According to the data, 89% believe employers should limit or discourage political discussions leading up to the U.S. presidential election; 73% feel pressured to share their views at work.
GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico, Sept. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- MyPerfectResume®, a leading career and resume service, today announced the findings from its Political Discussions in the Workplace Survey, which polled 1,102 workers in the U.S. on their feelings about political conversations at work.
The survey found that workers are experiencing stress due to workplace talk about the 2024 presidential election. Of those polled, 71% wish the election discourse would stop.
The survey also found that 89% believe employers should limit or discourage political discussions, and 73% feel pressured to share their political views at work.
"Political discussions are regularly happening in the workplace, but many people wish they would stop," said Jasmine Escalera, career expert for MyPerfectResume. "In the midst of another divisive presidential election in the U.S., most people we surveyed are looking for a break from the political discourse, particularly in the workplace. Our survey found that most workers wish that employers would limit or bar discussions about politics at work and that there is a real fear that this kind of talk could harm them professionally."
Highlights of the survey include:
- 74% reported that they would leave their job if their workplace promoted political ideologies they strongly disagreed with
- 80% of respondents say that political neutrality in the workplace is important to their job satisfaction
- 79% of workers fear that vocalizing their political beliefs or activism outside of work could lead to negative repercussions from their employer
- 68% admit political discussions have negatively affected relationships at their workplace
- 73% have personally faced repercussions for engaging in political conversations at work
Workers Wish Employers Would Curb Election Talk
When asked whether employers should limit or discourage political discussions at work as the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaches, 89% of workers agreed. Most respondents (71%) said discussions should be limited, and 18% said employers should discourage them.
The desire to limit conversations in the workplace may be related to the pressure many workers feel. Of those polled:
- 93% of respondents said they had been asked by a coworker which candidate they plan to vote for in the upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential election
- 73% say they have felt pressured to share their political views at work
These questions aren't always welcome. For 80% of participants, political neutrality in the workplace is important to their job satisfaction. When asked whether they would leave a job if their employer promoted political ideologies they strongly disagreed with, 74% confirmed they would. Of this group, 92% of workers aged 25 or younger said they would leave, and 72% of those 26 or older would do the same.
Political Discussions Negatively Impact Workers
The expression of political beliefs sparks fear in many workers. When asked whether they believe vocal political beliefs or activism outside of work could lead to negative repercussions from their employer, 79% said yes.
Entry-level workers were much more fearful, with 91% of entry-level workers saying they fear expressing their political beliefs outside of work could have negative repercussions, compared to 68% of experienced workers.
The respondents' age also influenced opinions on expressing political views. Younger workers reported more apprehension than their older counterparts, with 95% of workers aged 25 or younger expressing concern that their political beliefs outside of work could have negative repercussions compared to 75% of older workers.
These fears may be experience-based. When asked whether political discussions have ever negatively affected relationships at work, 68% admit that they have.
Of those polled, 73% have witnessed concerning situations arising from political discussions at work, including:
- Arguments (47%)
- Favoritism (44%)
- Bullying (36%)
- Disciplinary action, like a warning from HR or someone being fired (34%)
- Retaliation, such as exclusion from projects or unfair treatment (34%)
Another 73% reported that they have personally faced repercussions for engaging in political conversations at work. These scenarios include:
- Arguments (46%)
- Favoritism (45%)
- Disciplinary action, like a warning from HR or being fired (32%)
- Bullying (31%)
- Retaliation, such as exclusion from projects or unfair treatment (31%)
Most Workers Regret Engaging in Political Talks
Regrets about participating in political discussions at work are very common; 82% of respondents regretted engaging in such discussions in the workplace.
Participants provided many explanations for why they regret engaging in political discussions at work, including:
- Changed their opinions of their coworkers (52%)
- Experiencing retaliation, such as exclusion from projects or unfair treatment (45%)
- Creating tension in the office (43%)
- Feelings of isolation or damaging a workplace relationship (43%)
- Receiving disciplinary action from employer (43%)
"Employers need to be aware of how apprehensive the workforce is about political discussions and the issues it can cause for their team, especially this close to an election," said Escalera. "Thankfully, companies can easily address these concerns by setting the tone at work and discouraging political discussions."
To view the full report with more information, please visit https://www.myperfectresume.com/career-center/careers/workplace-political-discussions or contact Elizabeth Buccianti, senior manager, public relations at [email protected].
Methodology:
The findings presented were obtained by surveying 1,102 American workers. The survey was conducted online on July 29, 2024. The study participants were asked questions about their feelings about political discussions in the workplace. These included yes/no questions, open-ended questions, scale-based questions relating to levels of agreement with a statement, and questions that permitted the selection of multiple options from a list of answers.
About MyPerfectResume
MyPerfectResume is the leading resource for resume advice and expert customer care to help professionals elevate their career with the perfect resume. Created to take the hassle out of resume-writing, the user-friendly program offers professionally crafted templates, expert tips, step-by-step guidance, and valuable career advice to effortlessly create an outstanding resume, CV, and cover letter. Since 2013, MyPerfectResume has helped more than 15 million job seekers create their perfect resumes and has been featured in Forbes, Yahoo! Finance, and more. Stay connected with MyPerfectResume's latest updates on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X.
Media Contact
Elizabeth Buccianti, MyPerfectResume, 407-463-8865, [email protected], https://www.myperfectresume.com/
SOURCE MyPerfectResume
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