MIT Sloan Management Review Article on How to Deal With Political Polarization in the Workplace

Political division is showing up everywhere. Managers must learn to lead despite the tensions and maintain civility among employees.

Many of us try to avoid workplace discussions about electoral politics — along with conversations about topics such as guns, climate change, abortion, and religion — to maintain our collegial relationships. Many people do this intuitively to keep the peace with those they know they will disagree with.

Others don’t. A survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management found that in the wake of the June 2024 debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, the number of reported uncivil acts in U.S. workplaces exploded to 201 million a day.

About the Author

Morela Hernandez is the Ligia Ramirez de Reynolds Collegiate Professor at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. She also holds an appointment at the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business. Michael Pratt is the O’Connor Family Professor in the Management and Organization Department at Boston College.

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