Navigating Political Discussions at Work: A Guide for Leaders During the Election Season
Who will our next president be? Let’s talk about it.
Wait. Don’t answer that. That question was intended to hook you to read more.
Take a quick scroll through LinkedIn, and you’ll likely find dozens of articles touting the importance of building an inclusive workplace, celebrating differences, and creating a sense of belonging. Never has this been truer than in the coming days.
With the 2024 election rapidly approaching, political discussions may become more common in your office. Whether you are a leader or a strategic advisor to the C-Suite, you have an excellent opportunity to impact how your firm manages this election season.
Here are a few tips and thought starters to help prepare for this time of heightened anxiety.
Establish Clear Guidelines
Office Chatter: There is no time like the present to create and communicate clear guidelines for political discussions in the workplace. Emphasize respect and professionalism to ensure conversations remain constructive. Some may even discourage political discussions in the office. The current political climate is emotionally charged, and regardless of the side, individuals may feel uncomfortable hearing dialogue regarding political beliefs.
Social Media and Personal Communications: Consider including suggested guidelines regarding social media. While freedom of speech is a right for Americans, it is essential to remember that postings on social media can be incredibly divisive. Remind team members of the firm’s social media guidelines and reiterate that thoughtful consideration should be given to their audience before posting information that could be divisive. This does not limit rights to freedom of speech but serves as a reminder that the firm values inclusion and seeks to build a place of belonging.
Lead by Example: Ensure that the partner/shareholder group is on board with the guidelines. Leaders must understand and exemplify the tone and policies, leading by example.
Build Trust: How leaders manage this challenging topic can make or break trust. Trust drives engagement, which drives performance. Seize the opportunity to build greater trust through leading with inclusivity and belonging as a priority.
Considerations for Building Guidelines
Unconscious Bias: Unconscious bias is alive and well in the workplace, whether we want to admit it or not. Humans tend to gravitate to those who are most like us. It takes actual conscious effort to overcome this. When a team member voices their political beliefs, their voice has the potential to bias a leader towards or away from this individual unconsciously. A few simple political comments, paraphernalia endorsing a candidate, or even a social media post can trigger this bias.
Scenario Planning: Scenario planning is a well-established best practice in crisis communications. A great way to begin building guidelines is to think through scenarios that could occur and would deteriorate a sense of belonging. For instance, a team member may display a campaign sticker, button, or hat in their workspace, arousing discussion from those who see it. These discussions have the potential to cause someone to feel uncomfortable or alienated, even if they are not directly involved in the conversation but rather overhear the dialogue. Another scenario could involve exclusionary and offensive social media posts that offend clients –an actual situation I have encountered. It is paramount to be prepared to handle these real-life situations. Guidelines will differ from firm to firm, but the important thing is to have thought about scenarios and be prepared to manage them if they arise.
Retention Is Key
In 2022, the WSJ reported that more than 300,000 accountants left the profession during the pandemic. Couple this with the AICPA report that 75% of today’s accountants will retire in the next 15 years. Firms can’t afford to lose their current talent and future talent.
There is no better way to drive retention and attract talent than through a workplace culture built on belonging and trust. With intentional actions and proactive planning, successfully managing through this political season is achievable.
Need help thinking through scenarios? Developing guidelines? Email me!
Remember, what’s inside counts.