Matt Judd
We crossed a Rubicon a few years back. What year? I can’t really say. Maybe it happened gradually. Maybe it just happened all at once, while we were watching Australian Married At First Sight, or British Big Brother or something equally voyeuristic and empty. But we changed from a world where it was important to do the right thing to a world where it was more important to not be caught doing the wrong thing. Where we swapped old fashioned values for new progressive ideals, whatever they are. Everything was captured on our pocket devices, suitably enhanced with filters, then recorded forever on our timelines for the world to see and pass judgement.
This has now transferred to our corporates. They are also living in this new world. But there is a malignancy in this world. A small issue for a few, or even one, disaffected customer or even an internal employee, can start a chain reaction on social media that can metastasize into a tumour that can be harmful or deadly for the company’s reputation or share price. Corporates retain HR and PR departments to ensure they are diverse enough, equitable enough and keeping ahead of social trends.
Some of our oldest and biggest firms are now totally given over to the new age. These departments are filled with otherwise unemployable psychology and communications graduates from Waikato University and they’re hunting for employees that tick boxes, won’t rock the boat or cause issues for the company and enhance company image without causing stress for executives.
Air New Zealand revels in its Rainbow Tick of approval;
They and other firms are embracing Te Reo, as good for business no doubt, and promoting tikanga in their community;
Diversity needs some work, says Deloitte:
https://itbrief.co.nz/story/unacceptably-slow-diversity-progress-within-company-boards-deloitte
So is this the new normal? Do we work in an environment that is more concerned with your ability to project a good image than your ability to do a good job? Practically, how does this manifest in New Zealand in 2022? Let’s have a look.
When we are confronted with a pandemic that exists more in the media and politics than actually in real life, and fear is trending, how do our biggest companies react? Do they do the right thing or some other thing? What happens when illogical mask mandates, or tracing apps and social distancing, become de rigueur? Well we know now, they put their finger in the air and see which way the wind is blowing, and make sure they are seen to be doing the right thing, science be damned. And mandates? Here are some of New Zealand’s biggest corporations;
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/covid-19/460721/mainfreight-nz-mandates-covid-19-vaccine-for-staff
Air New Zealand also mandates international passengers to be vaccinated.
The science behind vaccines was always pretty tenuous, even during the Delta outbreak. Now with Omicron, there is no relationship between vaccines, boosters and any positive health outcomes. Transmission, infection, symptoms and hospitalisations; nothing!
Mandates are not scientific and they were never ethical because they were coerced and forced, plain and simple.
Ethics never crossed the hive mind of the executive suite and don’t usually anyway. But this is a new low. All workplace safety is implemented in favour of protection against a fairly mild virus but without consideration of a fairly toxic medication. Scientific advice is taken from relatively ancient medsafe documentation that has been irrelevant for eight months.
What should we expect? Companies are moving with the tide. There is no corporate spine to stand for traditional values, to support staff to make their own health decisions or to make decisions that risk offending the woke online mob. There is no stomach for any conflict, internal or external, for fear of the dreaded cancellation.
The enemy is legion with time on his or her or their or zey’s hands, and difference of opinion or critical thinking is too much spice. The new normal is bleached, boiled, mashed and served without sauce or seasoning. Eat up.