When Water Cooler Talk Turns Hostile
When Was The Last Time You Looked At The Meaning Of Politics?
Monday evening the first of three Presidential debates was held. This is one of the most interesting election seasons since Ross Perot. It is no wonder that politics is a topic of conversation in the workplace.
When was the last time you looked at the meaning of politics? The meaning of the word politics, provided by the esteemed Oxford Dictionary, contains the phrase “the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power.” Debate or conflict in the work place is Human Resources worst nightmare. This nightmare is becoming a reality as we get closer to Election Day and it will only get worse if we do not learn to respect each other’s opinions.
I was fortunate to grow up in a household with a Democrat Mom and a Republican Dad, both moderates, who fostered political debate. They did not always vote party line either- they voted for the person. I remember being 5 years old at my Grandma’s house in Illinois being told to sit down to watch the first woman get nominated as Vice-President. At the time I did not understand what was happening and I grew up thinking women in politics was normal. It is no wonder that in 8th grade I explained the multitude of reasons why my candidate would make a better President than my Dad’s candidate when I wanted to put up a yard sign. That year there were two yards signs in our front yard.
While my parents were on separate sides of the aisle, their conversations were always respectful. When it was clear one of them would not back down, they agreed to disagree and there was a change in topic. That was the example I was given. I was taught early on it is fine to disagree but do it in a respectful manner; especially when talking to non-family members. I was also told to not talk about politics in the workplace. Period.
That was in the 1990s and the world did not seem like it was on the verge of erupting into a knock down drag out bar fight. The past 8 years have been tumultuous to say the least. There has always been politics in the work place –inner company politics. Now the outside political world is inside the walls of companies with changes in healthcare, the Family Leave Act, transgender bathrooms and equal pay taking more of a forefront. Political debate is part of our American culture and the debate has gone to an entirely new level the last two years.
Due to the current climate, some companies are placing bans on political discussion within office walls. I have some friends that no longer attend team building lunches or after hour activities because they do not feel comfortable around their colleagues. I have a few clients that think their managers, and in some cases the CEO’s and other C-levels, are too blatant with who they are supporting. There are two small startups I consult with where the upper management flat out asked their employees their thoughts on this election cycle. This may not sound like a big deal but if you work at a company under 150 employees the probability your opinions will become known by those around you is high. Like in grade school, if you are different from your peers you risk becoming the odd man out. This can lead to creating a hostile work environment, aka, HR’s worst nightmare.
Today, and for the rest of the election cycle, it would be ideal if people looked at this Presidential race, a part of our democracy, as a way to elect a commander in chief who will be political for the USA. It would be satisfying for people to be on different sides of issues while still being respectful to each other. No matter who the President is we all need to come together as members of various communities, be it our company, our neighborhood and our country and not be HR’s worst nightmare. Be respectful of other’s opinions.
