The Josh Bersin Company

Citizenship At Work: Dealing With Politics Inside and Outside The Company

Jun 1, 2024

This discussion dives into the concept of citizenship within companies and society. It emphasizes how individuals can foster a positive work environment amidst political changes. The impact of recent events on employee activism is explored, showing how neglecting feelings can hurt productivity. It also highlights the importance of open communication and diversity in navigating corporate politics. Ultimately, it argues for a proactive approach to resource allocation and decision-making, treating companies as microcosms of society.

22:05

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Quick takeaways

Emphasizing citizenship within companies fosters employee engagement, allowing for active participation in decision-making processes that enhance productivity and innovation.

Organizations must navigate external political issues carefully, promoting a culture of respect to maintain positive employee relations and morale during controversial discussions.

Deep dives

The Role of Political Systems

Political systems are essential for facilitating debate and negotiation regarding the resource allocation within a country or community. They are designed to handle diverse opinions and prevent conflicts by establishing a structure for decision-making. This system mirrors many corporate environments, where resource distribution decisions also need to be made amidst differing perspectives among stakeholders. By recognizing the aspirations of individuals, such as safety, prosperity, and a healthy environment, political and corporate systems alike strive to create a functional society.

Intro

5min

Navigating Employee Activism and Political Sensitivity in the Workplace

2min

Navigating Corporate Politics Through Citizenship

14min

Given this week’s political news, I wanted to share my thoughts on “Citizenship,” the way we as employees and individuals work together to help our company and our society make decisions the benefit everyone. We live in a world of shatteringly fast change, with two global wars, a rising sense of mistrust of political systems, and enormous changes to our working and family lives.

Despite all this change, and the difficult decisions we must make, there is a process for continuous improvement. And this process, which I label Citizenship, applies to our companies, our teams, as well as our cities, states, and societies. This podcast discusses this issue and is here to convince you that you, as an individual manager, employee, or leader, have an enormously important role in creating a positive, high-performing community in your company.

Citizenship: the character of an individual viewed as a member of society; behavior in terms of the duties, obligations, and functions of a citizen: e.g. an award for good citizenship. (Dictionary.com, based on Oxford English Dictionary.)

Sound Bites

“The reason we have political systems in the world is to find a way for individuals and businesses to legislate, debate, argue, and negotiate the resource allocation of a country, of a state, or a city.”
“A company is essentially a small society. We have to make decisions on how we allocate resources as well.”
“Citizenship to me is a really wonderful word because what it tends to mean is you as an individual, we as individuals have two fundamental roles in society.”

Keywords politics, citizenship, resource allocation, organizations, internal citizenship, diversity, financial performance, Workday, DEI, Starbucks, society, government

Additional Information

World-Class Diversity and Inclusion: Elevating Equity (Josh Bersin Academy Certificate Course)

The Voice of the Employee (Certificate Course)

Giving Voice to Values (Certificate Course)

Citizenship On The Rise: What This Means To Business and HR