CHROs in the Spotlight: Managing Political Divides at Work

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CHROs IN THE SPOTLIGHT: MANAGING POLITICAL DIVIDES AT WORK

Political tensions are seeping into work and 8 in 10 employees report that they have escalated since the US elections. 

What rings the alarm is how political divides are affecting workplace dynamics. Gallup found that only 37% of US employees feel respected at work, and in a post-election survey 51% reported they actively avoided collaborating with coworkers who hold opposing views. 

Workplace conflict is expected to continue rising under the current administration, putting CHROs in the spotlight.

90% of employees think their companies should implement policies restricting workplace political talk. Should organizations cancel political discussions at work? And if not, how can HR leaders put psychological safety and respect at the center in an environment tinged with political divides?

Inside this edition

• How Heinz is using AI nudges to change behavior at scale

• The real impact of political conflicts on workplace relationships

• How to turn conflict into opportunities for team growth

• Strategies for leaders to manage political conflict

• A Princeton Psychologist’s framework to help teams cultivate respect and civility

🗞️ In case you missed it: The latest unemployment data, Meta’s use of ‘do not hire’ lists raises legal and ethical concerns, a new brief from Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, and more.

Discover practical strategies to turn political divisions into leadership development, personal growth, and team building opportunities.

SPREAD FOR YOU
📢  THE IMPACT OF POLITICAL CONFLICT ON WORKPLACE DYNAMICS

50% of employees avoid collaborating with peers who have differing political views.

Political conflicts in the workplace often go beyond simple disagreements – they can: 

• Create psychological distress

• Disrupt teamwork

• Threaten productivity 

As they are deeply tied to identity, political beliefs that become targets of comments or criticism can make employees feel psychologically threatened. Feeling their beliefs are being judged can trigger stress responses, diminish their sense of belonging, and ultimately affect employee mental well-being and performance​.

But the consequences extend even further:

• Damaged relationships: When conflicts are left unresolved, they can damage the relationships among team members, eroding trust.

• Reduced collaboration: Employees may avoid colleagues with differing views.

• Lower engagement and productivity: Unmanaged tensions create an uncomfortable work environment, leading to disengagement, lost focus​, and declined productivity.

• Higher absenteeism and turnover: A toxic atmosphere will inevitably increase absenteeism and can even push employees to leave the company.

Political tensions create friction in teams but can also catalyze growth. Continue reading to learn how to make this happen.

Turning Political Conflicts into Opportunities for Team Development

Forbidding political discussions at work is a waste of time. They will continue happening underground. The solution is not banning political discussions but establishing guidelines for when and how they can happen.

As long as the goal is not to reach consensus, when political disagreement is framed correctly, it can enable more mature teams, where people’s differences coexist without eroding respect or collaboration. At some point, all teams get to this ‘storming’ stage, as Princeton psychologist (and procrastination scale inventor) Bruce Tuckman explains in his model.

1. Forming: Team members gather and begin to understand the team’s objectives, tasks, and their colleagues’ skills and personalities.

2. Storming: Differences start to surface, leading to disagreements or conflict on working styles, perspectives, or expectations.

3. Norming: As team members learn to resolve their differences, they develop stronger relationships where norms and processes are established and collaboration flourishes.

4. Performing: The team operates effectively, with high trust, healthy debate, and visible accountability.

Guiding teams from conflict to growth: How CHROs can model behavior

In a recent interview, Craig Fearn, a transformative leadership consultant, emphasized that leaders must not suppress conflict but guide teams through it while ensuring that psychological safety remains intact​. The key is to help employees recognize the difference between debate and personal attacks and provide them with tools to navigate disagreement respectfully.

To move from tension to trust, CHROs and leaders must model the behaviors they want to see in their teams – here’s how you can do that:

1. Value diversity of thought

Frame conflict as an opportunity to strengthen creative problem-solving and innovation. Encouraging exposure to different viewpoints enhances decision-making and customer engagement.

2. Model self regulation

Demonstrate calm and respectful behavior, especially if you disagree with the standpoints discussed. If you react defensively or frustrate, expect employees to mirror that energy.

3. Establish common ground

Reframe the discussion and focus on shared organizational values, such as civility, respect, inclusion, and integrity, to find a common ground that transcends political disagreements.

Ask team members to identify and acknowledge each person's strengths and contributions to the team, regardless of political differences.

4. Establish clear guidelines and policies

Define what constitutes respectful expression in political discussions versus harmful behavior. Ensure employees understand where the line is—and apply it consistently to everyone in the organization.

5. Train managers and team members

Encourage managers and teams to use a framework like the Workplace Color Spectrum to express concerns using statements that focus on specific behaviors and their impact (and not attack someone’s character or beliefs). 

a) For example, instead of saying, “Your liberal/conservative views are discriminatory,” you can say, “When you labeled people who have X political views as ‘idiots’ I felt disrespected.”

Address the behavior instead of focusing on people’s identities.

6. Establish physical/temporal spaces

Political discussions can be valuable if handled constructively. Provide optional, facilitated spaces where employees can practice expressing and hearing different political viewpoints.

7. Set boundaries for work channels

Communicate clearly that team meetings and work-related communication should focus on professional topics. 

8. Intervene early to prevent escalation

If tensions arise, address them privately and proactively before they turn into entrenched conflicts. Confidential individual interviews with team members can help you understand people’s perspectives, identify common ground, and assess their willingness to rebuild relationships. 

9. Separate performance from political alignment

Ensure that political bias—whether explicit or subtle—does not influence hiring, promotions, or performance evaluations. Analyze workforce data to spot patterns that may indicate political conformity bias:

✅ Review performance ratings – Look for trends where individuals with specific political affiliations receive consistently higher or lower ratings.

✅ Examine promotion data – Identify whether promotions correlate with political or ideological alignment rather than job performance.

✅ Assess retention patterns – Monitor whether employees who express differing views face more challenges in career progression or higher turnover rates.

✅ Ensure fair decision-making – Implement structured, transparent, standardized, and objective evaluation criteria to minimize unconscious bias.

Even with strong leadership, teams need a shared framework to identify, address, and de-escalate political tensions before they spiral out of control.

HR TOOLS, TIPS, AND FRAMEWORKS
THE WORKPLACE COLOR SPECTRUM

The Workplace Color Spectrum is an action-oriented tool that helps establish a shared language regarding work behaviors. Employees can provide instant feedback and call out a team member’s behavior in a non-confrontational way by rating it using a color scale:

🟢 Green (Respectful, Positive, Productive): Encourages open discussion with mutual respect.

🟡 Yellow (Frustrating, Irritating, Demotivating): Prompts reflection before tensions escalate.

🟠 Orange (Disrespectful, Alienating, Demoralizing): Signals the need for intervention.

🔴 Red (Toxic, Destructive, Unlawful): Requires immediate action to protect workplace culture.

From CEOs to VPs and associates, employees across workplaces use this tool to reinforce healthy behaviors that promote respect. 

Learn more about the Workplace Color Spectrum here.

Behavioral frameworks help teams correct workplace tensions in real-time, but how can CHROs reinforce these behaviors at scale? Keep reading to find out…

SUCCESS STORIES
HOW HEINZ USED AI-POWERED NUDGES TO CHANGE BEHAVIOR AT SCALE

For CHROs, the biggest challenge is shaping workplace behavior at scale. Workshops and training programs can help, but without reinforcement, people tend to revert to old habits. Enter behavioral nudges…

Behavioral nudges—AI-powered, well-timed prompts integrated into employees' daily workflows help employees build habits over time​ by reinforcing values like civility, inclusion, and respectful communication without feeling forced.

Imagine a pop-up message in a virtual meeting that prompts: "Pay attention: Are all the voices in your team being heard? Consider asking the silent team members about their thoughts." These simple nudges have transformed workplace culture, making interactions more constructive.

How CHROs can use AI nudges

✅ Align with Employee Motivation – Let employees choose which behaviors to improve, reinforcing autonomy over development goals. 

✅ Deliver Nudges in the Flow of Work – Use Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Asana to provide short, real-time prompts within the tools employees already use​.

✅ Keep It Simple and Non-Intrusive – Use clear, actionable language like “Consider trying this” instead of directives like “You must do this”​.

✅ Make It Timely – A well-placed nudge (e.g., before a meeting) can encourage better listening, respectful engagement, or inclusive decision-making.

✅ Encourage Social Connection – Nudges work best when they’re reinforced through team behavior, such as recognizing colleagues for respectful debate​.

Continue reading to learn how the world's leading companies are already proving how AI nudges can reinforce company values and shape workplace behavior…

How Kraft Heinz Reinforces Workplace Culture

The Kraft Heinz Company partnered with Perceptyx to integrate behavioral nudges into its daily operations. These nudges, delivered through tools like Microsoft Teams, offer real-time coaching and behavioral reinforcement​. For example, managers receive a simple nudge during a virtual meeting: 'Before responding, pause and reflect: Will your comment build trust or division?'. 

📌 Key ways Kraft Heinz uses nudges

✅ Leadership Development: They remind managers to demonstrate accountability, engage in active listening, and foster inclusion.

✅ Real-Time Coaching: Encourages better conflict resolution and more effective team communication.

✅ Scalability: Initially, it was a tool for people managers, but the company expanded its use to all salaried employees, proving its impact across the organization.

What about the results? Well, they speak for themselves…

• 85% of managers actively engage with nudges daily.

• Those who consistently engage with nudges are rated 2.5x more effective by employees.

• Employees report higher collaboration and engagement scores​.

UPCOMING EVENT
THE HR TECHNOLOGY AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION SUMMIT

Join the HR Technology and Digital Transformation Summit, a premier three-day event designed to equip HR leaders with the strategies and tools needed to navigate the future of work.

Explore the latest advancements in AI, automation, data analytics, and emerging technologies while gaining practical insights on optimizing HR platforms, enhancing employee experience, and driving digital transformation. With deep-dive discussions, expert-led sessions, and unparalleled networking opportunities, this summit is your roadmap to leveraging technology for sustainable organizational success.

📅 When: April 1- 3, 2025 (7 am-11 am Pacific Time)
💻 Event Type: Online | Free
 📢 Content Format: Panel | Workshop

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