The United States of America, contrary to its name, is a nation divided in contemporary times, with polling data showing political polarization to be at record levels (Pew Research Center, 2021). Flight attendants often take self-defense classes because of increasing numbers of violent attacks upon them by passengers upset about mask mandates (Street, 2021). Police officers and business owners have experienced property damage, and in some cases physical attacks, resulting from confrontations between politically motivated groups (Staff, 2021). Workplace conflicts between employees, sometimes including those in leadership roles, has become so commonplace that the National Law Review (White, 2021) recommends employment policies be revisited to ensure organizations are prepared to address incidents of workplace conflict and violence stemming from political differences. To properly address incidents and issues related to politically motivated conflicts in the workplace, we must have an operational definition of what this phenomenon truly is.
Resource Type
Research, White Paper
Topic
Workplace Communication, Workplace Culture