There are a number of polarizing topics that create division in our world and spill over into the workplace. Politics quickly come to mind and will certainly move to the forefront with the upcoming election. Others include the economy, vaccinations, social media and religion. As I shared in a recent post, workplace incivility (disrespect and rudeness) is on the rise and the differences of opinion that result from these topics don’t help matters any.
Should employers ban discussions related to politics and other divisive issues?
Employers have the right to regulate speech in almost any area that doesn’t violate the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) or other federal/state/local law. However, it is illegal under the NLRA to ban workers from talking about their working conditions (wages, benefits, managers, etc.). That said, employers could ban employees from talking about politics and potentially other divisive issues. However, if you do this, you may risk making team members feel silenced, disengaged and distrustful of leadership so proceed cautiously.
5 Strategies Organizations Can Use to Keep the Peace
What civility is and isn’t and why it’s important
Empathy and active listening
Conflict resolution
Respectful communication
Complaint process if things get out of hand
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#2 Check and enforce policies
Check your employee handbook and other policies for guidelines that may impact these discussions and topics to avoid. And ensure that employees are aware of them.
#3 Abide by your core values:
Examine your organization’s core values. What impact might they have on these issues? Which behaviors are in line with your core values, and which are not? Use this information to hold others accountable.
#4 Develop team guidelines:
Have a discussion in your team about the impact of these polarizing conversations and facilitate creation of guidelines that outline how team members will handle them. *Note: I recommend developing team guidelines within the broader scope of identifying how the team can best work together from a behavioral and logistical standpoint, but this could be part of the conversation. Click here for a reference to help you create guidelines for your team or contact me if you'd like someone to facilitate.
#5 Communicate the process for sharing concerns:
Make sure everyone knows what to do if things get out of hand.
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