Changes Are Ahead
Mary Schechter
The heat is being turned up and your employees are sitting squarely in the frying pan.
A silly metaphor, perhaps, but the message rings true.
In case you have not been discussing this in team leadership, be on notice that the U.S. election November 5th, will have consequences to your workplace culture.
They might be subtle.
They might blatantly obvious.
In either case, take them seriously.
If you ask yourself why, the answer is as simple as it is urgent, we are living in a culture of extremism, polarity, and intolerance for the “other” when it comes to difference. This is a time in the American workplace to be on standby, using your leadership vision to unify your culture, while setting guidelines for post-election decorum.
The seeds of divergence have been sewn and cultivated to drive discussion toward what divides us, rather than what we have in common. And, I am not referring to what is happening on the ground at your company per say, but the deeper philosophical divides that continue to crush your culture, in small, but significant ways. Whether it is through careless comments, faction-fostering and a growing Us versus Them worldview, tensions are rising at levels outside of everyday awareness.
We currently live in a culture which glorifies absolutism, delivered in the form of our opinions. Rather than moving toward compromise, we choose instead, to “stand our ground” without thought to the consequences of that singular focus. Effectiveness? Efficiency? Productivity? They take a back seat to an intensifying undercurrent of clashing convictions, which find its way into your boardroom and breakroom. What you might not be noticing is the minute ways it is happening.
Take it from CEO Stephen Paskoff, of Employment Learning Innovations and former litigator for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, " You likely have a divided workplace when it comes to political opinions, which is heightened and maybe even exposed during the political season. Whether the tension is expressed clearly or not, it can create a hostile environment for everyone.” ( Handling Election Angst in the Workplace, Matt Gonzales, 11/2022 )
With 42% personally experiencing political disagreements at work and 44% witnessing or observing the same, ( SHRM Politics in the Workplace Study 2022) we must be prepared for what is coming. The stakes are higher than ever and as leadership strategizes a response, here is what is important to know:
Prepare Ahead Of Time
Create a plan of how to manage your culture now, not later.
Foster Neutrality
Safety and Objectivity are your methods
Your job is to maintain safety and objectivity to the best of your ability. Judging, joking or belittling workers thoughts or experiences need to be addressed. In other words, allow everyone to be validated, even if personal opinion differs. Make no assumptions it is not happening at your company.
Acknowledge Differing Realities
Stress is high and it impacts productivity
Be brave. Be courageous and realize your employees are experiencing stress levels that are more unprecedented than in any previous election. Why? Because at a much deeper level, the country stands at a philosophical divide, a location where we are questioning our personal beliefs and vision for the country, more deeply than ever. That questioning process is testing time-worn institutions as well as psychologically taxing. It’s taking its toll on your employees without them knowing it.
Support Every Employee
Communicate Out Loud
People don’t know what goes on around the board room, or behind closed doors unless you share it with them. Discernment is crucial; however, do not make the mistake to believe that what you are experiencing is the general sentiment throughout the company. Communicate out loud.
Bring your staff together, consider an all-hands meeting before, during and after the election, where senior leadership will underscore intolerance for a no-harm policy, including a hostile environment.
As we grow closer to November 5th, I encourage all leaders to be mindful of what you hear and observe. Be listening. Be aware. Take responsbility for what you know and what kind of culture you choose to uphold. Your leadership counts.
My Best,
MRS
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