Posted on: Monday, August 9, 2004

AT WORK
While on the job, don't discuss politics

By Andra Kay
Gannett News Service

As if there weren't enough issues for people to disagree about at work, now comes a very divided political campaign. But will people talk politics at work? Or is this just too touchy a subject?

With current events like the ongoing presidential campaign and the release of the film "Fahrenheit 9/11," it's hard not to engage in political banter. But this time around, workers seem just as divided about whether to share their opinions as they are about the election.

A worker at one technology firm said political talk on her floor was pretty tame the day after the Democratic convention.

"People did ask each other whether they'd watched the convention — what they thought, opinions on Barack Obama, etc.," she said. "But I wouldn't ask anyone directly their affiliation. It tends to be a divider, not a uniter. It might give you a wider perspective of people. But I think it creates tension and is just too emotional. The only time I've talked about this campaign is to observe that John Edwards looks very much like a co-worker."

She noticed that those who mentioned the campaign most tend to be from another country such as India and England.

In other environments, people are more open, even assuming everyone agrees with them, which can alienate others. A worker who's in a creative field told me he was at lunch with two colleagues. "They were talking about "Fahrenheit 9/11" and just assumed I had liberal leanings like them. I just sat there and didn't say anything. I think they figured out where I stood because of my silence."

His philosophy is that it's never a good idea to discuss politics at work — especially this year. "It's a more emotionally charged topic than in the past. The stakes are higher, people are more divided. ... It only leads to resentment, arguments and a new us-and-them mentality."'

Whether people are just more vocal or intolerant of other viewpoints, a good rule of thumb would be to keep this sensitive subject to yourself to keep the peace — and productivity going — at work.

Career consultant Andrea Kay is the author of several books on landing a job. She can be e-mailed at: andrea@andreakay.com.