Diffusing Political Tension In The Office
We have some news that may be shocking for some of you. It’s an election year. While many of us can’t wait for the ads to stop, others are gearing up for high-spirited debates. As ERE Media states, this year’s tensions are higher and political talk is more volatile than previous election years. Instead of delving into the why--which would take all day- let’s instead explore what managers are going to do about it when these situations pop up at the workplace.
When something as strongly defended as politics becomes discussed in the office, things start to become a little risky. Conflict resolution is vital in the coming months as we get closer to Election Day. Here are the best ways to stop a city hall debate from happening at the water cooler, courtesy of ERE Media:
- First of all, it is important to remember that you cannot legally ban political conversations in the office. It goes against the First Amendment. However, all managers need to keep an ear out for disputes and promote peace.
- Asses your office’s culture. Do most of your employees seem to be conservative? Perhaps they have more liberal beliefs? Or maybe, it’s both. Figure out where things stand in your office before any debates erupt. It’s important to understand where your employees stand before something happens. Of course, it isn’t a good idea to go around asking people what political party they belong to. Rather, try to make these assessments based on what you already know about them.
- Set things straight. While you cannot completely ban political conversations, you must express your intentions and the fact that you don’t want any fighting in the office. Will you allow bumper stickers on their laptops and t-shirts that promote their candidates? Those are office policies that managers need to decide.
Get ready, everyone. It’s a long ways until November and the political circuit is only heating up more. Managers need to prepare themselves, their employees, and ultimately protect their company from any controversy.
For more information, check out ERE Media’s article here: https://ow.ly/4aSU302aoml
What do you think about political debates in the office? Comment below!