How Can Employers Maintain Workplace Civility During an Election Cycle?

Maintaining workplace civility, especially during a divisive election cycle, is a critical business imperative directly linked to productivity and employee retention. Left unaddressed, incivility can cost employers billions in lost productivity. A strategic approach combining clear policies, leadership modeling, and proactive support systems is essential for fostering a respectful work environment.

What Is the Real Cost of Workplace Incivility?

Incivility is far from a trivial issue; it has a direct and measurable impact on a company's bottom line. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), workplace incivility costs employers an estimated $2 billion per day in lost productivity and absenteeism. This staggering figure stems from employees disengaging to avoid conflict.

The mechanism is straightforward: when political discourse or interpersonal friction creates a hostile environment, employees naturally avoid the source of stress. SHRM data indicates that employees lose approximately 31 minutes of productive work time per uncivil incident. This distraction is not just about the initial event; it includes the lingering effects of emotional turmoil, resentment, and mental replaying of interactions. This erosion of focus can escalate, leading to a breakdown in teamwork, communication, and trust, ultimately increasing employee turnover. While bullying may not always be illegal unless tied to a protected characteristic (like race, religion, or gender), employers have a strong business interest in prohibiting such behavior to maintain a healthy organizational culture.

What Policies Should Employers Implement to Set Expectations?

Establishing clear, well-communicated policies is the foundational step for setting behavioral standards. These policies act as guardrails, providing employees with a clear understanding of acceptable conduct.

Key policies to review or implement include:

• Code of Conduct: This high-level policy should articulate the organization's values and connect them to expected daily behaviors, emphasizing respect and professionalism.
• Harassment and Discrimination Policy: A clear, robust policy with an effective reporting mechanism is non-negotiable. It communicates a commitment to a safe workplace and is crucial for addressing incivility that escalates into legally actionable conduct.
• Attire and Appearance Policy: Employers can set standards for professional dress, including for remote workers on camera. A simple, effective approach is to prohibit all clothing with text or images, avoiding the need to define "political" attire specifically.
• Social Media Policy: The most effective policies acknowledge employees' private lives while reminding them that company rules against harassment and discrimination extend to online behavior that impacts the workplace.

It is critical to avoid overly broad policies that could violate the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which protects employees' rights to engage in concerted activity for mutual aid or protection. Policies should be carefully drafted to focus on behavior that is disruptive, harassing, or discriminatory, rather than banning all discussion of topics like politics.

How Can Employers Go Beyond Policies to Foster Civility?

Policies alone are insufficient. Cultivating a genuinely civil workplace requires a multifaceted strategy that embeds respect into the company culture. Based on our assessment experience, the following actions are highly effective:

• Model Civility from the Top: Leadership must consistently demonstrate the respectful behavior they expect from employees. Civility is cultural and starts at the highest levels.
• Provide Safe Outlets for Concerns: Create low-threshold channels for employees to report concerns without initiating a formal investigation, encouraging early intervention.
• Invest in Well-being Programs: Support employee mental and physical health through organizational programs, equipping staff with resources to manage stress.
• Facilitate Open Dialogue: Hold town-hall meetings or facilitated discussions to address communication gaps and rebuild connections among teams.
• Seek Expert Guidance: For persistent issues, don’t hesitate to engage specialists in organizational psychology or employment law.

Employers should focus on creating an environment of mutual respect and productivity, not an unrealistic utopia. The key is to be observant, proactive, and committed to a strategy that combines clear rules with positive cultural reinforcement.