SHRM’s Post

🚨 ATTENTION HR PROFESSIONALS! 🚨 The upcoming presidential election is turning up the heat, and now's the time to get your house in order! 💥 Are you ready to tackle the thorny issue of political gear in the office? With a flurry of opinions and political paraphernalia hitting the workplace, it’s time to lay down the law! 🪖 💥 Let’s get one thing straight: Employees might have the right to free speech, but that doesn’t mean your office has to be a battleground of political slogans and campaign shirts. Remember, while employees can express themselves, it doesn’t mean you have to let them turn your workspace into a political arena. 🔥 The reality: Employers CAN set boundaries on what’s acceptable. If you don’t want your office flooded with MAGA hats or Biden bumper stickers, then you need to enforce policies like a drill sergeant on a mission! Set clear rules—no political names, images, or slogans allowed. It's not about stifling free speech; it’s about maintaining a professional environment. 👊 Be proactive! Communicate these policies like a commanding officer. Ensure every single employee—yes, even remote workers—knows the rules. And don’t just talk the talk; walk the walk. Apply these rules uniformly to all nonwork-related decorations, from political to charitable and everything in between. ⚔️ In short, keep the office focused on work and minimize the emotional heat of political debates. Your role? Be firm, fair, and focused on a respectful workplace. #HR #WorkplaceCulture #PoliticalGear #EmployeePolicies #Leadership #HRManagement #WorkplaceRespect #Election2024 #Professionalism

Per this article, “In general, most employees prefer that politics not play a big role in the workplace. Recent data from jobs site Monster found that 68% of workers are not comfortable discussing politics at work. While 64% of workers say they respect their co-workers’ rights to their political beliefs without passing any judgment, 33% say they have judged co-workers negatively based on their political beliefs.” There are so many “DEI” type implications and variables associated with this Presidential election… Who they are… What they stand for.. The policy stances they could usher in, if elected… Everything about this election has immediate and long term implications on the ethos behind DEI and belonging so any employer who desires to restrict an employees expression of their political leaning, at least in this particular season, could easily find themselves inside of a DEI related debacle. This is tricky. How are employers handling this?

As the upcoming presidential election stirs political discussions, many employers are weighing whether to allow political gear in the workplace. While political expression can be permitted if it doesn’t violate anti-discrimination or harassment laws, employers have the right to set guidelines for what's appropriate, just as they do with dress codes. Clarifying these rules can help maintain civility and focus in the office. Navigating political expression in the workplace requires balancing free speech with a respectful, professional environment. We share a passion for these topics. Learn about how iBridge can help at info@ibridgellc.com. #WorkplacePolicy #EmployeeRelations #PoliticalExpression #HRCompliance #WorkplaceCulture #SHRM #Metolius

This topic surfaces frequently during election years. SHRM recently published another article stating that not addressing an incivility problem can cost employers collectively, roughly $2 billion a day. Creating clear policies is one way to maintain focus on business outcomes while maintaining a positive culture. #culture #humanresources

Want to learn how to navigate the complexities of talking politics in the workplace? Check out our newest blog: https://lnkd.in/g8PfR55M & In October, we'll be hosting a webinar that covers the important regulations you should know when it comes to political discussions in the workplace. Stay tuned for more information!

Is your workplace ready for election season? Political discussions are on the rise, and without the right policies, they can quickly disrupt your business. Check out our latest blog post for tips on managing political talk, understanding free speech in private workplaces, and fostering a respectful environment. Let JB Consulting Systems help you keep your team focused and your workplace positive during the 2024 election cycle! 👉 Read the Blog: https://lnkd.in/gEKtWibF #JBCS #humanresources #businessservices #hrconsulting #smallbusiness #WorkplaceHarmony #ElectionSeason #HRGuidance

The upcoming election is an extremely controversial topic. This article provides interesting perspective on whether you can/should prohibit employees from wearing political gear to work, and it opens the conversation on how the upcoming election and will impact your employees - both leading up to and after election day. https://lnkd.in/ez3HFZTK

This article from the Nevada Association of Employers highlights the complexities of discussing politics in the workplace. Employers can set policies that regulate political expression on company premises but must navigate legal restrictions, such as those in Nevada, which protect employees' rights to engage in politics outside of work. The article advises clear guidelines to foster respectful conversations, cautions about social media use, and outlines employers’ legal obligations, such as providing time off to vote. Managing this sensitive issue effectively ensures a professional, inclusive work environment. https://lnkd.in/g8PfR55M

📢 LAST CALL! Join Barley Snyder on Monday at noon for a webinar about political conversations in the workplace - a very timely topic in general, especially with it being an election year! The webinar is geared toward managers and HR professionals. Attorneys Caleb and Susanna are fantastic presenters, and the webinar is complimentary! Learn more and register at the link below 🔽 🔽 🔽

"It's always a great idea to talk politics at work" - No one. I previously shared some thoughts around 10-K risk factors in the context of a presidential election year. Perhaps more rife with challenges is how companies approach and/or apply their policies to employee expression and engagement on political issues. This article from Fisher Phillips is a fantastic starting point as companies think through these issues. By the way, social media is sure to complicate the calculus a bit more and nice to see that the article highlights certain enhancements that you may want to consider making to your own social media policy. Here is a sample of the hypothetical questions addressed in the article: ◾ One employee is wearing a “Trump 2024” button to work. Another one just hung a “Biden/Harris 2024” poster in their workspace. And one more employee told us they just got a t-shirt promoting a local candidate and will be wearing it to work this Friday. We’re afraid this will all lead to arguments and tension and become a workday distraction. What can we do about this kind of political expression? ◾ We learned that one of our employees posted a very strong opinion about a very controversial topic related to this election season on their social media platform. What can we do about it? Good folks over at Fisher Phillips note that they will update the article throughout the election season "to keep pace will the twists and turns sure to come our way." #corporategovernance #generalcounsel #employmentlaw #communications