outlets for employees to organize around shared interests and concerns. “Employee resource groups are great ways for employees to self-organize and create support structures for things that are important to them,” Cure said. “They are highly empowering in an environment where employees might not feel a great deal of agency.”
The benefits of getting this balance right can be significant. According to Caplan, “When companies create successful CSR programs, they can expect higher employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention. Employees who feel empowered to contribute at work tend to be more engaged in their daily roles and more loyal to their company.”
That said, the stakes are just as high for getting it wrong. With current political tensions around issues like DEI, climate change, immigration and geopolitical conflicts, employers will need to be prepared to address such challenges thoughtfully and systematically as we enter a new year. And with HR in the driver’s seat, people managers once again find themselves facing potentially bumpy conditions ahead.