Why more workers want companies to keep quiet when it comes to current events and toxic social issues
Fewer people want their employers and businesses in general to speak publicly about current events — a reversal from just a few years ago. It comes amid heightened political tension in the U.S. with a looming presidential election and worsening polarization.
Some 38% of U.S. adults think businesses should speak publicly on current events, a drop from 48% in 2022, according to a survey from Gallup conducted this spring among nearly 6,000 respondents.
“It’s not that we don’t want corporations to do the right thing or to take the right stance, but I think people are just getting a little fatigued from hearing about politics in every single aspect of their life,” said Sam Caplan, vp of social impact at Submittable, a social impact platform.
Corporations historically have remained quiet on current events — until a major shift in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd and subsequent protests and racial justice movement. After the reversal of Roe V. Wade in 2022, many took public stances and even extended benefits to workers living in states where abortion became outlawed.
Now the pendulum appears to be swinging backwards. “They’re in this really kind of odd position where they have to be super careful now about how they talk about the work that they’re doing,” Caplan said.
But it’s important to note that those in the survey don’t feel the same way about all current events. Over half of respondents said they still want to hear from businesses on climate change, mental health and diversity, equity and inclusion — or topics more related to corporate responsibility.
Far fewer said they want businesses to chime in on key issues during this presidential election cycle — like gun laws, immigration, international conflicts, abortion and the candidates themselves.
DEI in particular has come under fire more recently following the reversal of affirmative action, with employers scrambling on how to move forward with their own programs. New legal risks are a concern with more lawsuits claiming reserved discrimination or targeting other diversity hiring and training initiatives in workplaces.
“We live in a hyperpolarized climate, and I don’t think a lot of organizations feel equipped to have meaningful, nuanced and robust conversations around topics like these,” said Daniel Oppong founder of the Courage Collective, a DEI-focused consultancy that shaped programs at companies like REI, HP, Nissan and General Mills.
“And so because of that, I don’t know that people have experienced having these dialogues in a way that feels healthy and connected and that leads to a greater sense of togetherness. I think most people experience these conversations in a way that only leads to further division.”
Oppong said this dynamic is cyclical, and the best approach is for companies to actually live up to their values by investing in and developing strong programs long-term rather than responding to current trends. He gives Ben and Jerry’s as an example – a company with a history of social activism that helps define its employment brand.
Companies can also live their values by giving employees more choice around the individual causes they wish to support. That may look like giving more volunteer paid time off or doing corporate matching for charity donations, Caplan said.
“I think companies go through these cyclical waves relatively often and so I think it comes down to what are your core values and how are you living those, instead of just being swayed so much by public pressure and public opinion,” Oppong said.