The next generation of workers expects companies to take a stance on social issues, and a new Glassdoor survey of over 400 professionals shows just how much they’re willing to speak up themselves.
When asked, “How do you respond when workplace rules clash with your personal values?,” a staggering 74% of workers on Glassdoor Community said they either voice their concerns (40%) or consider leaving (34%).
Why it matters: With a new administration comes new rules and regulations in the workplace. An evolving legal and regulatory landscape could leave workers with a dilemma of having to choose between professional obligations and personal beliefs, creating new tensions, particularly in industries like healthcare, education, and tech. Some workers are using Community platforms to offer advice to others.
Some of the changes with potential worker impact that have been announced between Jan. 20 - Feb. 20 include:
- Modified provisions of long-standing equal employment opportunity regulations
Worker impact: Changes in how workplace complaints are processed and how companies implement diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.
- Revisions of AI oversight guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Department of Labor (DOL)
Worker impact: Differences in how AI tools are used in recruitment, performance evaluation, and other workplace processes while new standards are being developed.
- Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) program adjustments
Worker impact: A significant hike in costs and changes in benefits across available plans for federal employees.
What it means: This highlights a significant contrast across generations when it comes to how workers vocalize their viewpoints in the workplace. A Business Insider conversation with Hady Mendez, a former head of equity at a major tech company, magnified that Gen X has traditionally been afraid to speak up about concerns in the workplace for fear of damaging their careers or getting fired, preferring to "fly below the radar" and focus on finding common ground rather than having difficult conversations.
In contrast, respondents who participated in the poll expressed levels of discomfort that helped them determine when to speak up, keep quiet, or leave.
A new view: This generational shift to speaking up more at work has the potential to create more authentic, supportive, and psychologically safe company cultures for employees in the future. While this provides opportunities for professionals to speak up, it could also create challenges for employers to create more of a feedback loop for open dialogue. The silent employee is becoming a thing of the past, and as new regulations take effect, workers are likely to become more vocal.