Political Tension in the Workplace

Brightmine is a HR and data insights provider. It recently did a survey titled, Politics in the Workplace. The picture painted by the survey looks much like the political picture we find on social media. Disagreements at work are growing ever more common and it’s creating often unwanted tension.

Some people are unfriending each other — in person.

• 64% of employees say they have either experienced, or witnessed, a political disagreement at work in the past year
• 11% say the number of disagreements they’re seeing is on the rise
• 8% say these disagreements have grown in hostility and are disruptive
• 27% say political disagreements in the past year have distracted them from their jobs
• That’s up from 19% a year ago
• Only 20% say their employer has acknowledged the impact it has on the workplace

Part of the reason is a huge percentage of employers have no political talk policy.

• 47% say there is no policy
• 53% of employees believe a developed political policy is critical
• 47% do not think one is necessary
• 40% say their employers should be politically neutral
• 38% think an employer ought to speak out on political issues that fit company values

Amanda Czepiel is the U.S. Country Manager and Head of Content at Brightmine. She noted a big trust gap between employees and employers.

• Just 23% of employees say their employer puts people before reputation when it comes to politics
• 30% say their employer should avoid political positions entirely

"Navigating politics in the workplace has become a multifaceted challenge,” Czepiel said. “As political tension rises, organizations are being tested on how well they understand and support their people. The solution will look different for every organization, but one thing is clear: leaders should implement clear, enforceable guardrails governing politics in the workplace that are rooted in organizational values, reflective of what matters most to their employees and aligned with the law. Otherwise, there's an enormous risk to culture atrophy and business performance."

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