In the first piece of its kind in the pages of Harvard Business Review in over 30 years, Roundtable principals draw from learnings from the first year of the Roundtable to argue that the time has come for management to learn how to work with, rather than against, organized labor – and outline steps leaders can take to do just that.
Article / 06.13.2023
Business leaders today are confronting labor challenges of the greatest consequence. Because of inflation and the pandemic, workers feel less secure in their jobs and uncertain about whether they can afford a decent life—trends that have been mounting for decades. At the same time, they want more from their jobs: In addition to higher pay and dignified working conditions, they expect their employers to reflect their values. Thanks to social media, employees are able to communicate their expectations, experiences, and grievances in new ways. They can share privately with one another and widely with the public, in real time. They can connect with and enlist customers and other stakeholders as allies more easily than ever, making it harder for employers to suppress their voices. Given all these forces, it’s not surprising that a growing number of workers, across a wide range of industries and roles, are organizing.
About the Roundtable
The Aspen Business Roundtable on Organized Labor is a private network of CEOs, founders, investors, and other business leaders reinventing corporate America’s relationship with organized labor. Click here to learn more.
