Can Employers Prevent Political Discussions At Work?
As more companies get back to their offices, there are many questions. One question was highlighted recently by the collaboration software company Basecamp, who announced a ban on “societal and political discussions” on the company’s online workplaces, so essentially... “at the office.” This was quickly followed by 1/3 of the company’s employees resigning their positions and the whole episode has been covered and commented on by traditional and social media alike.
“Today's social and political waters are especially choppy,” Basecamp CEO Jason Fried wrote. “These are difficult enough waters to navigate in life, but significantly more so at work. It's become too much. It's a major distraction. It saps our energy, and redirects our dialog towards dark places.”
The ban, which follows a similar move last year at cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, received immediate criticism on Twitter from some Basecamp employees.
“I've worked at Basecamp for a long time because it's a company full of smart and kind people, and together we've always tried to take care and do the right things. I don't agree with the changes announced today, and I'm sad & upset," tweeted Jonas Downey, the company’s design lead.
Political discussions at work are an issue facing many companies right now. So what should you do? PLB Resources’ own amazing HR expert, Lorein Brightwell, had this to say.
“The National Labor Relations Board, here in the United States, offers employees protections against their otherwise loss of freedom of speech in the workplace, by providing all workers with the protected right to discuss with co-workers the terms and conditions of their employment, or to try and improve those conditions without threat of reprisal. In socially-and politically-charged times as these, employers can find themselves in the situation of finding the need to dictate a curbing of such topical discussions in the workplace, if for no other reason than to ensure productivity and harmony. There are many nuances such as this that MUST be artfully navigated by employers to balance productivity, employee protections and the continuity of corporate culture for the good of the company.”
And there you have it. Tough HR situations made simple by someone who’s been there and wants to help. Hey, HR is confusing and difficult and if you get it wrong not only do you get to answer to social media, but also lots of government agencies just waiting to fine you for you non-compliance. Smart employers use PLB Resources to stay in compliance with all employment regulations and reduce risk exposure while building those amazing workplaces!
More on this Smart Employer News
https://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/talking-politics-is-now-banned-at-u-s-tech-company-basecamp-1.5403827