How to talk politics at work without upsetting anyone

Discussing political issues at work doesn’t have to be taboo, but it can quickly devolve if you’re not careful.

6 min
A person jumps over office supplies and voting ballots.
Illustration by Maria Frade for The Washington Post
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Can you believe what happened during the presidential debate? If the idea of that question popping up at work makes you cringe, you’re not alone.

As the race for the White House heats up, it’s increasingly likely you could find yourself in a political discussion. Nearly half of U.S. workers said they had discussed political issues with a co-worker the prior month — a number that’s only expected to grow, according to a recent poll by Gallup. While 14 percent of those said the conversation made them feel included, 15 percent felt uncomfortable or that they were treated unfairly because of their political views.

We asked readers for their thoughts and received responses across the spectrum. Some think the issue is taboo and should never be touched at work. Political discussions can quickly spiral out of hand, destroy relationships or create a potential for retribution based on opposing political views, they said. Others said they have political conversations because it directly affects their work, they know they’re surrounded by like-minded people or they’re in environments open to those discussions. And some said they want to have civil political conversations but don’t know how.

Here are some ways to navigate political discussions at work.

Should I talk about politics at work?

Deciding whether to dive into politics at work is often a personal decision. Sometimes, especially after a big political event, such discussions can creep up casually.

“Ideally, we wouldn’t have these conversations [at work], but in practice we are,” said Johnny C. Taylor Jr., president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, an HR association.

Find out whether political conversations are allowed. Some companies have cracked down on these discussions because of their incendiary nature. Rules aside, try to get a sense of the cultural norms at your workplace, said Heidi Brooks, senior lecturer of organizational behavior at the Yale School of Management. Is it open to the discussion of social issues or is it more buttoned down?

Consider the stakes. Never talk politics in a job interview, even if the other person prompts you, said Vicki Salemi, a career expert at website Monster. This could create discomfort and influence whether someone wants to work with you.

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