Connect and Reflect: Module 7 (Submission 6)

1 Connect and Reflect: Module 7 (Submission 6) Mount Royal University COMM 4501-003: Roles and Practices in Contemporary Communications Amanda Williams November 25th, 2024 2 Connect and Reflect: Module 7 (Submission 6) How are rising levels of activism impacting workplace communication, and what strategies can managers use to respond effectively? As employees start speaking up more about important issues like social justice, equality and the environment, the communication in the workplace can be more open but also more challenging. Employees might have different views and opinions than the employers and all together might not know how to handle tough conversations on the topics. The article says that “Over half of the 1,500 employ- ees we surveyed said they usually or always speak up to influence organizational action on wider societal or environmental issues” (Reitz & Higgins, 2022, p. 62). This just goes to show that as people get more and more educated on what wrong is going on around the world and start to have opinions about it, it will obviously start to bring in these conversations and topics to work. In the past, many employers or head of companies would typically avoid talking about issues like these saying that their companies do not take sides but again as millennials like myself learn more about the issues of the world and start to build our own opinions, this can cause problems in work environments. The article talked about Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase who told his employees to focus only on the company's mission. About 60 employees ended up leaving because they could not ignore the issues that they felt were important (Reitz & Higgins, 2022). It just shows that employees are not willing to stay quiet if they think that their beliefs and opinions do not match with what their company stands for. The article also states that bosses need to “get more comfortable learning about — and taking positions on — issues that are beyond the traditional workplace boundaries” (Reitz & Higgins, 2022, p. 63). My mom is a grade 8 teacher and I remember last year she and some of her colleagues felt as if the school was not doing enough to promote diversity and inclusion. 3 They felt that the curriculum did not represent different cultures well enough, so a group of teachers decided to bring this up with the principle. After listening to their concerns, the principal agreed to create a committee to update the curriculum and make sure that it included more diverse perspectives. This helped the teachers feel heard and also helped the students learn about a wider range of cultures and also goes to show listening to employees' concerns can help create positive change. Employers or managers should be able to listen to their employees and create a place that makes their employees feel safe and comfortable talking about issues that matter to them. The article says, “You can’t delegate your listening responsibility to pulse surveys” (Reitz & Higgins, 2022, p. 65). Employers need to actually have conversations with its employees instead of just sending out boring surveys. It is also not good to say that your company does not care about big issues, instead it is better to be honest about why the company has not taken a stance yet. This way at least the employees are not left in the dark and do not start coming up with their own conclusions. What is the significance of craftivism as a form of activism, and how can you apply this knowledge to create a craftivist project that conveys a specific message related to your CSL project? Craftivism can be a way to help make the world a better place but by doing it in a small and quiet way. It shows that even small forms of craft and art can help get others attention during challenging times. Willow (2021) states that craftivism “can help people see the importance of their actions and understand their power as part of a larger collective, while also utilising a different approach to get those in power to listen” (para. 2). When people make something with their own hands putting in the time and effort to do so, it helps create a stronger emotional connection to the cause that they are supporting. This can also help to get the attention of others 4 and get them to participate as well. It is a way for regular individuals whether its kids, students or elderly to say that “I care”. Just like craftivists use their creativity to share important messages, I am using my creativity in my CSL project to promote PADS and their service dogs. Even though my promotional video is not a traditional craft, I still think that it is a creative way to spread awareness and encourage others to get involved with PADS. Like craftivists who use their hands to make something meaningful, I am using my skills in videography to tell a powerful story that can potentially help their company and make a difference. 5 References Reitz, M., & Higgins, J. (2022). Leading in an age of employee activism. MIT Sloan Management Review, 63(2), 1-7. https://librarysearch.mtroyal.ca/permalink/01MTROYAL_INST/1qa1aqk/ cdi_proquest_journals_2954921772 Willow, (2021, February 17). Craftivism explained: Gentle protest you can do at home. Ethical Unicorn. https://ethicalunicorn.com/2021/02/17/craftivism-explained-gentle-protest-you-can-do-at-home/