Political discussions in the workplace risk conflict at the best of times. Factor in extreme levels of political polarization and an antagonistic Presidential election campaign and that risk increases exponentially.
To dig deeper into this vexed topic, Enhancv surveyed 500 working age Americans to gauge their experiences with, and opinions on discussing politics at work.
Key findings:
- 1 in 3 Gen Z employees lie about their political beliefs to avoid workplace conflict.
- 31% of workers overall experience conflict at work due to their political beliefs.
- 5% overall have been disciplined at work for expressing their political opinions. But Gen Z is 10 times more likely to have been disciplined than baby boomers.
- 1 in 5 overall feel threatened discussing politics at work. But Gen Z is almost twice as likely to feel threatened as baby boomers, 28% vs. 15%.
- The most controversial topics to discuss at work overall are Presidential candidates, abortion, and LGBTQ rights. But for Hispanic workers the top three are Presidential candidates, gun control, and racial equality.
- 6 in 10 believe it’s unacceptable to discuss politics at work, but that proportion decreases to 4 in 10 master’s degree graduates.
- 62% would apply for a job with an employer that expresses political views that oppose their own.
1 in 3 Gen Z employees lie about their political beliefs to avoid workplace conflict
One way to avoid disputes is to lie about your political beliefs. Overall 17% of respondents admitted to lying about their political beliefs to avoid office disagreements. But, at 33%, Gen Z are almost twice as likely to lie about their beliefs. The most likely of any demographic.
Among Gen Z respondents who lied, these are the issues they’re most likely to lie about:
- 72% of those who lied did so about their voting intentions.
- 54% of those who lied did so about their views on Presidential candidates.
The least likely demographic to lie about politics are female Republicans. Only 7% have concealed their beliefs, less than half as likely as workers overall.
Have you ever lied about your political beliefs at work to avoid conflict?
31% experience conflict due to their political beliefs
Overall, 31% of respondents reported experiencing workplace conflict. However, demographic differences are evident:
- Men are more likely to experience conflict compared to women, 35% vs. 26%
- Workers in the Midwest are more likely to experience conflict than those in the South, 38% vs. 26%.
- Male Republicans are most likely to experience conflict at 39%, but female Republicans are least likely at 19%.
Have you ever experienced conflict at work due to your political beliefs?
5% have been disciplined at work for expressing their political opinions
Severe workplace conflict can lead to disciplinary action against employees. 5% of survey takers reported being disciplined for expressing their political views. But once more, there is notable demographic variance:
- Men are more than twice as likely to have been disciplined for expressing their views than women, 8% vs. 3%.
- Gen Z is 10 times more likely to have been disciplined for expressing their views than baby boomers, 15% vs. 1.5%, and the most likely of any demographic.
- Female Democrats are the least likely. None reported having been disciplined.
Have you ever been disciplined at work for expressing political opinions?
1 in 5 feel threatened discussing politics at work
Workplace conflict can leave people feeling vulnerable. Almost a quarter of workers, 23%, have felt threatened in workplace political discussions. Noteworthy differences between demographics are as follows:
- Gen Z is almost twice as likely as baby boomers to feel threatened discussing politics at work, 28% vs. 15%.
- Master’s degree graduates are most likely to feel threatened, 36%, and those with a maximum of high school educational attainment are least likely at 13%.
Have you ever felt threatened discussing politics at work?
The most controversial topics to discuss at work are Presidential candidates, abortion, and LGBTQ rights
We gave respondents a list of political topics and asked them to choose those they considered contentious. They could choose as many answers as they saw fit. Overall, the top three answers were:
- Presidential candidates, chosen by 60%.
- Abortion, 52%.
- LGBTQ rights, 45%.
Top three most controversial topics overall
However, controversial topics themselves proved divisive:
- For Gen Z, the number one choice is racial equality, 60%, with Presidential candidates and abortion coming in equal second at 52%.
- For female Democrats, abortion is the top issue, 67%, with Presidential candidates and LGBTQ rights coming in at 58% and 52% respectively.
- And for Hispanic workers, Presidential candidates came first at 62%. But unlike the overall figures, gun control and racial equality shared the number two spot, both at 45%.
Top three most controversial topics by demographic
6 in 10 believe it’s unacceptable to discuss politics at work
With the potential for conflict caused by political discussions in the office, it’s not surprising that overall 58% of respondents believe such conversations are unacceptable. But again the question itself proved polarizing:
- Women are more likely than men to consider political discussions unacceptable, 67% vs. 48%.
- High school graduates are more likely to consider workplace political conversations unacceptable than master’s degree graduates, 57% vs. 44%.
- The equal least likely to consider political debates at work unacceptable are male Republicans, at 44%, and the most likely are female Independents, 72%.
Enhancv’s Executive Coach, Silvia Angeloro, advises caution when discussing politics at work.
I believe that discussions about politics and religion are best kept to private settings, and this applies in the workplace for several reasons. The primary reason is that people come from diverse backgrounds and hold different beliefs, which could potentially lead to conflicts or discomfort in a professional environment.
My advice is to maintain a boundary between your private self and your professional persona, especially during the first 3 to 12 months on the job. This approach allows you to observe and understand the workplace culture before deciding how much of your personal beliefs to share.
Silvia Angeloro, Executive Coach, Enhancv
Do you think it’s unacceptable to discuss politics at work?
62% would apply for a job with an employer with opposing political views
Considering the problems that arise when political views clash, it’s easy to assume people wouldn’t want to work for an employer with opposing opinions. But overall, 62% of respondents would work for an employer whose politics oppose theirs.
This figure stayed relatively consistent across most demographics. However, a regional variation emerged. Workers from the Midwest are more evenly split, with 55% willing to work for a company with different politics. But at 66%, workers from the South are most willing to do the same.
Would you work for an employer with opposing political views?
Survey respondents’ experiences with workplace political discussions
Our survey data has revealed discussing politics at work can be fraught with contention. But there are real experiences behind the numbers.
We asked survey takers to tell us about the conflict they’ve experienced. Their profiles cut across party lines.
I was told who I wanted to vote for was wrong, and if I voted for them I would be a target in my office, as people didn't want that person to win.
Female, Independent, location not disclosed
I was in a discussion about immigration and another employee started going off and telling me to shut up. I'm a receiving manager and they got fired.
Female, Independent, Ohio
I am a moderate Republican. One very liberal person insisted I was MAGA and a wing nut since according to him there was no such thing as a moderate Republican.
Male, Republican, Pennsylvania
I had someone tell me that I was voting for a candidate because they believed I was registered with a specific party opposite of them. I am independent and vote for both candidates of both parties. I don’t vote party line regularly. I just told them they shouldn’t assume and they got offended because of what they thought I meant.
Male, Independent, New Jersey
I'm a woman. Back in 2016 I had two men ask me in a conference meeting if I was voting for Hillary. Insinuating that I must be voting for her because I am a woman and would only vote for another woman. I was coincidentally a Project Manager at the time.
Female, Democrat, Georgia
I’m a front office supervisor. I have stopped eating lunch in the break room because my conservative views don't align with many of my co-workers and their liberal views.
Female, Republican, Louisiana
But others prevent conflict by choosing to avoid politics altogether.
I generally don’t discuss politics at work because I don’t want to start any drama. By not talking about politics it avoids drama and conflict.
Male, Independent, Nevada
I’m a director, and while I personally haven’t experienced any such conflict, I’ve seen it play out all too often between others. So I’ve decided that it’s best to not discuss politics at work to avoid issues.
Male, Democrat, New York
Key Takeaways
Generation Z in particular appears to have a unique approach to discussing politics at work. They’re the most likely to lie about their political beliefs, more likely to feel threatened by political discussions, and the most likely to be disciplined when they do express their opinions. And they put racial equality front and center as the most controversial topic to discuss at work.
As a 2020 EY report shows, they’re a diverse and contradictory generation. Employers would do well to take this into account, and understand what drives and motivates individuals, rather than making blanket assumptions.
Angeloro has further insights into the unique characteristics of Gen Z relating to discussing politics at work.
Generation Z seems to grasp the importance of privacy well and understands that while some topics may be appropriate to discuss among friends or in informal settings, they aren't always suitable for the workplace.
This is a point I often emphasize to my clients on LinkedIn: stay away from any debate on religion and or politics and focus on professionalism while maintaining your core identity. However, there are exceptions when it comes to fundamental values and ethics.
If you encounter something like racism or other clear ethical violations, it's crucial to speak out. These are universal issues where there should be no ambiguity—standing up against such matters isn't up for debate.
Regarding political debates, like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the situation becomes more complex. While there are intrinsic values and ethical considerations involved, not everyone will perceive them the same way.
Therefore, it's often more practical not to engage in these discussions at work, as Generation Z seems to understand intuitively. For them, it's not so much about feeling safer but feeling at ease and in control of their environment.
Silvia Angeloro, Executive Coach, Enhancv
Men are less likely than women to think discussing politics at work is unacceptable. They’re also more likely to experience conflict and be disciplined as a result. It’s well-established that men and women handle conflict differently.
Workers in the Midwest are more likely to experience conflict due to political conversations in the workplace but less likely to consider working for an employer with differing views. As a key electoral battleground and swing district, this comes as no surprise.
People differ on what they consider the most controversial political topics to discuss. When engaging in debate at the watercooler it’s important to remember that what you consider less contentious may be at the top of others’ no-go topics.
Finally, while the majority believe discussing politics at work is unacceptable, it’s inevitable that such conversations will happen. When they do, Angeloro has some tips for how to minimize conflict.
To minimize conflict when discussing politics at work, keep the conversation concise and composed. Avoid raising your voice or tone, and focus on maintaining a respectful dialogue.
If the conversation starts to become too heated or sensitive, consider saying something like, "Perhaps we should bring this to a close. I value our relationship as colleagues, and this might be too sensitive for the workplace."
Remember, while everyone should feel free to express themselves, it's important to recognize that work can already be draining and, in some cases, a challenging environment.
By keeping discussions simple and positive, you can maintain a more harmonious atmosphere. Once you've established yourself and have more influence, you can gradually introduce more of your ideas and presence.
Silvia Angeloro, Executive Coach, Enhancv
Methodology
Survey data was obtained from a survey created by Enhancv and conducted using the online survey platform, Pollfish. It was completed on August 13, 2024. Overall, 500 people aged 18–25 completed the survey. Demographic data for gender and age was post-stratified to equal known population totals.
For all media inquiries, contact jacques@enhancv.com.
Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the individuals quoted and do not necessarily reflect the views of Enhancv.
About us
Enhancv helps job seekers get hired at top companies. We offer a variety of expert designed resume templates and have 1800+ resume examples for every industry. And we can teach you how to write a resume that’ll help you land every type of job.
Make one that's truly you.
