Political expression among co-workers can cause tension and create significant discord in the workplace. Yet, less than 10% of employees say that political expression in the workplace has caused discomfort within the last week or that they’ve felt singled out or discriminated against as a result of political discussions at work, according to a recent survey by Clutch.
Still, to avoid political conflicts that reduce employee productivity and could contribute to a hostile work environment, businesses should consider developing a political expression policy for their workplace.
In this article, we explain three benefits of incorporating a political expression policy:
- Compliance with labor and employment laws
- Clarity about employee grievance policies
- Legal protection
Use the information to help determine whether your company should develop a political expression policy.
What are the Main Benefits of a Political Expression Policy?
To create an environment that feels more comfortable for employees, many businesses develop a political expression policy that defines what type of political discussions are or are not allowed in the workplace.
Political expression policies also benefit employers in several ways. These include
- Fostering a healthy company culture
- Defining crucial employment laws and policies
- Contributing to a more productive work environment
Over one-third of the employees, though, don’t believe their company needs a political expression policy.
Source: Clutch
1. Political Expression Policies Help Ensure Legal Compliance
A political expression policy should include an explanation of how your company complies with current labor and employment laws.
Labor and employment laws cover a range of rights and policies that employees may not be aware of, including equal opportunity and anti-discrimination policies.
Formally notifying your employees about labor and employment policies helps ensure their cooperation and compliance with the laws. It also places responsibility on employees to adhere to those laws.
Political expression policies also acts as preventative legal measures since you’re notifying employees of the policies you expect them to support and follow. Failure to do so can place the liability on your business.
2. Political Expression Policies Define Employee Grievance Policies
Fewer than 10% of employees say they’ve felt singled out in the workplace due to political discussions.
Even if infrequent, it only takes one case to draw unwanted negative attention to your business.
Regulating political expression also can support your company’s human resources by explaining how employees can file grievances if they feel discriminated against.
When an employee feels harassed or discriminated against, the problem compounds if he or she doesn’t know where to go or whom to speak with about the problem. This can lead to a larger problem that builds up over time, potentially resulting in a lawsuit.
Political expression policies allow employees to know who they can speak with if they feel discriminated against, and how their grievance will be handled. In many cases, this encourages employees to step forward and resolve issues early on and prevents larger issues from developing over time.
3. Political Expression Policies Help Protect Against Legal Action by Employees
What begins as a casual conversation among employees can quickly turn into a heated discussion in today’s political climate.
When employees feel attacked or uncomfortable, this can eventually translate into feeling harassed.
Drawing boundaries surrounding political discussions in the workplace helps to avoid problems that can lead to lawsuits.
By including compliance information and grievance procedures in your policy, you also can significantly reduce or eliminate potential lawsuits from employers who feel they are discriminated against or harassed.
Political Expression Policies Benefit Employees and Employers
Providing behavioral guidelines surrounding political expression in the workplace helps protect employees from discrimination and also helps protect your business against lawsuits.
Small businesses should consider developing a political expression policy to protect themselves and their employees while creating a more comfortable and productive environment.