Politics and Respect
Politics is part of our day-to-day life. We are surrounded by discussions, noise, and conflicts. Political disagreements and discussions happen at work, whether organizations embrace them or discourage them.
Because political beliefs are often connected to your employee’s own values, they can be intentionally personal and uncomfortable. Some employees find expressing their political beliefs at work empowering while others find it to be almost threatening.
April is Workplace Conflict Awareness Month. Nothing says conflict like politics. So what better month to answer the question: What’s an organization to do when political talk at work becomes disruptive and distracting? Link here
Political discussions can work both ways. Sometimes they help employees connect with each other and collaborate while other times they can create conflicts and divide relationships. What is the norm in your organization?
How can organizations build workplaces where staff members are encouraged to share their beliefs while building relationships and connections? Can such a workplace also be productive? Here are some ideas:
Set common goals and boundaries
Set common goals for your organization. When people are focused on the mission and they know what is expected of them, they tend to shift their attention from negative issues to collaborative solutions.
Create boundaries and encourage staff members to follow established guidelines for acceptable workplace behaviors including on your website and other electronic platforms. Ensure that every interaction between employees is professional including when discussing politics or other potentially difficult topics.
Have a Code of Conduct
If you don’t have one, develop a Code of Conduct policy that includes subjects such as when and where political discussion is appropriate; dress code prohibitions including political slogans; bullying; and harassment of any kind which will help you navigate our political environment. Ensure your onboarding process outlines your organization’s policies and guidelines on political discussions at work.
Teach conflict management skills
Train your employees to deal with conflict. Providing your staff members with conflict resolution skills can help them navigate our complicated and highly politized world.
When situations arise and tensions are high, don’t let them go thinking they will resolve themselves. Investigate where the issues are and take action as quickly as possible. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from HR or even a trained mediator.
Train leaders to listen to staff members create an environment where everyone is encourage to share ideas and where ideas are not automatically dismissed.
Build a culture where everyone is valued and respected
Encourage people to get to know each other for their strengths and how they contribute to your organization.
Build a psychologically safe environment where mistakes are openly admitted and learned from. Encourage employees to be comfortable asking others for help to solve problems when appropriate. Make it acceptable to speak up even when the person might be taking a risk. This is how you build trust.
Manage with empathy and understanding. These qualities build teams and strengthen relationships to avoid conflicts.
Workplaces that emphasize common goals tend to experience higher levels of trust and collaboration that lead to higher levels of productivity. Take steps to enhance your corporate culture to ensure everyone is valued and everyone is encouraged to respect each other. While eliminating political discussions in the workplace may not totally happen, they can be minimized with some attention and some understanding.
Don’t forget, you can learn more from The Essential Workplace Conflict Handbook.