NewsLink

	E-Mail This Article Printer-Friendly Version

Talking Politics in the Office?

Is talking politics at work still frowned upon? It may be a thing of the past suggests a recent Workplace Insights survey, revealing that while 50% of American workers actually do talk politics in the office, 47% listen and keep their political views to themselves, and only 3% report that they “don’t know”. The survey, developed by Adecco, a Global Fortune 500 company and specialist in workforce solutions, further suggests that among the younger generation, however, the percentage increases to 61% - a dramatic jump from the 45% of Millennials who report discussing politics at work during the 2004 presidential election. Even though half of respondents do talk politics at work, 62% state that they do not know which candidate their colleagues plan on voting for. “Being politically correct at the office means communicating carefully and inclusively when politics is on the agenda,” says Bernadette Kenny, Chief Career Officer of Adecco USA. “Although the presidential primaries are a hot topic right now, it’s important to leave the more heated debates outside of the workplace in order to keep things professional. We need to be aware that our opinions on key political issues and the candidates can affect how we’re viewed at the office by our managers, peers and direct reports, and that impact can last long after the last votes have been tallied,” adds Kenny.