The United States is arguably more politically polarized today than at any other time in modern history.
The number of Americans who describe themselves as "moderate" was 34%, according to a Gallup poll last year, the lowest point since the organization began gathering such data in 1992. A study by Pew Research Center showed that a large majority of Americans see little to no common ground between Republicans and Democrats.
That data, and many other studies that show an increasingly polarized America, begs two important questions: What will the impact of polarization be on America's workforce, and how can companies respond effectively?
To get answers, HRCI queried more than 7,200 human resources professionals around the world. The results are available in Managing Political Polarization in the Workplace, a new whitepaper that explores how HR professionals are impacted by political conflict in the office, what they are experiencing on the job right now, and what companies can do to manage political differences.
While it may seem practical to simply ask employees to refrain from political discussion at work, such a request is often unrealistic. The reason is simple: politics are a reality in the lives of most employees, and they are going to talk about it—especially during times of transition.
In a world where politics often influences identity, and elections dominate the national conversation every two years, it is naive to think that people can simply check their interest, passions, and beliefs at the office door.
“Managers and HR professionals are uneasy about how to handle political conversations in the office, and that’s understandable,” said Amy Dufrane, CEO of HRCI. “But these conversations are going to take place. Politics is a part of everyone’s life, and it is going to come up at work. It is important for companies to be prepared to handle conflict and disruption in the workplace, whether that is caused by politics or anything else.”
Dufrane says the answer lies in the corporate culture created by managers and HR. A culture that encourages respect and values each employee’s perspective will be much more accommodating to political discussion, even among those who disagree with one another.
“Polarizing views are not unique to politics or religion—they can even surround work itself,” Dufrane said. “The goal should be to create a culture that allows individuals to express themselves authentically—and diplomatically—without fear of retribution.”
To learn more about what your company can do, download the whitepaper now.
The survey showed that a majority of HR professionals (55%) say they are somewhat, minimally, or not at all prepared to handle politically charged discussions at work. Almost half (49%) said they do nothing specific to address such conversations.
Among the other findings:
74% said political differences among employees are making it harder to carry out HR responsibilities to some extent.
59% said tension over political issues has impacted relationships with clients or customers.
28% said political polarization has impacted their organization’s ability to hire.
15% said differing political views have caused an employee to leave.
In addition to HR professionals, HRCI sought the opinion of political professionals. With help from Stratalys, a research firm, a focus group was conducted with 33 political insiders, including congressional staffers, lobbyists, think-tank executives, administration analysts, and others.
Most political professionals think partisanship is a significant, and growing, obstacle and suggest that companies should be selective about taking public positions on political issues. Accordingly, 59% said that organizations should only take a public policy stance on issues that directly impact their business. Only 31% said they should do so on broader social or cultural issues.
In the workplace, many insiders see political discussion as inevitable and say that organizations should find ways to ensure discussions remain civil and respectful. For example, 44% said companies should allow political discussions but not encourage them. Another 38% said they should encourage open dialog with clear guidelines and training on civil discourse. Only 16% said companies should discourage political discussions.
“Political discourse is something we encounter in all parts of American life, from the grocery store and the gas station to the dinner table,” Dufrane said. “It is very difficult to just eliminate it in the workplace. But we can manage it so that employees feel heard and that office communities remain safe and comfortable places to work.”