The very topic of politics at work is fraught with problems. Research, from Reflektive, suggests that 26 percent of U.S. citizens say they cannot discuss the topic with co-workers without the conversation getting tense. The survey also finds that politics is even impacting work performance.
There are pros and cons with workplace conversation and gossip. Gossip itself is seen almost universally as a negative process because it can introduce falsehoods and rumors into the ecosystem of work and cause conflict in interpersonal relationships. So too can controversial or uncomfortable subjects that no one wants to talk about.
In terms of gender differences, the survey finds that men report enjoying discussing politics at work more than women (67 percent compared with 46 percent). However, men are also more likely to say the current U.S. political climate impacts their performance (56 percent as against 43 percent).
Furthermore, the data reveals that half (49 percent) of workers worry differing political views could negatively bias their performance reviews.
Outside of politics, while the ‘Trump’ may be a four-letter word to some, the number one topic everyone agrees they should not be overheard discussing at work is s-e-x.
Other uncomfortable topics to discuss at work, for women are:
Abortion
Religion
Racism
Sex
President Trump
And for men, the list is similar.
Whether these topics should be avoided is open to the workplace culture, but care may be needed when approaching them. According to Reflective, it is important to have conversations about inclusion and to be aware of how societal assumptions can work against diversity and acceptance.
Commenting on these issues, Rachel Ernst, vice president of employee success at Reflektive says in a communication sent to Digital Journal: “Politics don’t make for ideal workplace conversation, but it’s natural for employees to want to share, discuss and process their feelings about current events.”
She adds: “The important thing is to make sure employees understand the parameters around these conversations so they aren’t causing disruption or making colleagues feel psychologically unsafe.”
