A report on Thursday revealed that technology has ranked as the top societal issue demanding business action in India.
The report was released under Atlassian Corporation which commissioned its ‘Return on Action’ research in India, examining the impact of the business activities while tackling pressing social and environmental issues.
The research in collaboration with PwC Australia in support of PwC India, said, 97 per cent of experienced workers expect action from businesses on issues related to the environment, health and wellbeing, the economy, technology, human rights, and equality. While 82 per cent believed businesses should stay concerned with their social impact as they are with their financial performance.
Furthermore, it underlined the involvement of high risks when an employer’s actions don’t align with the values held by their employees.
50 per cent of the knowledge workers either quit their job or start looking for employment elsewhere as a result of value misalignment. This practice is observed in an increase of 51 per cent amongst the millennials, the core workforce. Subsequently, 53 per cent of the experienced women workers are also more likely to admit the pressure by their employer to support causes they don’t believe in, the report said.
It also underlined losing staff causes a negative impact on workplace culture, performance, and risks organisational reputation if the employer and employees’ values do not align. The report added that nearly 49 per cent are discontent with their colleagues and over 34 per cent with people outside of their organisation. It further marked 43 per cent as the estimated “disengaged” at work.
Meanwhile, despite the current challenging economic environment, the study revealed discontent manifests differently across genders, with men more likely to discuss their grievances with colleagues, while women are more likely to consider an alternative job role with lower pay and fewer benefits.
Jessica Hyman, Head of Sustainability, Atlassian said, “Our inaugural ‘Return on Action’ research in India sends a clear message to businesses that speaking up and acting on social and environmental issues is non-negotiable. It’s no longer a decision on whether to act, it’s a matter of how.”
“But before making that leap, the research highlights the crucial need for businesses to consult with their employees from the outset, with over three-quarters (83 per cent) of knowledge workers wanting to have a say in the societal issues their employer acts on. From here, businesses must determine their approach in a way that aligns with employee values and business strategy,” she added.
