Why business leaders should prepare for grievance politics in the workplace

Discontent has surged across U.S. society, largely defined the last three presidential elections, and now appears set to challenge business owners in the workplace. The rising sense of grievance expressed across all demographic groups has reached new highs, according to a new survey, with both companies and their CEOs suffering some of the biggest drops in trust among respondents.

The rising tide of acrimony and accusation recorded in the 25^th Annual Edelman Trust Barometer shouldn’t be too surprising for anyone who followed the November election campaigns—or who just listens to conversations in the office and shop floor. Whether it was Democrats warning of a “fascist” threat to democracy or Republicans complaining about “woke” reverse discrimination, the expression of victimized resentment has grown ever louder within American discourse in recent years. And it doesn’t just apply to politics. Nearly 60 percent of U.S. respondents to the new Edelman poll reported their “sense of grievance against business, government, and the rich is moderate or higher than before, which is generating some worrying consequences.

The U.S. figure is only slightly below the average 61% grievance expressed by the 33,000 people Edelman questioned in its global survey. The key drivers of that sentiment were perceptions that companies and governments make decisions that negatively affect most people while only serving a select few.

That figured into the wider prevailing view that political and economic systems are structured to favor the rich—who were said to grow wealthier from those arrangements all the time. Not surprisingly, that resulting distrust of governments, businesses, and media was expressed in larger numbers by lower and modest-earning people than affluent participants.

Meanwhile, nearly two-thirds of respondents said the threat of discrimination has increased since 2024, including 14% more whites in the U.S. expressing that view compared to last year—the largest increase the poll recorded. Fears of job losses were also higher in the 2025 survey, with 62% of global participants citing artificial intelligence (AI) and globalization as top threats.

Only a third of worldwide participants thought the situation would be better for following generations, with just 20% believing the once prevalent belief that things would continue improving in the future.

Those varied sources of disgruntlement—and feelings of injustice—were linked to the survey’s most disturbing finding. Fully 40% of people said they approved of “of hostile activism to drive change.” That included attacking people online, intentionally spreading disinformation, threatening or committing violence, and damaging public or private property” if that served to attain a desired outcome.

That belief was highest among people aged 18 to 34 at 53%, with 41% of those in the 35-to-54-year bracket also agreeing. That represents a large percentage of society now thinking those means justify the ends they seek—a sentiment made clear following the murder last month of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Much of that may sound characteristic of the domestic and international political conflicts that led to the 2021 storming of Congress or countless protests of the violence between Israel and Palestinians. But the wider atmosphere of rising grievance in which those occurred has now become a concern that business owners need to prepare for—and be able to respond to if it arises in their workplaces.

Should that happen, it may make difficulties adjusting to the reportedly challenging attitudes of many Gen Z employees seem quaint.

The reason: With both views of business competence and ethics plunging to below 50% between 2020 and 2025, the increasing groan of grievance may grow louder and more defiant over time, possibly aired directly at company managers and owners. That’s why leaders need to prepare for the eventuality.

“(People) with a higher sense of grievance are more likely to believe that business is not doing enough to address societal issues,” the Edelman report said. “To navigate these expectations, understand where you have obligations, act on behalf of your stakeholders, and advocate for your organization.”

That margin for companies to respond positively to what may outwardly seem to be social complaints is created by a contradiction in the survey’s findings. While it established that trust in business has continued to drop—while grievances significantly increase—that rising unhappiness also reflects expectations for companies do something to resolve the problems employees see as sources of discontent.

For example, grievance levels were particularly high regarding companies “not going far enough to address” issues like climate change, cost of living affordability, discrimination, and retraining as jobs come under threat from AI and other tech. At the same time, while distrust in all CEOs increased, it was limited when participants were asked about their own bosses.

Still, as Edelman CEO Richard Edelman points out, that rising volume of grievance is increasingly likely to be voiced in the workplace as it spreads. When it does, companies and managers will need to be ready to offer positive responses—awaiting the necessary remedial actions from other social, economic, and governmental institutions also being held responsible.

“Business is facing backlash from those opposing its role as a catalyst for societal change,” said Edelman. “Moving back from a grievance-based society will require a cross-institution effort to address issues like information integrity, affordability, sustainability, and the future of AI.”

According to the survey’s analysis, that can only come from business, government, media, and NGOs addressing the core causes behind rising grievances, with reactions that nurture broad-based “trust, growth, and prosperity.”

— By Bruce Crumley

This article originally appeared on Fast Company‘s sister publication, Inc.

Inc. is the voice of the American entrepreneur. We inspire, inform, and document the most fascinating people in business: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters that represent the most dynamic force in the American economy.

View the full article