There are some conversations that should be off limits at work — is politics one of them?
Nearly 60% of employees feel that talking about politics at work is unacceptable, according to a survey by Glassdoor. Yet workplace conflicts are becoming increasingly unavoidable: according to the Society for Human Resource Management, 45% of employees have experienced political disagreements in the workplace, and 26% experienced differential treatment because of their political views.
Employers may find themselves in a tough spot if they need to mediate these often nuanced issues, says Adam Weber, senior vice president of community at 15Five, a performance management company. But they'll be more successful if they create a culture where people feel respected, recognized and heard.
"Everyone has a story outside of work," Weber says. "We want to be respectful of all people. We want to recognize that everyone is different. Be thoughtful about who we share with and when we share things with."
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Leaders and employees should ask themselves if what they're sharing is appropriate in the context of the group, and remind themselves that digital communications can often be misinterpreted.
"Consider if this topic is appropriate for the work forum or if there might be a better forum for that communication," Weber says. "Every situation is different. There's no two people that have the exact same opinions or perspectives, so we have to do our best to be gentle with each other."
Weber shares a few considerations employers and employees should keep in mind in order to avoid conflicts in the workplace.