Politics and work should not mix, according to a recent survey of employees.
A poll of U.S. workers, conducted by MyPerfectResume.com, found that 80% valued political neutrality in the workplace, while closer to 90% agreed that employers should limit or discourage political discussion at work. Still, workplace debates inevitably break out, and when they did, 73% reported that they felt pressured to share their political views in the run-up to the recent U.S. election.
With provincial and federal elections on the horizon in Canada, now may be a good time for Canadian employers to start thinking about a Political Discourse Policy for their workplace, either as a standalone document or as part of their existing harassment and discrimination policies.
Private sector employers are generally much freer than government agencies to set boundaries around acceptable speech in the workplace, but political speech can still engage employees’ rights under Human Rights legislation. That’s why it’s important for employers to speak with a lawyer before putting together guidelines for workers.
If you need help navigating the nuances of a political discourse policy for your workplace, feel free to get in touch with our team to get legal advice tailored to your specific needs.
