Dave Chappelle’s recent Netflix comedy special, The Closer, has created controversy, hurt feelings and protests. Around 100 people demonstrated outside of Netflix’s headquarters, accusing the comedian and the streaming service of allowing offensive and insensitive transphobic content, which could result in adverse consequences. Netflix initially stood by Chappelle, by pushing back on those who complained, but later changed its viewpoint.
Netflix employees and transgender activists called for the company to be more sensitive, hire trans and non-binary talent and enact policies and procedures to ensure that future productions won’t contain “hate speech.”
This is the most recent instance of a growing movement of activist workers. Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers in the workforce largely didn’t think of bringing up social and political issues in the office.
Our collective mindset has dramatically changed. Millennials and Gen-Z employees look at work differently compared to their older colleagues. The younger workers seek out jobs and careers that offer meaning and a sense of purpose. They want to work for a company that shares their values and societal outlook. If they feel that their leadership is involved with business matters that are antithetical to their core beliefs, this cohort is quick to voice their strong objections.
Blind, an anonymous professional social network platform, conducted a survey of over 4,800 verified professionals at Netflix and other employers in the United States from October 14 to October 19, including the time period involving the comedy special imbroglio.
About 25% of Netflix professionals responded that they had “recently helped organize or previously participated in an employee walkout” or “sickout” at their company. Netflix had the most employees saying they had engaged in this type of activism in the last year and a half.
Here are some of the other highlights:
“I believe there is a place for activism in the workplace.”
- 40% agreed v. 60% disagreed (overall: 4,870 respondents)
- Results by company (top 26 company respondents)
“I have seen, shared or participated in an internal employee petition at my company in the last year and a half.”
- 17% agreed v. 83% disagreed (overall)
- Results by company
“I have seen, shared or contributed to crowdsourced spreadsheets listing pay by job level, gender or ethnic identity at my company in the last year and a half.”
- 24% agreed v. 76% disagreed (overall)
- Results by company
“I have seen, helped organize or participated in an employee walkout or sickout at my company in the last year and a half.”
- 5% agreed v. 95% disagreed (overall)
- Results by company
It’s interesting to note that a significant percentage of the respondents are not proponents of activism in the workplace. This leaves a vocal minority of people calling for protests, walkouts and other actions.
The results are inconsistent with a survey conducted by Gartner, a research and advisory company. The organization conducted a survey of 3,000 employees “regarding social issues in the workplace.” The survey found that roughly “three-quarters of employees expect their employer to take a stance on current societal or cultural issues, even if those issues have nothing to do with their employer.” With the killing of George Floyd and other related events, Gartner reported, “Demands have only become more urgent during recent protests demanding social equity and justice.”
The survey showed that “68% of employees would consider quitting their current job and working with an organization with a stronger viewpoint on the social issues that matter most to them.” It turns out that “employees whose employer has taken a strong stance on current societal and cultural issues are twice as likely to report high job satisfaction.”
Online retailer Wayfair exemplified this trend. Under President Donald Trump’s administration, Wayfair workers were outraged over the furniture retailer’s decision to sell about $200,000 of bedroom furniture to a government contractor that operates immigration detention centers on the U.S. and Mexico border. Wayfair CEO Niraj Shah refused to comply with the workers’ demand to cancel the sales. Not accepting Shah’s perspective, employees protested by staging a walkout.
Tech behemoths Facebook and Google had to enact policies and procedures to deal with heated conversations on their respective internal message boards. In a Q&A discussion with employees, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that the company will update policies to prevent clashes over potentially divisive hot topics, such as politics, racial justice and the Covid-19 pandemic, on the company’s message board.
Both the social media company and search engine giant noticed that the debates over politically charged matters took employees away from their jobs and work responsibilities. Google told its employees that the rules state, “While sharing information and ideas with colleagues helps build community, disrupting the workday to have a raging debate over politics or the latest news story does not.” The company’s guidelines also indicate, “Our primary responsibility is to do the work we’ve each been hired to do, not to spend working time on debates about non-work topics.”
Brian Armstrong, the CEO of Silicon Valley-based cryptocurrency exchange and broker Coinbase, told his employees that he won’t stand for politics and the championing of social issues at the office.
Armstrong bluntly said that he’d gladly offer severance packages to employees who aren’t comfortable with the new corporate policy of “political neutrality” in the workplace. The chief executive wrote in a letter to employees, “Life is too short to work at a company that you aren’t excited about. Hopefully, this package helps create a win-win outcome for those who choose to opt out.”
A small group of Google employees felt that the company did not do enough for social causes. They decided to form the Alphabet (the parent company of Google) Workers Union. Whereas traditional unions utilize their collective bargaining strength to negotiate higher salaries, better health benefits and pensions, this new union is focused on social issues. It calls for workers to join the union and “fight the systems of oppression that persist to this day.” The union envisions, “All aspects of our work must be transparent, and we must have the freedom to choose which projects benefit from our labor.”
Blind contends that the activism trend will continue to accelerate. As greater numbers of people work from home remotely or in a hybrid model, they’ll have the freedom to pursue activism. If you’re in an office under the glare of a supervisor and nosy co-workers, it’s hard to bolt out to attend a protest or organize a walkout without getting noticed.
The anonymous venting site concludes, “The Covid-19 pandemic, coupled with the wide availability of workplace collaboration software and other tools online, has made it easier for professionals to rally against perceived injustices by their employers. Employers can expect more employees to organize beyond the tactics of walkouts or coordinated use of paid time-off or sick leave if the last year and a half is any indication.”
While everyone has the right to fight for the causes they are passionate about, there are issues you need to consider before you take action. If you are a vocal advocate for an issue, it’s likely that roughly half of the workforce and management may hold an opposing viewpoint.
When hiring managers or supervisors check out your social media postings and see the causes you champion, the agendas could be in direct conflict with their own deeply held personal views. This could result in your résumé “getting lost,” not getting a raise, promotion or bonus. You might also feel a sudden shift in how you’re treated by the boss. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t stand up for causes. You need to keep in mind that there could be a backlash to your job search and career. Conversely, if your political and social causes resonate with leadership at your company, it could potentially help your career.
Source: Forbes
