office culture Archives

How to Manage Politics at Work

by LizStevens | Feb 19, 2020 | Blog

How to manage politics at work. Discussing politics at the office can be distracting, stressful, reduce productivity and inhibit collaboration.

Employees are stressed out about the upcoming presidential election.

Nearly 80 percent of employees discuss politics at work and for more than 40 percent of them, it has impacted their ability to get work done, according to a new report by Gartner.

“During times of social and political change, employees expect more conscious action and policy from their organizations,” said Brian Kropp, chief of research in the Gartner HR practice. “To minimize the negative impacts of politics on the workplace, HR leaders must ensure that employee emotions and behaviors associated with the current political environment don’t distract and disengage the workforce or create a hostile work environment.”

Discussing Politics at Work

More than 25 percent of employees say discussing politics at work has a moderate or significant impact on their ability to do their jobs. Over 30 percent say talking about politics at work is stressful or frustrating.

Bringing up politics at work can also make it harder for employees with differing political views to work together. Nearly 40 percent of workers say the topic of the 2020 U.S. presidential election has led them to avoid talking to or working with a coworker because of their political views.

How to Manage Politics at Work

As the 2020 U.S. presidential election nears, Gartner recommends HR leaders focus on three areas to manage increased political expression and activity in the workplace:

1. Determine the Right Political Expression Policies for the Organization.

Gartner’s Election 2020 Survey found that at organizations with political expression policies, over 75% of employees agree with these policies.

After verifying federal, state and local laws that may have implications on regulating employee speech or activity, HR leaders should use their organization’s culture as a guide to determine what types of regulations to put in place around political expression in the workplace.

HR leaders should focus on clearly articulating the policy’s goals and the prohibited activities and behaviors, as well as disciplinary action taken if the policy is broken. Organizations should consider which forms of political expression are most likely to have the greatest impact on their workplace, rather than attempting to shut down all forms of political expression. HR leaders should work with managers to ensure the policies are enforced consistently.

2. Emphasize Organizational Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion.

Gartner found that in February 2020, 29% of employees witnessed at least one instance of unacceptable treatment of a coworker because of their political beliefs, including being called offensive names, being avoided by colleagues or being treated unfairly.

HR leaders should emphasize the organization’s commitment to ensuring a safe and inclusive work environment for all employees via their commitment to diversity and inclusion. HR leaders can emphasize the organization’s commitment to D&I by creating a space for safe, relevant communication about the election and reinforcing existing policies, processes and programs on workplace abuse, discrimination, harassment and bullying.

“To ensure employees remain focused and feel safe at work, HR leaders must train managers so they are well-equipped to support employees during the election process and deal with political conflict within their teams,” said Caroline Walsh, vice president in the Gartner HR practice.

3. Equip Managers to Support Employees and Address Political Conflict.

Managers play a critical role in mitigating risks associated with political expression in the workplace. HR leaders can help managers minimize the disruptive effects of politics in the workplace in several ways:

Sense and respond to the need for support. HR leaders must help managers recognize signs of distress among their employees, both directly (through conversations) and indirectly (through observation).
Monitor political discussions. HR leaders must partner with managers to monitor political discussions among team members, as well as address and manage sensitive political conversations between team members.
Model the right behaviors to reduce the likelihood of misconduct. HR leaders must ensure the managers at all levels understand organizational values and ethical standards so that they can effectively communicate and demonstrate them across the organization.

Is Dating a Coworker a Good Idea?

by LizStevens | Feb 12, 2020 | Blog

Is dating a coworker a good idea? It depends on office fraternization policies and if you’ll be able to work well together when the romantic relationship ends.

Office romances are frowned upon in the working world, but that hasn’t stopped one-quarter of employees from dating their coworkers, according to recent research by Blind, an anonymous workplace network.

“We often hear the advice to not date coworkers, but that wisdom might be based on unrealistic expectations. We spend so much of our time at the office and communicating with colleagues that it’s only natural for relationships to blossom,” said Kyum Kim, Blind co-founder.

Is Dating a Coworker a Good Idea?

A 2019 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that aside from being uninterested these are a few of the main reasons why employees refrain from getting involved in workplace romances:

I believe workplace romances are unprofessional (33 percent)
I am concerned about employer policies on workplace romances (25 percent)
I am concerned about potential sexual harassment claims (17 percent)

Over 40 percent of employees who have dated a coworker chose to keep their relationship a secret, according to research by CareerBuilder. The stigma against workplace romances coupled with potential repercussions from HR likely factored into their decision to keep their relationship under wraps.

What If It Doesn’t Work Out?

Another valid concern about romantic relationships between coworkers is what happens if it ends, and worse, if it ends badly.

Surprisingly, more than 30 percent of workers who dated a coworker ended up marrying them. Only six percent of employees have left a job after a romantic relationship with someone at work ended.

How to Handle Office Romances in 2020

Socialization at work is inevitable. It’s important for team building and fostering a supportive work environment. Close work friendships can even boost job satisfaction by 50 percent.

Office policies that emphasize communication and transparency when relationships form are more beneficial than those that only outline the potential consequences of fraternization.

“Because so much of our waking time is spent at work, it’s no surprise that romances develop in the workplace,” said Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., President and CEO of SHRM. “It makes little sense to forbid them. Instead, employees should be encouraged to disclose relationships. This is the most effective way to limit the potential for favoritism, retaliation and sexual harassment claims.”

Office Dress Code Policies in Today’s Workplace

by LizStevens | Sep 18, 2019 | Blog

Office dress code policies in today’s workplace. Where should employers draw the line? Are ripped jeans, leggings, or open-toed shoes acceptable at work?

What is an appropriate dress code policy for 2019? Randstad US surveyed employees to find out.

“The nature of work — where, when and how it gets done — has changed dramatically over the past several years, and many of those changes (open offices, remote work) have ultimately contributed to a less formal workplace,” said Traci Fiatte, CEO, non-technical staffing, Randstad US. “It’s great to empower your employees to dress for their day, as well as show their personality, but it is equally important for employers to set some clear guidelines to ensure that everyone feels comfortable.”

Office Dress Code Policies in Today’s Workplace

The bulk of employers’ dress code policies (79%) are either business casual (26%), casual (33%) or non-existent (20%).

While workwear has become more casual overall, most employees are in agreement that there is a limit to what workers can get away with wearing.

More than 70 percent of workers agree that ripped jeans aren’t appropriate workwear, even in a business casual setting. Over 50 percent feel the same way about leggings. Half of the employees Randstad US surveyed believe very high heels (over three inches) look unprofessional and 40 percent said the same thing about open-toed shoes of any kind.

Nearly 40 percent of employees who are 25 to 35 years old admit they’ve been asked to dress more professionally by their manager or the HR department.

“There’s an interesting disconnect around younger workers: most associate dressing up with more confidence and better work performance, but nearly 40 percent also report they’ve had a manager speak to them about dressing more professionally,” said Fiatte.

“The bottom line is, as long as employees dress in a way that’s consistent with their employer’s policies, most managers care less about what their employees wear than about their performance and work output.”

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Building Office Culture with Diversity and Inclusion

by LizStevens | Jun 25, 2019 | Blog

Building office culture with diversity and inclusion. Employers are working to improve office culture and research by Deloitte can help them close the gap between values and practices.

A better office culture starts with diversity and inclusion but more than 60 percent of marginalized groups working for companies that focus on those values still feel pressured to “cover” their identities to fit in at work, according to research by Deloitte. Organizational expectations to “cover” lead these employees to perceive a lack of opportunities within the company, which results in their decreased commitment, negatively impacting job satisfaction and retention.

There are four common ways marginalized groups make efforts to conceal their identities in the workplace. Understanding how employees “cover” and how it impacts their relationship with the organizations they work for is essential for employers focused on improving office culture and bolstering diversity and inclusion efforts.

How Employees Cover at Work to Fit into Office Culture

Deloitte explores “covering” at work across the four axes defined by Kenji Yoshino in 2006:

Appearance-based covering involves altering one’s self-representation to blend into mainstream office culture. This can include changing one’s grooming, attire and mannerisms. A black respondent shared, “I went through a period two years ago where I had a bad reaction to the chemical straightener I used in my hair and had to stop. It was so uncomfortable wearing my natural hair to work that I resorted to wearing weaves, which were very costly and did more damage to my hair. However, I felt that the weave was more acceptable than wearing my natural hair. I also hated that when I wore my natural hair it always seems to be the subject of conversation as if that single feature defined who I am as a person.”
Affiliation-based covering happens when employees avoid behaviors commonly associated with their identity to negate stereotypes. A woman respondent shared, “I was coached to not mention family commitments (including daycare pickup, for which I leave half an hour early, but check in remotely at night) in conversations with executive management, because the individual frowns on flexible work arrangements.”
Advocacy-based covering concerns how much employees defend the group they identify with at work. An LGBTQIA+ respondent shared, “I didn’t feel I could protest when the person put in charge of diversity for our group was in fact an extremely vocal homophobe.”
Association-based covering occurs when employees avoid contact with other group members at work. A respondent with cancer shared, “I don’t associate with cancer groups, because I don’t want to draw attention to my medical status, disability, or flexible arrangements. People tend to look at me like I’m dying when they find out I have cancer, they avoid giving me longer term or higher-profile projects. Mostly I think they do this to be nice, because they assume I can’t handle it.”

How to Improve Office Culture with Diversity and Inclusion Efforts

Deloitte acknowledges in their report, “Some forms of covering are absolutely justifiable. To join a group is to surrender some degree of individual expression in the name of common expression,” and quotes a respondent who said their appearance-based covering actually increased their commitment to their workplace.

The issue is then identifying which covering demands are proper or improper, and Deloitte developed the “Uncovering Talent” model to help companies close the gap between values and practices, which involves:

Reflecting on current instances of covering.
Diagnosing the incidence, impact and drivers of covering by gathering qualitative and quantitative data.
Analyzing covering behaviors relative to stated corporate values.
Identifying leadership and cultural solutions.

It is possible for efforts to improve office culture, diversity and inclusion to succeed. Nearly 20 percent of respondents stated that they have “uncovered in a way that has led to success” both for them and for their organization.

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Top 10 Workplace Etiquette Rules for Communication

by LizStevens | Apr 24, 2019 | Blog

Top 10 workplace etiquette rules for communication. Work-related emails sent after hours are stressing employees out and here’s what appropriate office etiquette looks like in a digital age.

Ninety-seven percent of employees receive work-related emails after hours and most feel obligated to respond promptly, according to research by Signs.com.

Workplace Etiquette: Should You Send Work-Related Emails After Hours?

Nearly 35 percent of employees are stressed out by work communications after hours. Millennials were most likely to feel anxious about late-night work correspondence. Research by Adobe found white-collar workers between the ages of 25 to 34 spend more than six hours a day checking their email. More than a third of them check their email right when they get up, before they’ve even gotten out of bed.

Worker accessibility after hours is a relatively new phenomenon that thought leaders and lawmakers are evaluating. New York was the first to consider a law that would bar employers from requiring employees to check emails after hours.

Employees are more connected than ever because of the digital revolution and as such, they’re more likely to be affected by one another’s behavior. What are the new rules?

Top 10 Workplace Etiquette Rules for Communication

Don’t Use a Speakerphone. Roughly 70 percent of employees found using a speakerphone in a shared or open office to be unacceptable. If it’s a call you need to take hands-free, use a headset or find a private room to avoid distracting your coworkers.
Gossiping Isn’t Good Team Building. Talk about the weather, sports, upcoming events, or send a sweet GIF, but whatever you do don’t fall into gossiping as a way to relate with coworkers.
DON’T USE ALL CAPS. Using all caps indicates an aggressive tone, or a lack of digital skills, neither of which will be appreciated by coworkers. The only time caps are acceptable in the workplace is when you are sending “CONGRATULATIONS!” to celebrate an achievement.
Reply Carefully. More than 60 percent of employees consider it poor workplace etiquette to hit reply-all to emails. This rule requires some finesse. Don’t reply all to an email asking for your order for the staff lunch. Do reply all to a department-wide update to make sure everyone knows you’re on the same page.
Politics Aren’t Welcome.
More than half of employees think it’s inappropriate to discuss politics in the workplace. Even if you think your political interests are aligned with your coworkers, it’s best to keep politics or off the clock.
Silence Your Phone. You’re going to compulsively check your phone at least once every half hour anyway, do you really need a ringtone or vibration for every notification? Your coworkers certainly don’t think you do.
Don’t Copy the Whole Team. Before sending an email ask yourself: who needs to see this? If it’s not something that the entire organization needs to know, there’s no reason why everyone should be copied. Be more selective when sending general correspondence to coworkers.
Take Calls When You’re Available. It should be clear that taking a call while going to the bathroom is poor workplace etiquette, but roughly 45 percent of employees think it’s still worth mentioning. It’s embarrassing to have to reschedule a call because of your bladder, but it’s far more uncomfortable for everyone involved to be on a call while you’re using the restroom.
Use Styles Appropriately. Forty percent of workers think the improper use of bolds or italics in work communications is unacceptable. This is somewhat similar to using all caps in the way that it could convey an unintended tone. Bold/italics also have a tendency to draw the attention of the eye, so if a random word is bolded or italicized it can be confusing and distract viewers from the message itself.
Keep Your Jokes to Yourself. More than a third of employees think it’s poor workplace etiquette to send joke emails to the entire team. It really depends on your work culture whether or not it’s appropriate to send joke emails, but the important qualifier here is ‘to the entire team.’ Rarely, if ever, will there be an occasion for you to send an unsolicited joke email to your entire organization.