28th March 2022
Guest Blog: Employee Activism, The Great Resignation, and HR
Employee activism is a rising trend in many workplaces. As human resources teams face the Great Resignation, a phenomenon in which millions of employees are quitting across the country, your team members have more leverage than ever — and they’re using it to push for company policies that align with their values.
Navigating employee activism as an HR rep can be tricky. You can’t necessarily give in to every demand, but responding too little or too late can drive even more employees to resign. In this article, we’ll explore HR’s role in responding to employee activism and how your decisions can influence the impact of the Great Resignation on your team.
Employee Activism Isn’t Black and White
It’s often a natural instinct for companies to react defensively when employee activism rises. However, it’s important for HR teams to understand that employee activism isn’t always black and white. When your employees dissent from the status quo, they’re usually seeking ways to improve the workplace or help their fellow team members, not aiming to tear your company apart. In this sense, the goals of activist employees are often aligned with the goals of HR.
Helping your team members turn your company — a place they believe in — into a supportive organization that aligns with their values is key to sustaining long-term loyalty. HR teams must recognize that many employees are simply seeking productive conversations, especially early into their activism. Employees will only be driven to quit if they no longer find potential in your company or no longer feel heard by HR. This may occur if your HR or leadership teams immediately shut down their requests.
Activism Is Part of Work-Life Balance
One of the biggest factors driving the Great Resignation is the lack of work-life balance within companies. Often encouraged by financial incentives or pressure from leadership, many people worked long hours well before the COVID-19 pandemic. Some employees even developed work addiction, leading them to ignore hobbies and relationships outside of work and ultimately resulting in burnout. More than ever, people are leaving their jobs in search of a healthy work-life balance.
Employee activism can be a positive sign. It shows that your employees are taking interest in broader social issues and taking ownership of their lives outside of work, which is key to building a productive workforce that isn’t prone to burnout.
When your HR team allows (or even encourages) workers to advocate for themselves, your employees are less likely to run rampant with their requests. Instead, many will feel supported and willing to work alongside you to build a balanced team, healthy company policies, and modern benefits packages.
Make Changes That Align With Your Values
While your HR team should always hear your employees out, you don’t have to give in to every employee’s demand. However, you should always be able to back up your decisions with your company values. While pushing back against a living wage may be detrimental for a company that claims to believe in employee care, it’s reasonable to stick with an existing, competitive PTO policy instead of switching to an unlimited PTO policy.
When you do make changes, they should be active, not passive. For example, if employees are fighting against policies that enable workplace discrimination, it’s important not to simply state that your company stands for diversity and inclusion. Instead, your HR team should implement culture-changing initiatives like inclusive employment policies or diversity and inclusion training. Employees increasingly want to work for companies that stand by their own beliefs, so slowing down the impact of the Great Resignation depends on your ability to act with purpose.
Foster Open Communication to Protect Your Reputation
When employees feel like their requests are constantly refuted or they don’t have an outlet to express their opinions, some will turn to public channels to share their thoughts. This can be incredibly damaging to your company’s reputation. Social media posts and news stories (true or untrue) can spread like wildfire, making it even more difficult to hire and retain employees during the Great Resignation.
Your HR team can build a bridge between employees and leadership teams by offering a channel for team members to voice their concerns. You can also commit to an open-door policy, so employees can come to your department whenever they need support. This way, employees won’t feel like they have no choice but to get the public on their side.
Build Stronger Teams With the Right Response
The Great Resignation has made it difficult for many HR teams to retain employees and hire new ones when team members leave. While employee activism may feel like a rising issue, it’s not necessarily the core driver of this nationwide trend. Rather, it’s the response from HR teams and company leaders that can make or break an employee’s work experience.
Being open and communicative with employees — and aligning all your decisions with your company values — is key to building a loyal workforce and protecting your company’s reputation in this trying time.