During a time when political discussions are common at work, nearly half of employees may have a strong desire for resources that can help them maintain psychological safety and productivity, according to a recent report from Randstad US.
At the same time, a majority of workers said they feel comfortable sharing their thoughts in the workplace, and most don’t think their political stances influence their employment.
“While this may be surprising news for many organizations, we are at a unique time in history where most workplaces blend different generations,” Katie Birkelo, SVP at Randstad US, said in a Sept. 4 statement. “It’s crucial to understand their specific needs, which call for support and clearer policies as we navigate a challenging political climate.”
In a survey of 1,052 U.S. workers, 64% said they feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, and 78% said they believe their political stances don’t endanger their employment. These findings could indicate open work environments where diverse opinions are welcomed, as well as a healthy separation between professional and personal beliefs in many work settings, Randstad said.
About a third of respondents said political topics come up at work sometimes, with most conversations focused on the economy, presidential elections and healthcare issues. These discussions seem to be more common among younger workers, especially Generation Z and millennial workers, the report found.
Although 70% said political conversations don’t hinder their work performance, a notable 20% said they experienced a dip in productivity due to political discussions.
To offer support, employers can provide resources and policies based on the work environment, the report said; about half of respondents indicated that mental health support and HR guidance could be most helpful. In addition, more than half — especially Generation X and baby boomers — said they were unaware of their company’s policies around harassment or discrimination based on political beliefs, which could point to an area for better communication and policy enforcement, Randstad said.
In a July survey conducted by Monster, most workers said they respect their co-workers’ rights to their political beliefs, though 68% said they felt uncomfortable discussing politics at work and 60% said political talk at work “should be avoided entirely.” In fact, about half said they’d consider quitting if their employer openly expressed political beliefs contradictory to theirs, and more than half thought discussing their political beliefs would negatively affect their career.
In an Indeed survey, 40% of Gen Z and millennial workers said they’d leave their job because of political differences at work, and 40% said they’d leave if their CEO expressed differing political views. Respondents also expressed discomfort with subtler political messages, such as campaign stickers, mugs or other political paraphernalia.
However, employees may be unlikely to actually quit over politics, according to a HiBob report from April. Even so, “the prevailing sentiment underscores a strong consensus for maintaining neutrality in the workplace,” HiBob’s CEO said, especially through clear guidelines and respectful dialogue promoting inclusivity and professionalism.