Managing Political Conversations in the Workplace
By Kesia King
As leaders, it's our responsibility to help create an open and safe environment for our team members - one centered around empathy and compassion. During this election season, it can be virtually impossible to steer clear of political talk in the workplace. For companies working hard to put more focus on inclusion, thriving cultures and holistic leadership, avoiding employees’ sentiments after election day can be damaging.
Deciding not to address the emotions in the room can reverse the hard work you've put into building trust and psychological safety. Avoidance may also result in decreased productivity and engagement, as inappropriate conversations and remarks may fester and cause communication breakdowns within teams.
Taking a proactive approach to facilitate and manage political conversations in the workplace is the best decision an organization can make.
Here are eight tips we recommend for leaders as we head into the 2020 election.
Be transparent about your organization’s stance on political discussions in the workplace and ensure your leaders center conversations around mutual respect.
Explain your preference for minimizing hallway and sidebar discussions about politics out of respect for other team members.
Create an open and safe space to discuss how the results of the election may impact team members and their overall well-being.
Remind team members that our differences are what make us unique and valuable contributors to the team and society.
Rather than try to control team members and their conversations around politics, share tips on how to disagree respectfully.
Provide support and check-in with each team member after the election.
Offer subsequent tools on healthy conflict for a distributed workplace and recognizing bias and promoting belonging.
Develop and communicate a framework for authentic conversation around politics, which should promote personal storytelling vs. opinions on candidates. There is power in storytelling. It is a non-bias way to express concern, fear, confusion, and excitement without alienating others. It also helps us better understand the speaker's point of view, builds trust and creates awareness.
As we deal with the ramifications of this year’s election, let us be reminded that as leaders, we have the opportunity to make the workplace a safe, secure and trustworthy place our employees can be grateful for. We all deserve at least that much.