Politics in the workplace: How to balance civility and personal beliefs
Courtesy / Marshall Communications
Ann Leamon, left, and Nancy Marshall
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“Never talk politics or religion at work,” the saying goes. But in these charged days, a rainbow isn’t just a rainbow, a red hat not just a hat.
There’s been a growing philosophy that we should all bring our “whole selves” to work — quirks, fish in the office microwave, and political beliefs. What’s a manager to do, especially when research says that replacing a worker costs 33% of their annual salary?
We aren’t experts, but we’ve read a lot, run our own businesses, and wanted to share our thoughts as the election barrels down at us like a runaway train. We know it’s hard. We’re not going to advise that everyone holds hands and sings "Kumbaya."
If the management team supports one candidate, to the extent of going to political rallies and hanging campaign merchandise, is this a hostile work environment for those with opposing beliefs?
The ideal: Keep yourself to yourself
Ideally, people can have closely held beliefs that work for them without foisting them on others.
In her book Mind over Manners, psychologist and etiquette advisor Robin Abrahams discussed this in the context of dietary preferences: “I’m fine with you not eating shrimp as long as you don’t not-eat shrimp at me.”
We’ve all been there, often with people on more restrictive diets than ours, as they not-eat whatever-it-is “at us.”
Integrating differences: Communication
But one can argue that current political choices go beyond matters of personal preference, that it’s almost our duty to convert non-believers to our philosophy. How can a person feel accepted in their workplace without conducting a political litmus test on every co-worker?
It’s a matter of degree. If someone announces at the daily meeting that they’ll be leaving early for a rally, there are a few possible reactions. “OK, fine, next,” is a fine response. Privately, one might meet with them to ask what inclines them toward a given candidate and request that they curb their enthusiasm on-site. Their right to back a candidate on company grounds ends when this support creates an uncomfortable environment for others.
Long-term: Create a culture
At worst, passions and preferences can be taken too far, dividing a work group into gangs where simply wearing certain colors generates dissension. It should never get that far.
Managers must be aware that they will be looked up to and imitated. In his excellent book on management, "Leading Through Culture," Ken Wilcox notes how something as trivial as wearing ties with Disney logos spread like wildfire once an executive started doing so.
Managers need to define and actively create the culture they want. A culture-creating exercise provides guidelines for how your organization will address sensitive situations and, in many cases, avoids them in the first place. Such a project can take some time, though, and sometimes needs to be done remedially.
Repair: Recreating a culture
But what to do if the cultural guidelines you’d like your company (or group) to follow have already been breached? Start over. Sometimes you must convene the entire group and say, “Something isn’t working. We need to change.” Whether it’s a classroom or a department or a company, there is nothing wrong with admitting defeat and requesting feedback and support in changing direction.
Of course, some people may have no interest in change. Not everyone will want to adopt the values inherent in your culture. Sadly, they may need to find a different workplace.
Solutions: Irreconcilable differences
Some differences may be chasms too deep to bridge. What if a consulting firm needs its subject matter expert to work with a government whose policies conflict with that person’s view of morality?
It is important that the manager enters into dialogue with the employee, so they feel heard without being bullied. The expert may feel they have no alternative but to quit. But during a conversation, the person may find a solution that feels right. Rather than quit, they might donate their salary from the given project to an agency that pursues goals the expert supports.
In short, this is an election. It’s a contest. In our system, one candidate will win and the others will lose.
If we in business model a willingness to listen to alternate perspectives in a non-judgmental way, we may begin a small movement toward a more inclusive style of management and, eventually, a more integrated society.
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