PUBLIC OPINION > Don't Talk Politics at Work

With the presidential election just a couple months away, political conversations are almost unavoidable. But is it ever inappropriate to engage in political discourse? What about the workplace? Is that simply an exercise in free speech and open communication, or a recipe for disaster? We asked the public if it's OK to talk politics at work.

Open political discussion is essential in a democratic country, but about two-thirds of people think that bringing it into the workplace is a bad idea. Most people agree that there's a fine line between a discussion and an argument, but with a topic as volatile as politics, a calm discussion could very quickly turn sour. Some spoke from experience. It could turn out fine, but it's usually not worth the risk.

Mind the Moderates

Conservatives and liberals voted similarly on this issue -- 40% and 37% were OK with workplace discussions, respectively -- but voters who fell in the middle were less than enthused. Only 22% of moderates think it's OK to discuss politics at work. It would follow that people who call themselves moderates are less confrontational.

Men Might Go for It

Men were a bit more likely to condone politics in the workplace. Since men are typically a little more competitive, it would make sense that they're more eager or willing to get into it over healthcare and the economy, but ultimately it was only an 11% difference -- about a third of men, compared to about a quarter of women.

Age Is Not an Issue

There weren't actually that many other demographics that seemed to correlate with response. In fact, the age group most willing to talk politics at work (45-54) was only a few years older than the age group least willing to talk politics at work (35-44). Teens were more willing than most, though not by much.

If you'd like to vote on this question, dig deeper into the demographics, or engage in existing discussion about the topic, visit our poll about politics in the workplace. We'd love to hear from you!