The World Health Organization estimates that in a company of 1,000 employees, 200-300 workers will suffer from a serious mental health problem in any given year, one worker will die by suicide every ten years, and for every employee who dies by suicide, another 10-20 will make a suicide attempt.

When we look more closely at the US, it can be seen that of the high-income countries monitored annually by the Commonwealth Fund, the US has the highest suicide rate – with workplace suicides having risen by 39% since the turn of the millennium. And the UK is not far behind when it comes to cause for concern, as it is estimated that 10% of suicides each year could be work related.

In the tragic event that an employee does commit suicide, the employer has a vital role in supporting workers in the aftermath of this tragedy – a role which must be handled with a sense of care and compassion in order to properly manage the aftereffects of such a delicate situation. These are some of the things employers need to do:

• Acknowledge the Incident – it’s important for employers to speak about what has happened and provide employees with the space to process it. The loss should be acknowledged without speculation or blame, and condolences should be offered to the family, colleagues, and friends, as well as a clear assurance that the company is there to offer support to those affected.  
• Supporting and Signposting – in the immediate aftermath of the incident, it’s imperative that employers are making employees aware of the support that’s on offer internally (usually through an Employee Assistance Program) as well as offering to signpost grief counselling services to those who need it. Peer support should also be encouraged during this time, as the team will be feeling a mix of emotions, some more intensely than others, and having the support of your peers to lean on is vital.
• Allow Time for Grieving – some employees will be more affected than others by the loss of an employee through suicide, either due to how close they were with the deceased or if suicide is a particularly triggering topic for them based on past trauma. It can be a good idea for employers to provide a certain level of flexible leave for those who need time to process. In addition, employers can designate a safe, quiet space in the workplace where employees can go if they need a moment away from their work environment.
• Memorials and/or Tributes – if it’s appropriate and in line with the wishes of the family, it can be good to consider organizing a memorial service or providing a space for employees to share memories and support each other. Employers can also consider allowing employees to express their grief through tributes such as a memory board, a charitable donation, or planting a tree in memory of the employee.
• Ongoing Mental Health Monitoring – managers need to be regularly checking in with their teams to see how they are coping and reminding them of support available. It’s equally as important that managers are also given ongoing support and training so that they can handle these delicate situations to the best of their abilities.

In the aftermath of an employee suicide many employers will likely want to review and improve their workplace practices around suicide prevention – especially if the suicide was in any way work-related.

This will involve re-evaluating the workplace culture by reviewing policies and practices to ensure they support employee wellbeing and mental health, as well as reaffirming how important open and honest communication is and that all employees can always make time to talk privately to their leaders and direct reports.

It can be a good idea to conduct an incident review to get a better understanding of any work-related behaviors that might have been observed at work. HR should use these findings to prevent future tragedies by using the data to strengthen polices, procedures, and support systems.

Lastly, consider introducing mental health initiatives such as stress management programs and anti-bullying policies, as well as reviewing your current EAP provider to ensure they are offering a wide range of support for diverse issues.

If you would like to discuss this in more detail, please get in touch with me at karen.cerrato@orgshakers.com

As we continue to navigate new technologies and advancements in AI, it can be challenging for employers to keep up with the rules of the working world when the rules are always changing. That’s why this month we’re recommending Gary A. Bolles’s The Next Rules of Work: The Mindset, Skillset and Toolset to Lead Your Organization Through Uncertainty.

Gary is the Chair for the Future of Work with Singularity University and a Partner in strategy consulting firm Charette, LLC. As a globally recognized expert on the future of work, he regularly consults with C-suite leaders of global companies, labor and education leaders from Brazil to Canada, and global non-profits.

This vast amount of experience and expertise has been channelled into his latest book, which acts as a guide for employers to thrive in the modern economy where the rules of work are changing almost as fast as people can learn them.

‘Old rules’ have long dominated modern companies – under this ethos, bosses embraced the idea of presenteeism and the basic hierarchical structure that leaders called the shots and workers obeyed. But the new way of working is shedding these old rules, and in its place the ‘Next Rules’ are emerging.

Those companies embracing these new rules are following a new mindset. Managers are not the source of all knowledge, but rather the guides who help workers achieve their goals and flow in the right direction. It’s about embracing innovation, creative thinking, and autonomy to result in a workplace that is fluid enough that it can take change in its stride whilst still growing in an upwards direction.

However, change has always been a tough pill to swallow, for employers and employees alike. But if employers are proactive about change and creating and implementing strategies to mitigate change fatigue, then those businesses can thrive under the new rules of work.

Gary’s book captures the notion of change and the mindsets that are needed to thrive from it expertly, pooling his own knowledge with psychological data and analytics to create a guide that all employers should read if they want their organization to not just survive, but thrive in a contemporary working world.

If you would like to discuss how we can help you strengthen your change management strategies, please get in touch with us today.

And in the meantime, make sure you grab a copy of The Next Rules of Work – you can purchase it here in the UK and here in the US.

You can do a lot in sixty minutes.

In 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright marked the dawn of aviation with their FOUR successful sustained human flights. All four of these happened in the space of just one hour!

In 2022, Filippo Ganna cycled 56.8km in one hour setting a new world record. To achieve this, he sustained an average speed of over 35mph for a full 60-minutes. Try matching that at your next spinning class!

And, today, it’s estimated that Jeff Bezos will be earing around $3.5 million an hour.
(So, Jeff, if you read the whole of this article it will have taken up just $120,000 of your valuable time which I’m sure you’ll agree is great value!)

What we are seeing here is that although 60-minites may seem like a relatively short amount of time – the length of a lunch break, the time it takes to travel home, the duration of an episode of TV – it’s also possible for an hour to be highly productive … and maybe even groundbreaking.

At OrgShakers, we believe in The Power of the Hour … 60-minutes where leaders can bounce around ideas, receive expert advice, or get the objective feedback they need to start something incredible. After all, every successful business we’ve come to know started with an idea – and someone who was willing to listen.

That’s why we have launched our brand-new consulting service: OrgShakers CL!CK.

OrgShakers CL!CK is a one-hour, private and confidential online consultation with one of our seasoned HR professionals. It offers instant advice and is designed specifically for those times when you need help figuring out how to overcome a challenge, when you need advice on your HR processes, or if you simply just want a sounding board for new ideas to see what sticks.

With years of first-hand corporate experience on a global scale, our team can advise you on any HR question you may have, whether that be the day-to-day tactical challenges or a complex strategic issue.

If you would like to learn more about this service and book in time with one of our team members, head over to https://orgshakers.com/orgshakers-click/

As September rolls in, employers will come face-to-face with a critical reset period. The summer vacation period has come to an end, a new set of graduates are entering the workforce, and the fourth and final quarter of the year looms ahead.

All these new beginnings bring with them a unique set of opportunities, but in order to successfully seize them, there are some key things employers should consider when preparing for their September Reset:

• Re-engaging Your Workforce – September is a pivotal time to re-engage employees who may have been in and out of the office during the summer months (either from vacations or reduced summer working hours). Employers should, therefore, focus on reinvigorating their teams by setting clear and motivating goals for the remainder of the year, as well as offering new projects to inspire creativity and innovative thinking, ensuring a smooth transition back to maximum levels of productivity.
• Wellbeing and Mental Health – it is very common for many people to feel ‘down’ or to start to get the ‘winter blues’ as we enter into the colder, darker months. This can be more serious for those individuals who suffer with Seasonal Affective Disorder, so it is important for employers to revitalize their focus on mental health and wellness as we say goodbye to sunny skies for another six months. This can be achieved by providing access to mental health resources, reminding employees of the Employee Assistance Program available to them, and introducing wellness initiatives such as mindfulness sessions or fitness challenges. It may also be worth investing in some daylight lamps for the office when it starts to get really dark to help mimic the happy glow of sunlight!
• Planning for Q4 – September is the gateway month to the final quarter of the year, so employers should use this month to start preparing for this by reviewing performance metrics to identify areas that need improvement, finalizing budgets to ensure that resources are allocated effectively, and setting goals that will drive the organization towards achieving its annual targets.
• Seasonal Workforce Management – for industries that experience seasonal spikes in demand, such as retail or hospitality, September is the time to start planning for increased staffing needs. This includes hiring temporary workers, adjusting work schedules, and ensuring adequate training is taking place.
• Compliance Review – September is a perfect time to review existing policies and training – especially with the likely influx of new staff that are freshly graduated. Equally, as the new Labour government in the UK have many plans to enact new employment laws, it’s worth reviewing whether any of these changes will be going into effect in the near future so that employers remain compliant and on top of any changes that may affect them.
• Preparing for Year-End – although it may seem early, September is the best time to start preparing for year-end activities, including performance reviews, holiday planning (company parties, holiday schedules, bonuses/gifts, etc), and year-end financial reporting. This early preparation helps to ensure a smoother and more organized process as the year draws to a close.

Resetting for September may feel challenging, but if employers prepare correctly, they will be able to seize a number of opportunities to re-engage staff and solidify their plans for the remainder of the year ahead. If you would like to discuss how we can help support your organization on their journey into Q4, please get in touch with us today!

Most of us are guilty of having a gossip now and then. And there is no more potent breeding ground for gossiping than that of a workplace – after all, conversations are bound to occur over lunch breaks, in the corridor, or passing the water cooler.

However, is having a workplace that loves a gossip a sign of a healthy work environment, or a toxic one?

One study of 1,400 participants found that those perceived to be ‘office gossips’ were viewed in a negative light when compared to their non-gossiping colleagues.

However, another study determined that gossip enabled people to influence each other, form similar opinions, and build robust social bonds – as well as promoting cooperation amongst groups without the need for formal intervention.

What we’re seeing is that even though gossip is proven to be a tool for social cohesion in the workplace, its connotations can have negative effects on one’s reputation. After all, when we think about how ‘gossiping’ has been presented in popular media, it never tends to be in a favorable light (think shows like Gossip Girl or the endless litany of celebrity gossip columns).

But when it comes to employers being unsure whether or not to be concerned about office gossip, context plays a key role in whether it is acting as a force for good or not. Gossiping can actually be categorized into three different types:

• Positive Gossip – this is when people speak positively about others in their absence and share uplifting stories, leading to the building of trust and the strengthening of social bonds.
• Neutral Gossip – this is when someone talks about someone else purely to share information, and will often constitute mundane topics without any passing of positive or negative judgement.
• Negative Gossip – this is when someone is spreading rumors, criticisms, or unfavorable information about others that damages reputations and relationships.

When employees are engaging in positive or neutral gossip, this tends to lead to increased cohesion and camaraderie, which ultimately helps to strengthen the way that team members communicate and work together.

However, if employers begin to catch wind of negative gossiping taking place, this may be a cause for concern, as it can have a detrimental effect on their workplace culture, and can even lead to bullying allegations depending on the extent of what is being said. This can result in a workplace being dubbed ‘toxic’ and ‘unwelcoming’, which can damage the overall reputation of the organization. It is therefore important for leaders and managers to ensure that they are promoting a culture where the building of interpersonal bonds is encouraged but also aligns with the values of the company, highlighting that gossiping negatively is not something that is condoned.

If you would like to discuss how we can help you build a positive workplace culture that emboldens your reputation, please get in touch with us today.

‘Work from anywhere’ searches have risen by 145% in the UK, with recent research from MoneySuperMarket discovering that roughly six million Brits plan to use their flexibility to work abroad without telling their employer.

This rising trend has been dubbed the ‘workation’, a combination of ‘work’ and ‘vacation’ that is defined as taking a break from the work environment but not the work itself. Whilst these two things have typically been seen to be incompatible, the workation’s rising popularity seems to challenge this notion, as employees – especially the younger generations – are looking to find innovative ways to have the best of both worlds with their flexible working arrangements.

However, when we conducted our own poll asking if employers would be happy for their staff to work abroad without them knowing, 70% responded that they are happy for their staff to take a workation as long as they inform them. So, whilst the majority of employers also seem to be in favor of the workation, employees should communicate their movements to keep their employers in the loop of where they will be working from – especially if the time zone changes significantly.

It’s no wonder that we are seeing this trend emerge, as digital nomad visas have come into play in countries such as Italy, Spain, Dubai, and Thailand, to name a few. These visas aim to attract foreign employees who want to continue to work for their company whilst living elsewhere, eliminating any compliancy risks being breached by employers or employees (however, this would have to be revised if the employee decided to permanently move residences abroad).

While the workation therefore offers ample opportunity for employees to revolutionize their work-life balance into a comfortable blend of the two, there are a few things that employers need to consider to ensure that the workation remains a force for good:

• Workation Boundaries – it’s important for employers who are happy for their employees to take workations to not confuse these with employees taking vacations. Workations highlight that remote working employees are able to work whilst also being away, but this doesn’t mean that when an employee does take paid time off that they become accessible or contactable. Having those clear boundaries in place is essential for the workation to be a driving force for work-life balance and wellbeing support, as a workation is still work!
• Introduce ‘Core Hours’ – workations may see employees working in countries where the time zones can differ by more than an hour either way. If this is the case, consider creating a policy which introduces core working hours for all employees to be available no matter the time zone. This will ensure that there is always crossover but also means that those on workations do not have to work outside of typical working hours.
• Rise of Workaholism – employers need to be mindful that employees do still take time away from work purely to rest and relax. With the workation becoming popular, some employees may slip into the habit of not wanting to take time off and fall behind on their workload now that they can take a workation. But employers have a duty to encourage time off work in order for employees to recharge and ward off burnout.

Overall, the workation is shaping up to be a popular benefit that employers with remote workers can consider offering to attract and retain top talent. This is without mentioning all the additional benefits it has to offer around fostering creativity, improving mental health by working from sunny countries, and potentially strengthening the interpersonal bonds between colleagues if your company operates on a global scale. However, it’s important for employers to ensure that the workation doesn’t replace vacation, and to monitor the permanence of a workation so that there are no legal or tax implications that may have to be considered.

If you would like to discuss how we can help your organization design policies around offering workations, please get in touch with us today.

In recent days, the UK has experienced the worst civil unrest in more than a decade.

After the fatal stabbing of three young girls at a dance class in the UK seaside town of Southport, the spread of misinformation around the perpetrator of this crime, as well as far-right and anti-immigration rhetoric, has sparked a series of riots, looting, and violent attacks against people of colour.

After the arrest of a 17-year-old boy for the murders in Southport, social media posts began to falsely speculate that the suspect was a Muslim asylum seeker who arrived in the UK in 2023. However, it has since been confirmed that this information is false, and that the suspect was born in the UK to Rwandan parents. But these harmful rumours have led to violent rioting and race-related crime skyrocketing (on Wednesday 7^th August, there were plans for more than 100 gatherings of rioters), with many people finding themselves scared to leave their homes for fear of being attacked or discriminated against due to their race, ethnicity, or faith.

Sadly, the UK is not alone in experiencing racially motivated incidents of this kind, and when they do occur, many employers will have team members who feel angry and scared. Therefore, it’s so important for leaders, managers, and HR professionals to be providing the right support during this time:

• Flexible Working – reiterate to staff members that their safety is of the utmost importance to the company, and should they feel more comfortable doing so, they can work from home or any other place they feel safe. It is also worth considering flexibility around hours being worked, as some may feel more comfortable working earlier in the day, as many riots have been scheduled and taken place in the evening.
• Mental Health Support – the rising violence all across the country is going to have a damaging effect on the mental health of those who feel targeted, exacerbating feelings of anxiety, depression, and stress. Employers should remind their teams of the tools they have available for mental health support, whether this be external signposting or through an in-house Employee Assistance Program.
• Reporting a Crime – if an employee were to fall victim to a crime, especially when travelling to and from work, explain the process that they can go through to report this crime if they wish to and assist where necessary. For many people, it can be incredibly daunting to admit that they are a victim and have to report abuse, and so those employers who can support staff during that process will be instrumental to making them feel safe.

It is an atrocious thing when people feel unsafe where they live, and so it is crucial for employers to be doing everything they can to support the physical and mental wellbeing of those staff members affected.

If you would like to discuss these support strategies in further detail, please get in touch with me directly at therese@orgshakers.com

The importance of reviewing and analysing pay equity is steadily increasing. As companies continue to strive to foster diverse, inclusive, and fair workplaces, a seemingly critical component of this is their commitment to pay equity.

Sadly, it’s no secret that there is still a significant gender pay gap (women working full-time in the US are still only paid 84% of what men earn for the same job), and so it’s no wonder that we are beginning to see pay transparency rear its head on a legislative level.

In the US, whilst there are no federal laws around pay transparency specifically, on a state level we are seeing the tide changing, with eight states now making it statutory. These include states such as California (employers must provide the pay scale for a position to an applicant after an initial interview), New York (employers must include a salary range in job postings), and Maryland (employers must provide a wage range upon the applicant’s request).  

In the UK, organizations with 250 or more employees are required to publish annual reports on their gender pay gap, under the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017.

And a huge development has now come in the form of a new landmark workplace law from the EU, the EU Pay Transparency Directive, which calls for employers to conduct thorough assessments of their compensation – including in-kind benefits, basic pay, bonuses and other incentive pay – and report their results publicly, as well as providing salary transparency to candidates. This directive must be enforced in all EU countries by June 2026.

It’s likely that the importance of pay transparency will continue to gain momentum, so those employers who are already challenging pay secrecy and engaging in reviewing their pay equity are the ones that will be ahead of the curve – and this is without mentioning all the business benefits that these practices can offer:

• Risk Management – as seen above, compliance is a huge factor when it comes to reviewing pay equity. Non-compliance can result in significant legal repercussions, including costly lawsuits, fines, and damage to a company’s reputation. So, conducting regular reviews will help identify and rectify any discrepancies, significantly mitigating legal risks (especially considering 20% of large UK companies have neglected to conduct gender pay gap assessments despite being obligated to!)
• Attracting and Retaining Talent – 77% of Gen Z workers and 63% of Millennials consider a company’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies as a key factor when deciding where they want to work. With fresh new talent now being drawn to companies that demonstrate a commitment to fairness and equity, those companies that are transparent about their pay equity efforts are going to be more attractive. Additionally, retaining top talent becomes easier when employees see evidence of these equitable pay practices.
• Enhancing Employee Trust and Morale – employees who believe they are compensated fairly are more likely to feel valued and respected. When pay equity is ensured, it fosters a sense of trust and loyalty amongst a workforce, which in turn leads to higher employee satisfaction and morale. On the flip side of this, perceived pay inequities can lead to dissatisfaction, reduced productivity, and higher turnover rates.
• Strengthening Corporate Reputation – in the age of social media and increased transparency, a company’s reputation is more vulnerable than ever. Public knowledge of pay inequities can quickly damage a company’s brand and consumer trust. Conversely, companies known for fair pay practices enhance their reputation, gaining the trust of customers, investors, and the public.

When it comes to the reviewing and maintaining of pay equity, we can help. By conducting a pay audit, analysing and processing this data, and using it to develop transparent compensation policies, employers will be able to remain on top of their compliance whilst also reinforcing their commitment to DEI and strengthening their reputation. In addition to this, we will train managers and in-house HR personnel, equipping them with the knowledge and understanding to be able to continue regularly reviewing pay equity to ensure that it remains a priority.

To discuss the support we can offer in conducting your pay equity review, please get in touch with us today.

In the largest public sector trial of the four-day week in Britain, fewer refuse collectors quit and there were faster planning decisions, more rapid benefits processing and quicker call answering, independent research has found.

South Cambridgeshire district council’s controversial experiment with a shorter working week resulted in improvements in performance in 11 out of 24 areas, little or no change in 11 areas and worsening of performance in two areas, according to analysis of productivity before and during the 15-month trial by academics at the universities of Cambridge and Salford.

The multi-year study of the trial involving about 450 desk staff plus refuse collectors found:

•  Staff turnover fell by 39%, helping save £371,500 in a year, mostly on agency staff costs.
•  Regular household planning applications were decided about a week and a half earlier.
•  Approximately 15% more major planning application decisions were completed within the correct timescale, compared with before.
•  The time taken to process changes to housing benefit and council tax benefit claims fell.

Read the full piece here: https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/jul/08/largest-uk-public-sector-trial-four-day-week-sees-huge-benefits-research-finds-

With the scope of HR continuing to grow, the profession is witnessing an increasing number of HR teams that are struggling to meet this increasing demand.

In a recent LinkedIn poll, we asked our followers to share where their teams were facing challenges.

Almost half of respondents, 43%, said CAPACITY (having enough of the right people available when needed), 23% cited CAPABILITY (having the right skills and experience within the team), and 27% stated BOTH were issues.

Just 7% responded ‘NEITHER – we’re in good shape’.

This means that an overwhelming 93% of HR teams feel that they are not properly resourced to deliver everything their organizations need.

The impact of this on practitioners is highlighted in a study by HR software company MHR which found that half of HR professionals are on the verge of quitting due to burnout. Indeed, a separate study by Gartner found that 71% of HR leaders believe burnout amongst HR teams is more of a challenge than it was pre-pandemic.

And it’s no wonder this is happening. Since the pandemic ended, HR have been at the forefront of responding to a seismic shift in the workplace – the rise of the ‘carpe diem’ mindset has seen a significant increase in the importance of employee wellbeing; the ‘quiet quitting’ phenomenon brought to light important conversations around boundaries and work-life balance; and all of this on top of the mass adoption of hybrid and remote working across the world.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Also thrown into the mix is the need for companies to focus on their diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies, offer learning and development opportunities around the assimilation of new technologies, manage the change fatigue that emerges from this, and create a bulletproof Environmental, Social and Governance plan… all the while maintaining their ‘business as usual’ HR processes!

In our experience, the best route forward in a situation like this is to take a step back.

At OrgShakers we have pioneered the use of the Program Acceleration Office (PAO) whose role is to work with individual project managers to align, connect, and optimise resources across the whole team. In doing so the PAO creates a shared ‘big picture’ vision for the HR function based on a common roadmap, defined dependencies and impacts, and agreed outcomes. And once the organization’s in-house HR practitioners are optimally deployed, the PAO can objectively identify those areas where external resources are required.

We offer a range of services and expertise across all areas of HR, including fractional HR generalist and specialist support to bolster your team. So, if you would like to discuss how we can help with your capability and capacity needs, please get in touch with us today.

Change continues to be a prominent theme in the working world – so much so that employers are having to address the rising tide of change fatigue amongst their employees and themselves. That’s why this month we have chosen to read Reset: A Leader’s Guide to Work in an Age of Upheaval by Johnny C. Taylor, Jr.

Johnny is the president and chief executive officer of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and in 2018 was appointed as the chair of the President’s Advisory Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. With a deep understanding of the HR landscape, Johnny has written a book that has transformed the way employers select, retain, and train their employees in a business environment that is consistently changing.

In his book, Johnny pools together more than 70 years of experience and expertise from across a range of sources, and this is further propelled by extensive original SHRM research to deliver an honest, informative, and forward-thinking vision which allows leaders to reimagine their company cultures in the midst of upheaval. With hybrid and remote working still finding its footing, the increasing importance of diversity, equity and inclusion, and new technological advancements making their way into the workplace, employers need to understand now more then ever the best way of recruiting and retaining top talent on a global scale.

To achieve this, employers have to challenge their underlying assumptions and attempt to reset themselves and their organizational cultures. Johnny draws a lot on the pandemic acting as a springboard for this change, and as we continue to deal with the ripple effects that lockdown had across the world of work, it is more important then ever to understand how to prepare your teams for upheaval so to avoid the potential fatigue and turnover that comes with it.

In this sense, Reset acts as a call to action and a strategic roadmap which helps to deliver practical strategies for finding and keeping talent needed to make businesses thrive, and offers dynamic tools to continue to sustain that success in the long run.

To discuss how we can help your team combat change fatigue in more detail, please get in touch with us.

And in the meantime, to grab a copy of Reset, head over here if you are in the UK, and here if you are in the US. 

Election fever is currently a global phenomenon. European and Indian elections have already taken place – with UK, French, and US Presidential elections now in full cry. And at a time when politics is becoming increasingly polarized, probably the only thing we can all agree on is that almost everyone will have an opinion on this topic!

It was only last week that I overheard a heated debate outside my local supermarket, and it got me thinking about the fact that as we edge closer to voting day, tensions are likely to heat up in all aspects of life – including the workplace.  

However, if employers are proactively addressing conflicts stemming from political differences and promoting open communication and mutual understanding, they can help maintain a respectful and inclusive work environment for all employees throughout this period and beyond.

So, what can help in managing colleagues within a business when their political views are not aligned, and their point of view is strong?

• Respect Differences – encourage an environment of mutual respect and tolerance for diverse opinions. Remind your team that it’s okay to have different political views as long as they are expressed respectfully.
• Focus on Common Goals – remind colleagues of the shared goals and values that bring your team together. Encourage everyone to focus on work-related objectives rather than engaging in political debates that may lead to conflict.
• Set Clear Boundaries – make it clear that political discussions should not interfere with work productivity or create a hostile work environment. Outline guidelines for discussing sensitive topics in a professional manner in a designated neutral space if they feel the need to do so (and this should be outside of work).
• Lead by Example – as a manager, demonstrate respect for differing opinions and maintain a neutral stance in political discussions. Avoid expressing your own political views in the workplace to prevent bias.
• Encourage Open Dialogue – ensure you have a psychologically safe space for colleagues to express their concerns or feelings about the political climate. Encourage constructive conversations that promote understanding and empathy.
• Provide Support – if tensions escalate or conflicts arise due to political differences, step in to mediate and provide support to help resolve the situation. A neutral third party, such as a manager or HR representative, can facilitate these discussions.
• Promote Diversity and Inclusion – emphasise the value of diversity in the workplace and the importance of creating an inclusive environment where all voices are heard and respected, regardless of political beliefs.
• Encourage Respectful Communication – remind employees to engage in respectful dialogue and to listen to each other’s viewpoints without resorting to personal attacks or heated arguments.
• Provide Training – offer training on conflict resolution and communication skills to help employees navigate disagreements constructively. This can empower them to address conflicts in a positive and collaborative manner.
• Reinforce Company Values – remind employees of the company’s values and policies that promote diversity, inclusion, and mutual respect. Emphasize the importance of maintaining a positive work environment free of discrimination or harassment.
• Address Inappropriate Behaviour – political discussions that lead to harassment, discrimination, or other inappropriate behaviour should be addressed promptly according to company policies and procedures. Employees should understand that such behaviour is not tolerated in the workplace.
• HR Support – if conflicts persist or escalate, encourage employees and managers to ask the HR department to provide guidance and support in resolving the issues. Highlight how we can offer interventions, mediation services, and additional resources to address workplace conflicts effectively.

Navigating the tensions that politics can bring, as well as the stresses that accompany it, requires an approach that is both proactive and compassionate. By ensuring that company values remain promoted, as well as a culture of respect and belonging, employers will be able to effectively support their people and avoid any blows to productivity and engagement.

To discuss how we can help weave inclusion and belonging into your company culture, please get in touch with me at therese@orgshakers.com