Polarization at Work?
This article is part of Finding the Words, a newsletter that delivers practical insights on the day’s issues.
Good morning. It's Wednesday, March 6.
Yesterday's Super Tuesday polls closed as expected for a U.S. presidential election cycle dominated by a set of expected frontrunners.
However, it's not particularly what's in the headlines this morning, as what is absent from them: the increasingly sharp polarization among U.S residents and the effect it is beginning to have in our workplaces.
As Joel Achenbach wrote in this must-read Washington Post article earlier this year, "This country, though politically fractious since its founding, is more polarized than ever, the rhetoric more inflammatory… our politics tend to be more emotional now. Policy preferences are increasingly likely to be entangled with a visceral dislike of the opposition."
Disagreement within a democracy has always been a part of a healthy democratic process. However, what Achenbach reported and several others have elevated in recent weeks is a different type of polarization called affective polarization.
Kamy Akhavan, executive director of the USC Center for the Political Future, recently described it:
"[Affective polarization] is not a matter of 'I'm right, and you're wrong,' It becomes a matter of 'I'm right, and you're evil. And as soon as somebody is evil, you can justify doing anything you want to them."
If you think affective polarization isn't an issue on your team, think again. According to a January 2024 study by Polarization Research Lab:
Polarization can lead to avoidance behaviors within teams. 25% of Americans said they avoid colleagues due to differing political views.
Polarization risks belonging. One-third of employees choose not to express their true beliefs at work because they know a colleague disagrees with them.
Polarization can threaten job retention and satisfaction. 13% of employees are likely to look for another job due to political disagreement.
Tensions are rising. And they're only expected to increase as we near Election Day. So, what to do about it?
If you're anticipating (or already seeing) tensions on your team—overtly political or otherwise— and feel uncertain about your role in navigating them — your concern is not misplaced. Social discord on your team can lead to lower productivity, work quality, and unhealthy conflict among team members.
As recently shared by our friends at the Civic Alliance, "While there is real cause for concern, there is also a significant opportunity that workplaces can leverage. In times like these, when political tension is high, our actions and words can either contribute to division or promote understanding. By encouraging respectful dialogue, understanding, and collaboration, employers can help mitigate polarization."
While you may prefer to stay silent on issues of politics, you don't need to ignore the effects of political polarization on your team. By acknowledging the tension and making resources available in your workplace, you can help your colleagues to choose understanding over judgment. And in the process, you can strengthen your company's culture and reinforce our democratic system.
Here are some things to consider doing or sharing in your workplace, as compiled by the Civic Alliance:
Set the tone. Send a clear message to your team about what you expect and value in the workplace. Take a moment in an email or at the top of a staff meeting to reinforce your commitment to cultivating a workplace culture that values diversity of thought, encourages open dialogue, practices empathy, and supports a team to be educated voters and participants in our democracy.
Promote understanding by sharing nonpartisan civic education resources that establish shared foundational knowledge of how our government works and our civic responsibilities. Consider hosting a training or sharing resources from a nonpartisan organization such as The Constructive Dialogue Institute, Braver Angels, Moral Courage College, or the News Literacy Project, which can help you and your team proactively navigate difficult situations.
Encourage Engagement. Now isn't the time to hide from the issue…the more we practice gathering, radical listening, and empathy, the more we can bridge the issues that divide us. Consider hosting team-building activities or community service days that create relaxed environments where employees can learn about one another's backgrounds and experiences. In fact, research has shown that opposing parties collaborating casually decreases animosity and cultivates mutual understanding.
At Mission Partners, we are proud members of the Civic Alliance. We proactively provide resources to support our team's participation in the democratic process. We'll be engaging with some of these exact resources in the coming months, and I'd be happy to talk through them more with you if you're interested in doing the same. If you want access to more resources like these, head to CivicAlliance.com and join our efforts.
Bottom Line: Political polarization is real and will likely grow in the coming months. Get ahead of it in your workplace by helping your team build the skills to navigate divisive conversations while actively supporting civic engagement.
This post is part of the Finding The Words column, a series published every Wednesday that delivers a dose of communication insights direct to your inbox. If you like what you read, we hope you’ll subscribe to ensure you receive this each week.
