If you want to see a serious debate, just make a political statement on social media and watch craziness unfold. You’ll quickly learn who’s on what side. Some will agree and jump to your defense while others will question your very existence. By the end of it all, you’ll probably have lost some friends – maybe forever.
In general, we as a society seem to be having a harder and harder time dealing with differing viewpoints. This isn’t only with politics – it’s happening with just about everything. Someone expresses a different opinion than ourselves, and we get really defensive. We feel we have to immediately prove that we’re right and they’re wrong. Sometimes, it’s not enough to prove we’re right; we also try to discredit the other viewpoint and maybe even that person. It often goes something like this – this person said something I don’t agree with, I feel so threatened by it that I’m going to completely discount that person and everything he or she has ever said or done, I’ve lost all respect for him or her, and I could never be friends with (or work with) him or her again. Sound familiar?
This is happening in the workplace too. According to a 2019 SHRM survey, 42% of employees have experienced political disagreements at work, and 12% have experienced bias as a result of their political affiliation. Unhealthy political talk at work can lead to tension and harm your workplace culture, including negatively affecting morale and productivity. So, how should you handle political conversations at work?
For a long time, the general thought has been that political conversations aren’t appropriate in the workplace. It gets complicated quickly. Lengthy political debates damage morale, decrease productivity, and can even escalate into violence. Plus, how do you decide where the line is? What if an employee voices an opinion that offends a colleague? What if an employee voices differing beliefs than his manager and feels retaliated against when he gets a poor evaluation? It can seem easier not to allow them.
However, I think that allowing political conversations at work can actually lead to healthier workplace cultures in the following ways:
- Respect. When communicating with others, respect shows itself in a couple of ways – how I communicate to someone else, how he or she responds to me, and how I respond back. It includes our verbal and nonverbal behavior as well as our listening skills. It takes discipline to learn how to demonstrate respect when someone voices an opinion you don’t agree with, and it takes discipline to proactively make sure that what you initiate is (1) done respectfully and (2) will be received as respectful. The only way to improve on this is to do it.
- Inclusion. Saying you welcome diverse perspectives is different from being inclusive of them. To be inclusive, employees can express a variety of thoughts and perspectives and still be made to feel welcome and important. Telling employees not to discuss politics sends the message that they might not be welcome at the company if certain viewpoints are discovered. Encouraging respectful political expression helps employees feel comfortable being themselves as well as remember to allow others to do the same.
- Trust. According to Stephen M. R. Covey in his book The Speed of Trust, one of the characteristics of a low-trust organization is “political camps with allies and enemies,” while a world-class trust organization has “positive, transparent relationships with employees and all stakeholders.” In my opinion, this can apply not just to workplace politics but also to our topic at hand. Pushing political conversations behind a curtain just furthers the sense of division. The only thing that will actually change this is having different experiences. Bringing these conversations out in the open allows employees the chance to have positive experiences and learn that they can trust each other even if they have different political perspectives.
- Maturity. If you want to have an environment in which staff members and leaders conduct themselves professionally, treat each other respectfully, and interact maturely, then set the bar for that and provide opportunities for it to happen. Over time, if you diligently hold accountable to these expectations, you’ll end up with a workforce that demonstrates much more maturity in all of their interactions.
- Empathy. By learning more about the perspectives of others, we can gain a greater understanding of their feelings. We’re able to put ourselves in their shoes and understand where they’re coming from. This helps us to be better coworkers and have more positive interactions with each other.
So, how do you realistically do this without creating a mess? As you can see, respect is key in allowing political conversations at work. Employees need to be respectful in voicing their opinions (and in deciding which opinions to voice), and employees need to listen respectfully to other opinions. Here are practical steps to take:
Know your state’s laws.
Some cities and states have laws regarding employees’ political expression. They tend to focus on not retaliating toward or discriminating against employees, although some may allow for political expression, so know the laws regarding your particular area.
Communicate the expectation.
The concept of professional, respectful communication is broader than just politics, so I wouldn’t worry about creating a separate policy. Simply include these expectations within other policies, such as your code of conduct. During election seasons, consider sending out an email highlighting these communication expectations and reminding employees that these expectations apply to political talk at work.
Here is an example of language to use in your policies:
Our company values each and every employee and the diversity of personal beliefs, opinions, and perspectives that comprise our workplace. To ensure a high-trust environment, employees are welcome to express themselves through professional, respectful dialogue that treats others with dignity. Be considerate and respectful in the topics discussed, avoiding inflammatory topics that could cause others to feel unwelcome. Demonstrate respectful inclusion of differing viewpoints, listening with empathy and treating others with dignity. Ensure conversations promote a cohesive work environment. Employees are prohibited from demonstrating bias against another individual due to his or her personal views. Disruptive and inappropriate behavior is prohibited, including discussions or conduct that involve rude language or tone or could be viewed as harassing, discriminatory, or retaliatory.
Train your leaders.
Your leaders will be the ones who set the tone, so their ability to demonstrate professionalism and respect is key. They can’t enforce something they don’t model.
Managers should educate employees on what’s acceptable and what’s not. Like we discussed at the beginning, the concepts of respect and inclusion aren’t things we necessarily see demonstrated around us in society, so it may take some training to help your employees understand what this looks like. Managers also need to make sure they apply these expectations consistently to all viewpoints, not just those they disagree with. Here are some examples of what these expectations could look like in the office:
- Making a comment about how we should “build a wall” could be hurtful and disrespectful to employees who are immigrants or have family in other countries, so it’s a type of inflammatory comment that should be avoided.
- If an employee says she’s looking forward to taking a few days off to attend the Republican National Convention and you have different views, don’t make a face or question her. Just be polite and say, “Have a good time.”
- If an employee expresses how he’s planning to vote in the upcoming election, he’s expected to be professional and respectful in his communication and to be able to listen to differing viewpoints without things escalating into an argument or debate. Comments such as, “I don’t understand how anyone could vote for him/her” or “Only an idiot would vote for him/her,” are not allowed. (For more information on why providing time off to vote is important, read this post.)
- Critical, divisive comments such as, “All Republicans are racists” or “All Democrats are socialists,” aren’t allowed.
- Extra caution and discretion should be taken with topics that could be very personal, such as immigration, birth control and abortion, LGBTQ rights, and race-related issues. These discussions should center around a desire and willingness to learn. Make sure others are comfortable with the conversation, and maintain respectful dialogue. Make everyone feel welcome and important, and ensure a cohesive work environment.
As managers, you should be especially cautious in communicating your own personal viewpoints. Make sure your employees don’t feel pressured to agree with you, and be mindful that it could lead to employees expressing bias or retaliation concerns. Some advise that managers avoid sharing their views altogether, but I recommend discretion. The ability for these kinds of conversations to occur is a sign of a high-trust department, but you have to make sure that dynamic actually exists. If not, work on improving trust first.
Regarding productivity, don’t get too caught up worrying about excessive conversations. Consider this the same as any non-work-related discussions. Keep your productivity expectations the same, and talk with any employees who are spending excessive time discussing anything not work-related (or keep distracting others from their jobs).
There will be some trial and error with this, and that’s okay. It takes time to adjust our perspectives on how we treat each other, but the reward is worth it. As you encounter sticky situations, return to your overarching expectations to help you decide what decisions would be in alignment. Allowing employees to have political conversations at work and setting expectations for those interactions can lead to high-trust workplace environments that are more respectful, inclusive, mature, and empathetic. Your workplace can set the example for the rest of society. Hopefully, it rubs off on others too.
What sticky situations have you encountered? I’d love to hear how you handled them, so comment below!
Got a sticky situation of your own? I’m happy to help. Comment below or email me!
Photo credit: By Gutzemberg / Canva
