Keeping Politics out of the Workplace

The 2020 Presidential Election is proving to be one of the most divisive elections in modern history.  CNN, FOX News, MSNBC and most social media platforms continue this divide which sills over to the dinner table and into the workplace.  It will be difficult to eliminate opinions to be spoken in the workplace, but there are some things you can do to keep politics from lowering the morale in the workplace.

From a federal perspective, you cannot prohibit employees from discussing politics as it would infringe upon their right to free speech. However, there is a bit of a loophole in that conversations deemed detrimental to your company’s culture can be banned without it being viewed as infringement. Further, some states have their own rules about the right to free speech in the workplace and have made various attempts to regulate what can be discussed and under what circumstances.

One of the best ways to limit political chit-chat in the workplace is to prohibit employees from campaigning for particular candidates or parties, including passing out literature, promotional items, or anything else intended to show support or sway support for a candidate or candidates during regular work hours. If your employee manual has an existing non-solicitation policy, such as preventing workers from asking coworkers to buy Girl Scout cookies or support a fundraiser, you can tack political solicitation into that. However, you can’t prohibit them from soliciting during breaks or lunch hours, so be mindful that any policy update is worded accordingly.

These days, one of the easiest ways to show support for a candidate is to wear a t-shirt, hat, or even a snarky button declaring your affiliation, but this is actually one of the easiest ones to fix! Your employee handbook should already include a brief section on the dress code for the office and, if you haven’t already, it’s very simple to add a clause that states that clothing cannot bear slogans of any type. With regard to pins, you can ask employees not to wear them in the office, but there are a few exceptions: workers can wear them during non-work hours and they can also wear pins if they are political slogans associated with union representation. We should also note that this dress code policy must be acknowledged and enforced for all employees or else it could be viewed as discrimination.

While controlling the free speech of your employees is not allowed, you can control what they say about politics in reference to your company. A good, all-encompassing policy is to simply state that your company’s name cannot be used in any political activity without prior written approval. Further, while a little less cut and dry, you can request that employee participation in political activities does not reflect unfavorably on your company, such as asking that they not wear items with your company logo when campaigning or declare an affiliation with your company if being quoted in the media or for promotional purposes.

When the political debates are heating up, chances are so will the conversations! After a particular heated debate, pre-empt any issues by sending a quick reminder email to your staff to let them know that with the election in full swing, it is important to remember the company’s core principles and values, as well as their commitment to embrace the diversity of their peers and treat their co-workers with professionalism and respect. You can also reiterate that while conversations are not forbidden, HR will step in should they violate these policies and will be forced to take action.

At the end of the day, political discussions, while part of our current climate, are areas ripe for hurt feelings and even bullying and discrimination. Being proactive and letting employees know that while you value each employees’ opinions, it should not overshadow the respectful and collaborative corporate culture that employees have grown to know and love.

It is good to have a partner that is an expert in utilizing the most advance resources available today.  Questco is there to help you inspire your labor force through a plethora of HR Services such as: Payroll Services, Benefit Plans, Benefits Administration, HR Technology and Workers’ Comp & Safety Services.  Utilizing Questco’s vast experience, your company can thrive in today’s environment.

Charlie Reeves, Senior Business Development Manager, has decades of experience in Human Resource Solutions.  He is one of the most senior members at Questco and recognized for helping clients of all sizes save money, improve labor efficiency and provide the strongest support for HR Services.  As an entrepreneurs himself, he has lived the long days and sleepless nights on the road to success.  He brings the skill and scale to support you in the pursuit of your goals.  For more information on payroll services, benefit plans, benefits administration, HR technology, workers’ comp and safety services email Charlie.Reeves@questco.net or contact him directly at 936.521.5841.