As the Republicans gathered at their national convention in Milwaukee last month, restaurateur Paul Bartolotta reminded his wait staff of a longstanding policy: remain silent if a diner starts discussing politics. “If you hear something, it’s not your position to engage,” Bartolotta instructed. This approach is part of his broader objective to keep politics out of the workplace during this election cycle—a challenge that many business owners are finding exceptionally difficult as the presidential campaign heats up with former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris in the final 90 days.
Recent tumultuous political events, including the assassination attempt on Trump and President Biden's decision not to seek a second term, have reignited election talk in American workplaces, from offices to Slack channels. This complicates the efforts of employers who aim to minimize workplace conflicts. For much of the year, executives have tried to avoid discussing presidential politics and other sensitive issues, such as the ongoing war in the Middle East. For example, Google CEO Sundar Pichai told employees in April that the office isn’t a place for political debates, emphasizing that “this is a business.” Although this sentiment prevails in many corporate leaders' minds, avoiding political discourse seems increasingly unrealistic as the unpredictable election campaign dominates public attention.
Jon Vander Ark, CEO of waste management company Republic Services, echoes this sentiment. “I don’t think you can create an environment of zero politics,” he said, acknowledging that his 42,000 employees hold diverse political views. He encourages managers to emphasize respect and civility among colleagues, advising them to intervene if conversations get too heated or partisan but accepting that some disagreements are inevitable as long as they remain respectful. “The workplace is one of the last places where people from different sides of the aisle can meet,” Vander Ark noted, adding that fostering respect for varied viewpoints is a valuable contribution.
Handling politically charged topics at work continues to evolve. Recently, Salesforce implemented a policy to stop employees from discussing the Gaza conflict in its Slack channels, believing these debates were consuming too much work time. The company also considered adding more human resources staff to moderate these discussions. Companies with customer-facing roles face distinct challenges when customers try to engage employees in political conversations. For instance, Hilton has expanded employee training on de-escalation techniques to handle political discussions, and Delta Air Lines recently banned non-U.S. flag pins after customers complained about Palestinian flag pins worn by flight attendants, sparking internal criticism over restricted self-expression.
The patchwork of U.S. laws offers limited protections for workplace speech. While a few protections exist under the National Labor Relations Act, workers in the private sector are not covered by the First Amendment. Most U.S. states operate under an “at-will” employment presumption, allowing employers to dismiss workers for nearly any reason. Connecticut stands out with a law preventing employers from disciplining workers for expressing political or religious views, yet employers there can still argue that such speech disrupts company operations or workplace cohesion. Attorney Josh Goodbaum predicts an increase in court cases to define workers’ rights around political speech, framing the issue as one of personal freedom rather than a liberal vs. conservative battle.
According to the Pew Research Center, Americans have grown less tolerant of opposing political beliefs, with increasing numbers of Democrats and Republicans describing members of the opposite party in highly negative terms. Goodbaum notes, “With increasing social and political polarization, people have more trouble coexisting with those holding fundamentally different political positions.”
Despite the challenges, many feel workplaces are important forums to process political events. After the assassination attempt on Trump, Guy T. Williams, CEO of Gulf Coast Bank & Trust in New Orleans, observed that most of his meetings and calls began with discussions about the news. “It’s like trauma: People want to express it, share it, get it out,” he said.
Others, like Bartolotta, are committed to staying politically neutral at work. He refrains from sharing his political views, even if asked by his 850 employees, focusing instead on the guest experience. “I know this is a politically charged season,” he advised his staff. “Stay focused on what’s most important, which is focusing on the guest experience.”