KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — With the Presidential Election taking place this week, political conversations in the workplace can lead to uncomfortable situations for some.
Dr. Joel Davis Brown said that with these two candidates representing more than just politics but also the personal beliefs of their supporters, people can become increasingly emotionally tied to the outcomes of this election.
"When an election like this takes place, and we know that we have increasing polarization where people are entrenched in their views and people are seeing themselves as oppositional or into multiple camps when the election takes place," Brown said. "You're going to have one group that's going to feel as though their dreams and aspirations have been supported and one who may believe that their dreams have been diminished."
Brown said politics is engrained in our culture as Americans and it may be hard for people to turn away from those conversations. He recommends people have an exit strategy when the topic is brought up and they don't feel comfortable having the conversation in the workplace.
"I think we have to become more adept at just having conversations with each other, and one of those conversations might be setting boundaries," Brown said. "Say, 'I'm sorry, I'm here to work. I don't feel comfortable having this type of conversation. Please make sure that you take it elsewhere—that we don't have that type of conversation,' reminding people that this is a place to get some things done."
Brown adds that people should remain empathetic to others in this time and understand what triggers they may have so they can try to avoid those conversations when at all possible.
At the end of the day, Brown said no one can be forced into talking about politics and recommends that if anybody is pushing the boundaries, reach out to leaders in your organization to address your concerns.