November 05, 2019
November 05, 2019
Contributor: Jordan Bryan
Communications on societal issues can drive employee engagement if they focus on what matters to employees, are authentic and demonstrate value.
Deciding when and how to engage on social issues can be a minefield for corporations, but when a corporation has decided to communicate on a contentious issue, it’s critical to make sure employees respond positively to the strategy. Done right, these communications can pay significant dividends for employee engagement.
“To maximize the likelihood that employees will respond positively when you engage on societal issues, be clear on what issues matter to employees and craft appropriate and authentic messages,” says Richard A. DeLisi, VP, Advisory, Gartner.
Employees, especially through resource groups and other affinity networks, have become increasingly vocal in urging organizations to communicate on societal issues.
In a recent Gartner study of more than 30,000 people worldwide, 87% of employees said businesses should take a public position on societal issues relevant to their business. Seventy-four percent said businesses should take a position on issues even when they aren’t directly relevant to their business.
Another Gartner survey indicates that when corporations do take a stand, they can expect an increase in the number of employees who go above and beyond the call of duty at work. This discretionary effort is a key component of employee engagement.
The 1Q19 Gartner Global Labor Markets Survey revealed that 18% more employees showed high levels of discretionary effort at vocal employers than at companies that stayed silent. And 60% of employees reported improved engagement among peers after witnessing employer involvement in societal issues.
Read more: Global Levels of Discretionary Effort
But amid this pressure to engage, it’s important to be discerning:
Read more: Is It Time to Toss Out Your Old Employee Engagement Survey?
To drive a positive employee response, the first imperative is to be authentic. In Gartner’s study of the general population, stakeholders are:
Another key differentiator is showing the value of your contribution. Among the general population, people are 6.9 times more likely to respond positively if they perceive the company’s communications actually made a difference on the issue.
Early research on the employee-centric perspective suggests responses are similar to those of the general population, so stakeholders are likely to reward companies that are authentic and present evidence of how they support the societal issue — and are likely to punish companies whose message seems hollow.
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Recommended resources for Gartner clients*:
Navigating Employee Expectations: How Company Engagement in Contentious Issues Affects Performance
*Note that some documents may not be available to all Gartner clients.