Think labor unions are a thing of the past? Think again. Many in our new generation of workers romanticize the notion of collective bargaining, while the generation of newly ascending C-suite leaders has little to no recollection of labor movements past (for better or worse). It's a recipe of contrasts, as organizers are getting smarter and rethinking the value proposition of being "represented." A contingent workforce that initially valued flexibility now seeks the security of medical benefits, job protections and a weekly paycheck. Many organizational leaders, unaware of how labor unions can impact day-to-day business and culture, often miss the symptoms of a vulnerable/susceptible workforce. And many younger workers, with limited firsthand knowledge of union environments, are inclined to believe that unions can help them.
Collective bargaining lost much of its momentum in the 80s and 90s as unemployment numbers dwindled and companies paid attention to building stronger cultures. Laws advocating for equal treatment and fair labor practices proliferated. Improving the quality of the workplace became a priority; leaders became more attuned to building practices that reduced turnover and preserved talent. But work is changing, and one example is the gig economy. In a place where work is being reimagined every day and paychecks are unsteady, unions are seeing an opportunity to re-emerge. They are also refocusing their messages to reflect the values of a new generation.
According to the Center for Economic and Policy Research, the majority of all new union members are 35 or younger. As mentioned, many have very limited firsthand knowledge of union environments, yet they are inclined to believe that unions can help them. A study by the Department for Professional Employees of the AFL-CIO revealed that young professionals, more than their older cohorts, seek work-life balance, opportunities to advance and harmonious workplaces. They often find the concept of collective bargaining attractive as a way of elevating and codifying ideals like social justice and equality in the workplace.
A Glassdoor/Harris Poll survey revealed that 75% of millennials expect their employers to take a stand on important social issues, advocating for topics they care about. This call to action is a present-day take on being represented — companies have a unique opportunity to leverage the voices of a workforce unified in calling for fair labor practices and social justice.
Business, like life, is a story of pendulums. Do things too liberally, and eventually, there will be a call for more order and structure. Inflict too much process, and the call will be for experimentation and innovation. Workplaces have largely forgotten what inspired organizing drives in the past and have increasingly taken their eye off the ball. Historically, an organizing drive often suggested that something about your culture had failed. Lack of attention to income disparities, blurred lines around nonexempt guidelines, unclear reasoning around who got promoted — all contributed to making an organization susceptible. These things may still make organizations vulnerable today.
Representation is no longer relegated to hourly workers and laborers. According to the Boston Globe, "Millennials and professionals are bringing new energy to the movement, especially in New England, where more than half of union members are doctors, lawyers, teachers, architects, and other white-collar employees."
Writers, editors and staff recently unionized at the venerable The New Yorker, as has the staff at Kickstarter and a group of contract workers at Google. Tech employees are showing a surge of employee activism, making the climate right, in many instances, for an organizing drive to succeed.
Unions are not a panacea. Once embedded in a work environment, they can become the intermediary between the leadership and staff, sometimes dramatically changing the culture. Their often-unwavering interpretation of their contractual agreement can impact innovation. Mandates for adherence to job descriptions can make collaboration more challenging, and trying your hand at something new? Far less likely. Unions often take the position that they are protecting workers' jobs, but in some cases, that has also come to mean that jobs (and work practices) that have become obsolete are slower to transition out.
To be sure, unions may still have a place in some of today's work environments. Unions can be the great re-regulators for employers who do not pay close attention to creating safe, reasonable working conditions, whose compensation practices are disparate or whose rules are uneven. For employees who cannot have a voice or affect change without an intermediary, unions may be the answer. But their value may be less clear in cultures that are employee-centric, where the benefits are generous and leadership attentive.
Organizing efforts are like warnings across the bow; take stock before they happen, and know that next to its deliverables, an organization's culture is its most important identity. To ensure the health of yours:
• Invest in employee development. Teach your managers how to manage. Coaching, training, feedback and mentorship are key to sustaining capable, emotionally intelligent leaders and contributors.
• Make diversity mean something. It is not enough to bring diverse candidates into your company. Make inclusion and equity part of your value system and culture and vigorously and continuously measure your success.
• Communicate often and well. Create town halls. Be accessible. Employees want to feel invested in your brand, your mission or your outcomes. The more they feel like they have a stake in your company's future, the more likely they are to want to participate in ensuring its success.
• Hold people accountable. Agreements and commitments are important. Make accountability matter; create consequences for letting others down. Recognize and celebrate examples of living the values of your culture.
• Be transparent. Always tell the truth. Period.
• Give your employees opportunities to do good. Be part of a growing cohort of organizations that have made "giving back" a core value proposition. Some companies are also adding "opportunities for social justice" to their benefits briefs.
Just as the nature of work is changing, so must the work of leadership. Pay attention to your culture and nurture it so an outside entity will never have to.
