This distraction requires your attention.
By MARK RIFFEY for the Flathead Beacon
National distraction season is upon us. Are you ready?
No, I’m not talking about bowhunting season. Work is a distraction from bow season, not the other way around, right? Seriously though – I’m referring to election / political season and the drama it brings to the workplace.
Last time, we discussed in general terms some of the trouble that employee drama can create. If you recall, I encouraged you to shut it down whenever possible, as quickly as possible before it erupts into something you can’t handle. I included some common causes of drama, but I left a few of the major ones out – like politics.
First, your employees
A particularly destructive feature of even numbered calendar years is the drama that elections and their related issues / discussions can create. I say destructive because it can not only destroy productivity for the day, or perhaps the week. It can also radically change the relationships between members of your staff, including one of the most important ones – the relationship you have with your staff.
While you and/or your staff may find substantial enjoyment from discussing election politics with friends and relatives, doing so at work is all but a no-win scenario. This may seem like Captain Obvious talking, but you would be surprised how much of it goes on and how much rapport it can damage.
You might be thinking that you don’t want any of those lefties or righties working at your business. No doubt, if you can manage that somehow, that’s on you to figure out and “police” – while doing legally, of course. Until you’ve created a 100% politically safe environment, I suggest you get your team together and address the how and when these things should be discussed in the workplace, and do so in a manner that you and they can handle productively.
On the other hand, if everyone agrees (really?), it stands to reason that full on political discussion and posturing is fair game across the entire workplace. Full political agreement among your staff doesn’t mean there won’t be conflicts or morale issues, but it will likely minimize them. Even so, is this what you want consuming your staff’s mindset and conversation as they produce products and deliver services for your clients?
You may think this is a bit of an overreach on your part. Perhaps it is. That’s for you to decide, but I’d bear in mind that everyone working for you (and their families) depend on you to keep the place productive and profitable. Your community depends on your employees and their families as well. Allowing your workplace to become a toxic political war zone may not help your business meet those needs, much less helping your people meet yours.
And then, your clientele
Speaking of your clients – if these discussions are going on, it’s pretty likely that they are going to color the tone of discussions with your clientele, or that your clientele will overhear or even become involved in a staff discussion that they stumble into at your place.
If you’re willing to lose clients over this, make it clear to your team. For those of you who aren’t interested (much less willing) to lose clients over a political discussion, that should also be made clear to your entire team. As I mentioned earlier, if you are willing to say “I don’t want any lefties/righties as clients”, that’s on you to figure out and do so legally.
If that’s not a place you want to go, then you need to make sure your team understands that their publicly accessible comments in the workplace need to stay within the bounds you set. This is no different than you laying down the law about profanity, etc. It may create a bit more frustration and perhaps will make way less common sense than “Don’t use profanity on the sales floor, on the phone, on the radio or in emails” but that’s your choice to make.
Bottom line, I would encourage you to have your team find more productive things to discuss at the workplace, like Griz vs. Cats, or is that Cats vs. Griz? You decide.
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Want to learn more about Mark or ask him to write about a strategic, operations or marketing problem? See Mark’s site, contact him on Twitter, or email him at mriffey@flatheadbeacon.com.