Dilemma
“I am one of the few at work who votes left. In the recent elections, a large number of my colleagues voted radical right. I would like to have more space to express my opinion, but that is not possible now because the majority of right-wing ideas are normal and assume that everyone thinks that way. They also make jokes in which they ridicule left-wing people. How do you ensure that all political views are allowed in the workplace?”
Woman (31), name known to the editors
Ask for help
“This woman faces social exclusion based on political affiliation,” says organizational expert Alie Kuiper. That’s a serious matter, she thinks. “The Equal Treatment Act states that people may not be discriminated against on the basis of their political preference.”
The problem facing the 31-year-old woman is now very topical, the organizational expert sees. Kuiper advises companies and organizations on how they can ensure a socially safe workplace. Since the election results, she has been receiving more requests for help from companies about similar situations. Three times in the past week alone.
According to Kuiper, the woman in question should raise this problem higher up. This can be done, for example, with a manager, possibly with the help of the confidential counselor. “They should make it clear to the department where this is happening that it is important that everyone feels safe in that workplace and that laughing at and ridiculing people based on political affiliation stands in the way of this.”
Unfortunately, not everyone is susceptible to these types of moral arguments, says Kuiper, and therefore not everyone is willing to adjust their behavior accordingly. In that case, it can help the manager to focus on achieving the company’s goals by pointing out that exclusion from colleagues hinders work performance. “Because how well can people work together when there is social insecurity? How well can they do their work if they feel left out?”
Another option is to visit the company doctor and tell them that you are not feeling well at work, says Kuiper. “Exclusion is a form of bullying behavior. People who have to deal with this for a longer period of time may develop psychological complaints and drop out. Some quit their jobs. You can therefore also discuss a situation like this with the company doctor on a preventive basis. He could then raise the situation with the management of the organization.”
According to Kuiper, it is best to talk about politics in the workplace. People just talk about what concerns them, she says, and the elections keep us busy with politics. “If you talk about politics at work, do so with respect for all points of view.”
Keep it cozy
Grethe van Geffen, founder of business consultancy Seba Cultuurmanagement, finds it remarkable that it is known within this company who votes what. “In my opinion, that is not normal,” she says. “People usually experience voting preferences as a private matter.” According to her, the average employer is also not interested in staff talking about this. “People with different political views can generally work well together. It simply does not have to be about it, and if it is, it should be done with respect.”
This case therefore seems to be about more than just politics, Van Geffen thinks. “I think there is peer pressure here. A few informal leaders set the tone. The rest follow out of fear of falling out of the group. It could well be that some of them do not even vote for the same parties, but do not dare to say so.” According to Van Geffen, politics in this situation is in fact a means to underline the social relations in the group.
It also seems as if the group is not sufficiently concerned with how the work can best be done, says Van Geffen. “If they can talk so much about politics, maybe they don’t have enough work to do. They should talk to each other more about work and less about politics.”
According to Van Geffen, a manager could intervene in a light-hearted manner. “As a manager, I would say to the team: keep it fun, we’re going to talk about something else.”
According to Van Geffen, the woman in question might wonder why she wants her political opinion to be heard in the workplace. “It might help her to look at the situation a little more deeply. Is it about the political views she would like to express, or is it that she has little say in the team in other respects? I see this more often in practice with young employees. The question here is whether she feels respected by her colleagues in a general sense.”
Should the workplace be politically neutral? According to Van Geffen, there is no clear answer to this. “But you come to work to work, not to debate.”
So
The manager can intervene in this situation in a light-hearted manner or have a conversation about social safety in the workplace. In any case, it is important that something happens. Because those who do not feel comfortable at work may perform less well.
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