Newswise — In a year when politics has become more contentious than ever, it is not surprising that divisions are spilling over into the workplace.
Industrial-organizational psychologists, who study workplace relationships, say that controversial subjects such as religion, gay marriages, gun control and abortion can, and do, lead to conflict and reduced productivity in the office. Right now the hot button is politics, especially with only a few weeks remaining before the election.
"In a typical environment, we can usually discuss politics rationally, but all that seems to have changed this year," says Dr. Jessica Foster, an assistant professor of psychology at Purdue University. "Harmonious relationships are essential to a productive office. If discussions become too divisive, then animosities develop and that kind of negativity is harmful to both the office and the individuals involved," she adds.
"The old saying of not talking about religion and politics may be a good rule to follow at work, especially now, when emotions are running high," adds Dr. Paul Spector, a professor of psychology at the University of South Florida.
Mutual respect and civility must rule the debate, even when people seem so sharply divided. In-your-face rants and arguments will poison relationships at work, says Spector.
"When talking about politics, strong views are not necessarily bad," says Dr. Andrew Neiner, an industrial psychologist in Atlanta, GA. "But if it is implied that you are an idiot for supporting a particular candidate and that something must be wrong with your values and beliefs, then serious interpersonal damage can result. When people interpret what is being said as personal, conflicts will occur."
Foster says that while the election will be over in a month, the sharp partisanship can have long-term effects. "It can erode trust and impair relationships to the extent that it negatively impacts the work being done in the office," she says.
"Our emotional reactions are not turned off and on easily," Foster says. "An elevated emotional state can lead to anger and other dysfunctional actions."
Research shows there is a decrease in productivity, job satisfaction and concentration when people are emotionally upset, she adds.
What can be done to reduce the conflict and resulting harm to the office?All three agree that instituting a policy prohibiting political discussions is not the answer. Although some companies have policies forbidding such conversations, it creates a corporate atmosphere that is controlling, says Foster. "Will a similar policy be developed about other controversial subjects, like gay marriage, where feelings also run high?" she asks.
Nor should management adopt an "anything goes" attitude. "That would enable the aggressive and vocal people in the office to dominate and those who do not feel comfortable in arguing or debating will feel suppressed. Bad feelings will fester and office morale will suffer," explains Spector.
Nevertheless it is management's role to keep the peace. "Bosses need to be tuned in to what is being said in the office, perhaps more so during this political year," Spector says.
"If a manager notices that discussions are becoming contentious and polarizing, he or she must step in before serious damage is done to the work environment," says Neiner. Employers should make it clear that divisive and negatively personal comments should not be part of office conversations.
In a tactful manner, it has to be mentioned to the office staff that work is being hindered, relationships are becoming frayed and the partisanship needs to be stopped, especially when someone's intelligence or loyalty to the country is being questioned.
"Instead it is important for management to shift talk to teamwork and trust and encourage people to agree to not let politics interfere with the operation of the office," Neiner suggests.
It is important that employees and managers respect each others' opinions and not let their statements be offensive or negative, says Neiner. Sometimes that is easier said than done given the different personalities within the office and intense feelings about the candidates.
Actually these situations offer a great opportunity for employers to provide training sessions for employees about these issues. "Companies can create specific forums where employees can discuss issues without getting personal and which helps them develop tolerance and respect for others," says Foster.
What to do when a manager or supervisor is blatantly supporting a candidate an employee does not support? "That is when you, and perhaps others, need to sit down with the manager and explain that his/her views and political agenda make you uncomfortable and that the office would be better served by avoiding partisan politics," Spector says.
If that doesn't work, employees have the option of complaining to the Human Resources office. "Most companies have policies in place about harassment and a manager pushing his or opinions could be considered harassment," says Foster.
In the few remaining weeks, though, perhaps the best course is to simply grin and bear it. Soon the election will be over and things will, hopefully, return to normal.
The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) is an international group of 6,000 industrial-organizational psychologists whose members study and apply scientific principles concerning people in the workplace. For more information about SIOP, including Media Resources, which lists 1,400 experts in more than 100 topic areas, visit http://www.siop.org
From April 15-17, 2005, SIOP will be holding its annual meeting in Los Angeles, CA. More than 3,000 top workplace scientists and practitioners will attend and present research on emerging trends, debates and the way people function in the workplace.
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