The major news story from Friday through the weekend was the Supreme Court effectively overturning the right to a legal abortion, which was established by Roe v. Wade in 1973. Six in 10 U.S. adults (61%) believe the practice should be legal in “all or most cases,” according to a survey from the Pew Research Center. 37% of Americans think the procedure should be illegal in most or all cases. Let’s cover some of the fallout.
Several tech companies are implementing benefits such as increased health care and travel benefits. That includes Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Salesforce, Google, AT&T, and Comcast. In a Gartner survey, six in ten firms said they would offer nothing new if Roe v Wade were overturned.
Beyond that are concerns over the use of data. With abortion becoming illegal in those states with trigger bans – thirteen of them – and Texas’s law allowing anyone to sue for aiding and abetting abortion, user data could be used to track down providers, fundraising, activists.. or even those simply helping. This is one of the reasons why employee benefits are being leveraged. There’s an expectation that data collection is now to be reviewed.
Why do we care?
It’s my observation that four major IT services-focused publications did not mention the story as of this publication. That’s a dangerous blind spot, in my opinion, as many of these concerns should be top of mind right now, with two specific areas to focus on for IT Services companies.
I will note that small and midsized companies are wary of the legal risks of speaking out – that’s right from benefits consultants. I’ve linked to a Bloomberg law piece on some of the risks.
First, let’s talk about the leadership opportunity. I have strong opinions in this space, and if I had employees, I’d be very clear with my team about them. Why? The number of stories I’ve reported where younger employees put a value on the organization’s values. Sure, six in ten firms are doing nothing… saying four in ten are, which is a competitive differentiator for those who value that. Leaders don’t have to yell to the winds about their feelings to show leadership.
Second, there’s a specific data need here. I’ve long spoken about data management as an area for IT services firms to focus on. Here is a concrete example of that growing need. Expect this to get more complex, and thus an area customers will need more help in.