Dodds used her resignation letter to cite profound differences between Keir Starmer’s position and her own, stating that the reduction of the UK’s international aid budget from 0.5% of gross national income to 0.3% in 2027 “will remove food and healthcare from desperate people – deeply harming the UK’s reputation”.
“We differ profoundly on this decision,” Dodds stated, after explaining that she had strategically waited until after the prime minister’s meeting with US President Trump, to resign the position, as "it was imperative that [Starmer] had a united cabinet behind [him] as [he] set off for Washington".
Other MPs have criticised Starmer’s decision to cut the aid budget, including Diane Abbott, who posted on X that it was “shameful other members of the cabinet [had] not done the same” as Dodds, and resigned over the move.
The situation highlights the importance of embedding values, according to Paul Hargreaves, CEO of food and drink business Cotswold Fayre, who told HR magazine: “While [values] can be talked about, they are only ‘caught’ by others in the business when they are actively demonstrated by leaders.
“Anneliese Dodds may well have felt that Labour’s values had been not upheld by the recent decision, and should have been challenged. In politics, resigning is the main way of doing that.”
Read more: Bridging the culture gap: How to align company values with employee experience
Speaking to HR magazine, Tina Benson, managing director of the corporate events company Team Tactics, suggested that in any organisation, a boss’ decision should be final.
“There should be common thinking and understanding within each organisation,” she explained, “but ultimately, there is one boss.”
She continued: “In some ways, the pendulum has swung too far. While it’s positive that employees feel able to voice their opinions and preferences, the questioning of corporate directives and decisions can cause friction and push the business off course.”
Nonetheless, “a democratic culture where employees feel heard and comfortable to voice their opinions is essential in fostering organisational unity and cultural alignment”, stressed Benson. She described the acts of listening and reacting to feedback as key to helping create positive change, and ensuring that company practices and values represent the workforce.
Hargreaves added: “If staff are opposed to the business’ core values, why are they there? When we started working on our cultural values and expressing them more, there was a two-year transition period during which we explained and implemented the direction we were going in. The values were attractive and most people bought into them. However, a few did leave during those two years.”
Business leaders must encourage alignment instead of agreement, according to organisational development consultant Paul Taylor-Pitt, and they must be aware of the difference between the two.
Read more: Why cultural alignment should be HR's priority
He told HR magazine: “Traditionally, we see agreement as the goal, forcing opposing parties to begrudgingly pledge allegiance. I’m more interested in finding places of alignment, even when there’s disagreement.
“HR has a unique role in working to create opportunities for alignment that can create the capacity to include disagreements. It moves us closer to achieving a win-win for both the business and the individual."
A key tool in creating that win is communication, Benson stated: “Communication has the power to change the way news is received,” she said. “While conflict and negative feedback can be difficult and uncomfortable, HR leaders must work through this and move forward with purpose and integrity to see through the necessary action.”
Hargreaves underscored the importance of this work, saying: “Businesses that have a culture of purpose and happiness are generally the ones that have greater success. This is truer now than ever before. When HR teams spend resources on this side of their work it will mean that businesses are more likely to attract the best people.”
