Generations of workers avoided discussing
politics at work but ubiquitous social media has undone that custom
Can we talk politics at work? Thirty years
ago, you'd never have heard this question asked. Political discussion was
discouraged at dinner parties and taboo at the office.
But things are different today. Thanks to
social media, the lines between personal and professional connections have
shifted and blurred. Where we used to categorize Facebook for friends and
LinkedIn for work colleagues, we now regularly intermingle the two, often
without realizing it. The proliferation of online news and user-generated
content is vast, and we share it -- along with our corresponding opinions -- because
it feels good to have these places for open discourse. When we "like"
something online or update our profiles with various affiliations, we're
painting a public picture of ourselves. And we can't un-ring this bell. Once we
start voicing our thoughts online to our various connections, we begin to see
and know things about each other that we can't simply un-know. This is why, in
the recruiting industry, experts repeatedly caution candidates to pay attention
to what they post. Unless you work very hard to maintain it, there is really no
hard distinction anymore between your private and your work life.
I think the question, therefore, isn't really
a matter of whether politics should be discussed in the workplace. If you're
talking about it online, you're indirectly bringing it into the office already.
So it's more a question of when it happens, how do we handle it -- both as
employers and employees? Is there a way for colleagues to converse about
political issues that not only isn't detrimental to our ability to collaborate,
but that might actually help us work better together?
1. Express yourself -- with
empathy.
I think a good first rule of thumb is to
remember that we all have a right to an opinion. And yes, we have a right to
express that opinion -- even at work -- if we can do so responsibly and
respectfully. Our opinions and unique perspectives are part of our
authenticity, and authenticity is how both companies and employees set
themselves apart in today's competitive landscape. But how we express our
thoughts and opinions also matters greatly, especially when you're a manager or
executive. No one should be made to feel uncomfortable or threatened in their
work environment, so you have to walk a very fine line. There will always be
people who agree with you and disagree with you and that's how it should be.
Here's an example. I recently posted
something on Facebook in the wake of the nightclub shooting in Orlando. I
didn't do it by accident or not knowing my employees would see it. In fact, I
knew some employees specifically who would see my post and disagree with me on
the point I was trying to make. But after this tragic event, and because I'm 53
years-old (and a former journalist) and I have been reading three newspapers
daily since I was a teenager, I felt like I'd earned the right to articulate a
point of view as a citizen. I also felt, as the chief executive of a company,
that I had a responsibility to communicate to my employees that they have a
boss who is interested and invested in more than just company profitability.
They have a boss who cares about our country and social issues. At the same
time, I understood that I had to share my thoughts in a way that would not
demean or belittle or insult those employees of mine who would read my thoughts
and have a different perspective.
2. Silence is cool, too.
The second thing to remember is that we live
in a democracy, where we get to vote alone inside a booth. In fact, one of our
country's bedrock principles is that citizens should feel safe voting their
consciences without explanation or defense. So as political discourse creeps
further into our social and professional lives, we must be absolutely certain
that our open discussions don't inadvertently coerce employees into
articulating views they'd rather hold privately. Just because you can assess a
person's political standing by looking at their social profile doesn't mean
they want to discuss it with you.
3. Corporate culture is the great
equalizer.
What I've decided is that the question of
politics in the workplace comes down to company culture. Either you have a
culture that can handle disagreements without detriment to collaboration, or
you don't. Period. And here's the other thing: You can't just have the culture
on paper. You have to have a workforce that sustains and supports this culture,
that was hired because they sync with this culture and that chooses to stay
with you because they believe in this culture.
At Jobvite, our culture is defined by a set
of five values, and for each value, we have three commandments that clarify the
things we will do or not do to support those values. Half of our commandments
have the word "don't" in them. Some people thought that might come
across as negative -- but I firmly believe that a company's culture should
define the behavior that's not okay. You can't just talk about behavior that is
valued: "Thou shall have a team-oriented environment." That's
positive, but it's not clear. A clearer picture is painted with the
commandment: "Thou shall not waste other people's time." My point is
that if you want to hire people to fit your culture, you are looking for people
who won't do the things that you don't want to see in your company.
Why does this matter so much right now?
Because the political pendulum is swinging to extremes. This election season is
ridiculously contentious, and people are starting to hold more passionate
points of view on very different sides of the political spectrum. It's vital
that CEOs foster and encourage the kind of company culture that doesn't allow
the suppression of authentic yet respectful thought. But that takes work. You
have to work to create an environment where different points of view don't
define employees as good or bad people. This isn't just for the sake of safe
political discussion; it's because honest disagreement is a proven catalyst to
innovation. I've said before that diversity in the workplace, in everything
from personality to work style, is what makes a team productive.
At the end of the day, we're all still
citizens of the same country and employees of the same company -- and the
corporate culture should state that we don't have to agree on how to achieve
company goals as long as we agree on the goals themselves. As our discourse
continues to open and emotions run heated for the next few months (and maybe
longer), make sure your culture encourages the type of environment where mutual
respect abounds and the inability to listen without judgment is not permitted.
Written by: Dan Finnigan
Credit: Entrepreneur.com
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