Bloomberg put out an interesting story today on how employees in some firms are taking a firm stand against President Donald Trump and urging executives to cut ties with this administration. What is interesting in this story is how it reflects the growing influence of white-collared employees in corporate policy. Most white-collared workers in America are not unionized and typically do not take a public stand on their employer’s policies. But signed petitions in companies like IBM and Cleveland Clinic, protests in Uber and opposition to a presidential visit in Harley-Davidson clearly show a shift towards a more active employee engagement that appears to have never been experienced in corporate America.
This may be a watershed moment for employee relations. If employees are openly petitioning their employers to cut ties with POTUS, employees may one day take on broader issues such as climate change. Employees could unite to push their employers to take a stand on global warming and hold them accountable for it. Corporate America may see this as a risk, I see it as an opportunity worth harnessing. Workers of the world unite for a common good.
Risk Spotlight 