Beware another uprising in 2020

Last year, Hong Kong’s anti-government protests dominated the headlines in Asia. But there were plenty of other uprisings across the world, and not just against governments.

Companies also saw staff rebel with Google being the most high-profile example. Microsoft and Amazon employees have also spoken out against bosses on ethical and political issues.

More rebellions could be on the cards this year as disgruntled employees speak out, aided by advances in technology and communications.

Kevin Campbell, Senior People Scientist at Culture Amp, said: ‘’I think there’s going to be an emphasis on the power and influence of loosely networked individuals even over organizations and nations.

‘’In society at large, decentralized, loosely networked groups have been instrumental in organizing the Hong Kong protests, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the Arab Spring’’.

In the business world, advances in communication technologies, the ability to work remotely, and the rise of the gig economy make freelance work and solo-preneurship more prevalent among knowledge workers.

While this trend has allowed employers to create agile workforces, it is making it harder for them to supervise staff both physically and online, specifically via social media.