The importance of maintaining a balance of power in companies
More and more companies and organisations of various kinds are choosing to operate in a way that promotes social justice, fairness and equality. This ranges from entities that already include these principles among their core values to those that are aware of the benefits of incorporating approaches that tend towards horizontalisation and democratisation into their internal processes. This can be seen more clearly in the case of social market entities, non-profit organisations, activist groups and some third sector organisations, whose specific aims already involve challenges and opportunities for social transformation, starting with the environments in which they operate. In the case of the Spanish economy, the corporate tradition is characterised by an undeniable structural and procedural rigidity in terms of the verticality of the hierarchies that sustain companies, mainly large ones. This rigidity has historically been a problem not only for the possibilities of innovation and expansion of companies but also for limiting the promotion of a broader and more diverse range of economic activities and the development of the people who work in them. The inability to actively participate in the development of business structures from different levels has created a corporate culture that is detrimental to the interests of the companies themselves and to society as a whole. Its consequences are very significant and determine working conditions. Often, as a result of this cultural heritage, what happens is that we assume and normalise a lack of deep understanding of the logic in which we are embedded as workers and of the structures of which we are a part. It is therefore not surprising that, when it comes to the workplace, we tend to resign ourselves to accepting the status quo rather than showing initiative to contribute to and participate in change. Possibilities for change offered by work environments The context in which we currently find ourselves is that of an increasingly fragmented and individualistic society, with a high rate of youth precariousness that has existed for decades, mired in temporary employment, having to gain experience by facing extremely limiting working conditions. The progressive tertiarisation of the Spanish economy in low value-added activities, together with the fact that the working classes have been blamed, while at the same time being subjected to cuts and adjustments due to bad economic decisions for which they were not responsible, have contributed to putting the life prospects of society as a whole at risk. The reality is that a large part of the population faces serious problems when it comes to achieving autonomy, accessing housing, becoming independent and achieving a minimum level of economic stability. We often see this situation justified by appealing to the ‘overqualification’ of young people, while at the same time, educational and training institutions continue to promote meritocracy and competitiveness as a gateway to the world of work, even though these will not be factors that will be used in their future careers. This discontent can also be seen in the decline in trade union membership, which is yet another sign of the mistrust that workers feel towards traditional mechanisms for bringing about change to improve their working conditions. All of this contributes to portraying the collective problem we are currently facing, a social fabric damaged by the progressive loss of channels for citizen participation in a context of crisis and necessary eco-social transition. Added to this is the fact that the types of companies that have been favouring the Spanish economy have archaic and obsolete organisational models in terms of sustainability, social justice and equality, resulting in working environments that are, to say the least, unattractive. That said, it is important to bear in mind that the workplace is still one of the most important spaces for socialisation in the lives of adults and, therefore, represents a key setting for carrying out conscious actions towards fairer and more sustainable development models. So much so that the logic and dynamics that take place in work contexts affect and have an impact on society as a whole. Furthermore, this area is not limited solely to salaried employment but encompasses any work carried out by organised individuals who share common principles, objectives and goals in which they invest daily effort. Conscious organisational culture Most organisations in which labour relations develop, including small and medium-sized enterprises, do not have to adhere to traditional logic or settle for aspiring to replicate hostile power structures that are often incompatible with self-care and shared responsibility. In this regard, many are already opting for operating models that prioritise conscious care for the people who dedicate their work to the organisation. In this sense, all organisations have the opportunity to improve their performance and influence social change through decisions made regarding their own functioning and structure. It is essential to pay special attention to the type of organisational culture that companies promote, being aware that this has a direct impact on people’s lives, as they are spaces for the individual and collective construction of meaning and, therefore, the construction of reality. It is not only a question of seeking consistency with the organisation’s values at all levels, but also of delving deeper into the specific needs for improvement in structures and procedures to ensure compliance with the commitment to equality, the free expression of abilities, the exchange of knowledge and the promotion of responsible participation and involvement. Attention to organisational culture consists of understanding how all of this contributes to the sustainability of the organisation, also from the point of view of business development. The incorporation of transformative practices in working relationships and the establishment of more horizontal structures with more democratic participation mechanisms will benefit the use and promotion of talent, which translates positively into both collective results and the individual development of its members. Preventing horizontality from translating into informality People who work in contexts that tend towards the horizontalisation and democratisation of internal processes often face specific organisational difficulties linked to power vacuums and informal decision-making spaces, which can be prevented by paying