How to navigate political issues in your organisation

“I don’t come to work to talk about politics. I come to work to get things done”.

—Overhead in Martin Place Oct 2024

Navigating politics at work is like tiptoeing through a creaky stairwell. 

Everyone's got an opinion, but not everyone knows how to express it without making noise. And with political polarisation creeping into every corner of our lives, the workplace is no exception. 

With the looming threat of World War III and the results of the 2024 US presidential election around the corner, Aussies are talking politics at work and things are heating up fast in some organisations.

This puts HR at a crossroads: should you shut down political conversations entirely or try a more balanced approach that manages these discussions without stifling voices?

You must find the sweet spot in your organisation as an HR manager. Balancing open conversations and ensuring these discussions don’t create rifts in the team. It’s all about managing the tension before it boils over.

Aussies live by the adage that the two things you should never bring up at work are religion and politics. But political debates are baked into cultures like France and South America. So, what’s a cultural norm elsewhere feels like a workplace hazard in Australia, so HR needs to be conscious that organisations are made up of people from different cultures with different expectations.

So when conversations do get heated at work, how do you gauge where open exchanges end and divisive speech or hate speech begins? And what’s HR’s role in all of this?

Why stifling doesn't work

As a general rule, it’s not a good idea to try and stifle political discourse because it’s impractical and counterproductive.

And research from Harvard Business Review backs this up. Suppressing conversations fuels frustration, leading to disengagement, burnout, and higher turnover. It might seem easier to silence the debate, but it comes at the cost of morale, collaboration, and job satisfaction.

Because when employees feel their voices are being stifled, they disengage. HR's role isn’t to stop conversations but to guide them in a productive way that builds trust instead of tearing it down.

Open communication, when managed effectively, fosters empathy and teamwork. When employees feel heard, they’re more likely to listen—and that’s where creativity and collaboration flourish.

That said, it’s easy for tempers to flare up when it comes to hot issues and HR’s primary concern, as outlined in the Fair Work Act, must be ensuring that all employees can come to work in an environment where they feel safe from discrimination and hate speech. 

So navigating politics at work is more about creating a culture that values diversity than about setting rules.

HR Role

The most important response is to remain neutral regardless of your personal beliefs.

You want to stay informed, avoid potential employee relations situations, and provide employees with a discreet open door and confidential sounding board. These are both key for maintaining a workplace where all employees feel safe, included and free of political distractions or contentious arguments.

Managers are on the frontlines of workplace interactions, so equipping them to mediate political conversations is critical. HR should provide managers with training emphasising de-escalation, active listening, and neutrality. 

Because managers need to know how to recognise when a conversation is becoming contentious and guide it back to respectful dialogue. Their role isn’t to police opinions but to foster understanding and prevent minor disagreements from escalating into larger conflicts. This ensures discussions remain constructive without disrupting team dynamics.

Handling microaggression and employee discrimination is pretty important too.

Political discussions can unintentionally cross into microaggressions or discriminatory comments, especially on sensitive topics like race, gender, or religion. HR must be proactive in setting boundaries to ensure all employees feel respected. Conversations that alienate or target individuals undermine inclusion and could violate workplace policies. 

It's essential for HR, managers and employees to generally monitor these interactions, intervene when necessary, and reinforce discrimination guidelines to maintain a safe working environment.

So how do you go about this?

Establish clear guidelines for political discussions

The best time to set expectations is before the conversation even begins. 

Establish clear guidelines that apply both online and offline, ensuring respectful dialogue across emails, messaging apps, and in-person conversations. Make it clear that while diverse opinions are welcome (unless an employee indicates otherwise), the goal is to understand. Just because a discussion happens in Slack instead of the break room doesn’t change the need for professionalism.

Ensure that employees feel comfortable expressing their views without fear of judgement or backlash. Encourage people to listen, ask open-ended questions and approach every conversation with a learning mindset rather than defending, not conquering. 

Facilitate structured conversations

When political topics arise, your instinct might be to shy away from them but avoiding these discussions doesn’t solve the underlying tension. 

Instead, lean into these discussions with structure, setting boundaries for when and where conversations are appropriate, whether during in-person meetings or through online platforms like Teams and Slack. Political discussions shouldn’t occur during work hours in a way that distracts others from completing their tasks. Clear boundaries also help prevent misunderstandings when conversations spill into online spaces.

Structuring these discussions allows for a balanced exchange of ideas, reducing the likelihood of emotional escalation during work. The goal here isn’t to reach a consensus but to ensure that diverse viewpoints are acknowledged and respected. Also, remember that joining the discussion is a choice, not a requirement.

Navigating politics at work isn’t easy, but it’s necessary. With the right approach, HR can turn potential landmines into opportunities for growth, fostering a culture where employees feel safe, respected, and valued. The key is balance: guiding conversations without controlling them and creating space for diverse perspectives without allowing them to divide the team.