Employee Activism Is On The Rise: Here’s What Businesses Need To Know

Millennials and their rising counterpart Gen Z are quickly becoming the most socially aware and active generations in recent memory. They are more likely to look at their purpose as both people and employees to be improving society for the better over direct personal gain.

This has led to a sweeping change in how employees engage with their workplace and employers. In a study conducted by CONE in 2016, a whopping 75% of millennial workers said they would take a pay cut to work for a socially conscious company vs. one that did not take clear social responsibility.

This study found that 89% also wanted to take an active role in helping their company improve their responsible business practices through feedback, ideas, and potential solutions. They also expected their employers to provide hands-on activities surrounding environmental responsibilities in the workforce.

This means that for employers to attract top talent and continue to engage with their existing workforce, they need to be aware of their social impact and the causes that are most important to their employees.

Here are some ways that businesses can shift their work culture to be more socially conscious and work with the culture of employee activism instead of against it:

Implement Diverse Volunteer Opportunities

While many companies may already have volunteer opportunities in place, these are often limited to only select company-wide days of service for one or two causes. Many millennial workers crave more ways to get involved with their volunteer work, so by expanding your volunteer opportunities to include after-hours opportunities or even paid service leaves, you can harness the passion of your employees while expanding your social capital for your brand.  

Bolster Your Corporate Social Responsibility Efforts

One of the key decision-making factors that Millennials focus on when deciding whether to join or stay with a company is how seriously that business takes its corporate social responsibility. Companies that are transparent about their actions to improve their social responsibility and positive impact on their communities are far more likely to attract top Millennial talent and engage with their current workforce.

Not to mention, taking actions to benefit the community that surrounds your business has measurable social and economic benefits long-term, which would allow your business to take an active role in building a better future.

Take an Active Role in Environmental Protection Efforts

Climate change is one of the top concerns of Millennials, and for a good reason. It is one of the most pressing issues facing society and can have huge social, economic, and environmental consequences if every individual and business doesn't do their part to help stop the damage being done and begin to repair what's already happened.

By taking an active role in reducing emissions and implementing programs where employees can take an active role in environmentally-focused programs, you help satisfy your employees' need to get involved while doing your part in helping build a sustainable future for the planet.

These are only a few examples of what you can do to engage with your increasingly passionate workforce and use their activism to help your business grow and evolve to take a more active role in the most pressing issues facing our society today, ultimately benefitting everyone.

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