Managing Activism in the Workplace

By Kubair Shirazee

2020 was the year of protests that defined an uprising in social discontent, and a desire to challenge the status quo. From covid marches to #blacklivesmatter, people took to the streets in unprecedented numbers to make their voice heard.

And a National Intelligence Council study in November 2021 concluded that over the next two decades, populations in every region and in every type of political system are likely to demand more from their political and corporate leaders, potentially prompting those leaders to be more responsive and possibly accountable but also risking societal divisions, broader repression, and less coherent policies.

Just Stop Oil protests are covered monthly as activists disrupt traffic, Parliament and large scale events in order to get their voices heard. This year we have seen everyone from teachers and medical staff, to train drivers and postal workers take industrial action. And we now see weekly marches through London in reaction to the conflict in Israel and Gaza.

But how does this affect the business world and how do we allow voices to be heard while sustaining profitable business? Employees may be affected logistically by protests – late to work, unable to access/attend certain events, or it may be that they want time off to attend protests. With everyone from doctors and nurses to teachers and rail workers striking, the impact of activism is huge in 2023.

Logistical challenges should be the least of our concerns as most knowledge work can be conducted remotely these days. What is of huge concern is the environment and what it does to individuals, teams and communities – these past two years many of us have been spiralling and having to balance Life-Work-and What is happening to our society?!

As well as running agile consultancy firm Agilitea, I have built and sold three successful businesses, and experienced the people management that goes with this. I am both a CEO and an activist, and I believe strong and progressive leadership where opinions and activism are encouraged, can lead to greater employee satisfaction and even in turn greater commercial success. But it has to be managed effectively.

I have been an activist since my teens, a CEO from my late 20s, and I absolutely believe CEOs should encourage activism in the workplace, you just need to manage the environment you seed, and nurture with care.

I have marched against wars and regimes, laws and crimes. 2020 was a turning point and with #BlackLivesMatter came more social awareness and activism. This should be celebrated, the political apathy at the grass roots of the 2010s is finally waning and what we’re seeing is a more engaged populous, particularly the youth, for it is the world they shall inherit that’s been plundered for the past few decades at a rapid pace.

I encourage people/employees to voice their opinions through regular “freedom of speech” forums for staff to share, discuss, and moderate debate. This way, political conversations are a natural part of company culture rather than a surreptitious whisper network. This doesn’t mean debates should be confrontational; instead, it should be a celebration of differing opinions and an opportunity for learning and growth. This diversity of thought can not only create a more innovative environment, it can speed up the process of continuous improvement in individuals, teams, departments and organisations.

My values are transparent to my colleagues, peers, partners, employees, clients, and competitors, this means potential talent or customers can see it, inspect it and decide if they are aligned to your purpose, values, and principles as an organisation.

Activism means standing for, and creating awareness of, social justice. Be it in the organisation, in the community, or beyond our borders.

I believe it is better as a CEO to educate rather than regulate, so instead of implementing strict rules about discussing politics, I focus on fostering respectful, open-minded conversation in which employees can learn opposing views. At AgiliTea, and in the companies that employ us, we highlight the importance of understanding different perspectives, maintaining professionalism, and knowing when to agree to disagree. I find this leads to a happier and more open workplace, thus greater profitability and performance, and retention of staff.

Preventing Backlash

By making my own values and principles clear upfront we avoid any backlash from collaborators or clients. Some jobs I don’t take, and some prospective clients know I am not the right person for their organisation. By aligning on values and purpose from the get go we ensure we are and work with motivated individuals.

CEOs must encourage their shareholders and workforce to get on board if activism is to be embraced. We must do this by vocalising our values clearly.

There is a place for activism in the workforce and also management, but we must ensure it is employed within firm frameworks where every voice is heard and respected, and where it is not allowed to interfere with established cohesion between teams.