{"id":28134,"date":"2025-11-05T13:19:28","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T19:19:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fleishmanhillard.com\/?p=28134"},"modified":"2025-11-05T14:35:57","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T20:35:57","slug":"fairness-in-the-age-of-rage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fleishmanhillard.com\/2025\/11\/fairness-in-the-age-of-rage\/","title":{"rendered":"In The Age of Rage, Fairness Is the Only Way Forward"},"content":{"rendered":"
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People are angry. We see it in the headlines, feel it in our client conversations and hear it from employees, customers, even friends. But the rage we\u2019re living through today isn\u2019t just a passing mood or a social media flare-up. It\u2019s something deeper, more personal and more dangerous \u2013 for leaders, for businesses, and for the social contract that underpins both.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n

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Discussing Fairness in the Age of Rage <\/em>at the PRovoke Global Summit (Left to Right, Rachel Catanach, Michael Maslansky, Kathryn Beiser, Doug McGraw and Chris Samuel).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
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This piece draws on new research from our partners at maslansky+partners<\/a>, led by Michael Maslansky (CEO) and Lee Carter (President and Partner), whose work on fairness and trust provides critical insight into today\u2019s volatile public mood. What their data makes clear is this: the old rules no longer apply. Good intentions are no longer enough. And if you think this is just another cycle of public discontent, you\u2019re missing the point and the opportunity.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n

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What\u2019s Really Fueling the Rage?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
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The rage we see today is not ideological. It\u2019s not just a backlash against politics, culture wars or pandemic-era disruption. It\u2019s personal. People don\u2019t just distrust institutions \u2013 they believe those institutions are actively working against them. Whether it’s government, media or business, the sentiment is the same: \u201cThe system is rigged, and I\u2019m the one paying for it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n

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In the maslansky+partners\u2019 research, more than 70% of people said they rarely or never trust companies to treat customers fairly. Over 60% believe most big companies purposely look for ways to take advantage of them. And some 80%, many of whom once said they want companies to support causes, now say what bothers them most is something more basic: hidden fees and fine print.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n

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The message couldn\u2019t be clearer. People aren\u2019t asking companies to take a stand on every issue. They just want to be treated fairly.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n

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Fairness, Not Goodness<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
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In recent years, the corporate playbook has centered on goodness: purpose, ESG, brand values, societal impact. And those things still matter. But in the current climate, they\u2019re not the differentiators leaders think they are.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n

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That\u2019s because fairness hits differently. It\u2019s not a strategy. It\u2019s a standard. When people feel a company is unfair \u2013 when they see surprise fees, hear about executive bonuses during layoffs or feel excluded from loyalty benefits \u2013 it doesn\u2019t just frustrate them. It enrages them. And that rage moves quickly, particularly in a connected, post-trust world.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n

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More than 60% of consumers say they\u2019ve boycotted companies for putting profits ahead of people. More than 40% either agree or don\u2019t disagree that violence might be justified in response to unethical corporate behavior. These aren\u2019t just reputation risks. They\u2019re survival threats.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n

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The Real Shift: From Purpose to Permission<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
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For years, companies have leaned on purpose to build trust and earn permission to operate. But that permission is now contingent on fairness. If your customers believe they\u2019re getting a raw deal, no amount of purpose-driven messaging will save you. In fact, it may backfire.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n

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This is the dark side of \u201cdoing good\u201d: when companies promote values that feel disconnected from customers\u2019 real lives \u2013 especially those struggling to make ends meet \u2013 those efforts aren\u2019t seen as admirable. They\u2019re seen as hypocritical, or worse, insulting. It\u2019s the $2 million Super Bowl ad telling customers you care, while their internet bill just went up with no explanation.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n

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What Leaders Should Do Now<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
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Fairness isn\u2019t a communications challenge. It\u2019s a business imperative. And it requires a different kind of leadership \u2013 one rooted in empathy, consistency and operational integrity. Here\u2019s where to start:<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n

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