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Forget Thanksgiving, now politics is threatening to ruin the office too. According to a recent study, 91 percent of American workers have witnessed or experienced political clashes at work. What’s more, it seems the problem has been getting worse since the election last year.
Resume Now’s “Post U.S. Elections Report,” which surveyed 1,037 American workers last month, suggests that politics are having a big impact on workplace culture. Seventy-nine percent of employees reported discussing politics at least weekly, with 32 percent talking politics every day. According to a majority of the surveyed workers, these conversations have picked up in frequency and intensity since November: Seventy-two percent said political conversations are now more common, and 75 percent said the conversations have become more intense. Moreover, 83 percent of employees said they expect political tensions to continue rising under the current administration.
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Although talking politics at work isn’t inherently bad, the survey suggests that the character of current political discourse is having a negative impact on office culture. Fifty-one percent of employees reported avoiding collaboration with colleagues of opposing views. Ninety-three percent of surveyed workers said they believe leadership’s political bias affects workplace policies and decisions. Further, 90 percent said they believe political bias impacts promotions, raises, or workplace opportunities.
How should management navigate political conflict at the office? Ninety-two percent of surveyed workers said they are in favor of restrictions on political talk. Such policies, however, are likely to raise the issue of censorship.
Keith Spencer, a career expert at Resume Now, thinks companies will have to find a balance between free expression and rules to preserve office tranquility. “Political conversations are no longer just a side topic—they’re shaping workplace culture and fueling divisions,” he says. “With 91 percent of employees reporting conflict over political differences, and more than half avoiding colleagues with opposing views, companies must find a way to balance free expression with maintaining a professional, inclusive environment.”
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From: BenefitsPRO
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