With This Current Political Climate, Do You Allow Your Staff To Talk Politics In Your Kitchen?

I think if this question was asked even ten years ago most of us would not have any inkling why the question was asked.  Previously even with polar opposite opinions there was civility and compromise not present today.  I have actually met people I don't know socially very hesitant to broach the subject not wanting to encounter Trump supporters incidentally.  The main reason so far from them is a fear of escalation.   There is also frustration with the lack of understanding with many individuals. I am sure there must be some percentage of Trump supporters and even Hillary & Sanders & Johnson supporters that feel the same way. 

Unlike previous national elections in our time the moral justification for voting for any presumptive candidate is for many Americans the foundation of their support.  Making it worse is the incredible amount of misinformation floating around the web like a trash island in the ocean.  Most everyone is connected to the web at the hip via mobile device and has at least to some degree easy access. 

With such a volatile climate does it make sense this time to request they leave it to themselves on their own time?  Does that itself fan the flames?  Should trust be placed in them to act as adults?  Can just stating a political belief constitute bullying by a staff member because of this ongoing social climate?

With passions running hot and strong with the various concerns we have how can the flames be suppressed?  All of us know of, or have seen kitchen staff go off on each other and FOH crew let alone management or worse yet a customer.  We've also seen the other side of this fence in action.  Can this manifest a latent fear we have of workplace violence?  Instead of a terrorist threat or a robbery its now a co worker armed with a French Knife or a cleaver we should fear due to who we are voting for? 

Many stand alone restaurants or mini chains can control their staff hiring to a personal level this is not true for corporations with bigger labor pools.  The constant flow from one wing to another unit makes it almost impossible.  Resorts, Hotels, even cruise ships have huge percentages of transient workers. 

Most everyone I have met not voting for Trump cites this as a moral choice.  There are those that point to Hillary and say the same thing.  The fact that anyone is voting against a candidate for moral reasons is a serious division of thought.  That alone makes for the potential for any conversation to suddenly escalate wildly even if the people disagreeing were rational when it started.  Not allowing any conversations does create at least subliminally an element of fear.  Fear is a third rail for this election for many of us.  Fear of losing jobs, retirement benefits, environmental fears, health fears, fear of losing legal rights, fear of terrorists, fear of gun violence, fear of a religion and it is manifesting in this election like no other so far I have witnessed including the very turbulent 60's.  We must also be aware it does not end the day after the final tally.  No matter the outcome there will be residual effects.  The final outcome will change many people in ways we cannot predict.  Lets hope it makes us smarter and stronger as a whole.

Race and sexuality are also running neck and neck making this political mine field ever more challenging.  There is obvious finger pointing going on and now more than ever it cannot be tolerated.  We all need to look to the way our military personnel  bonds with each other if we need an example of how important equality is.  Our diversity is a cornerstone of our country's strength, not a weakness.  That transcends into our workplace.

I have to chide in on the side of free and open speech without the soapbox grandstanding.  Too many of our fore fathers sacrificed everything to secure free speech.  Not speaking up because of fear is the most opposite of a true American ideal as it gets.  I would guide those conversations into breaks and meal periods as much as possible.  Its not fair to the employer to have staff members consumed by politics on the clock by either design or situation.

As a supervisor of employees it is a responsibility of ours to keep an ear and eye open to this current social dilemma.  No matter our view or political alliance any refereeing need always be impartial and reasonable.  If asked our opinion best to point out that it is not important at the moment and present assignments need be dealt with.  No matter the course we are all in for a stormy voyage in the months to come.