JU sociologist Heather Downs: Political banter in the workplace should be taboo

It’s what everyone’s talking about: the U.S. presidential election. But should we be discussing politics at work?

Certainly not, JU Assistant Professor of Sociology Dr. Heather Downs said Wednesday, Nov. 7 in a morning-after-the-election interview on Action News Jax (WTEV CBS-47 and WAWS FOX-30).

“Politics, unless you work in the political realm or the news realm … really has no business in the workplace,” Downs said in the interview.

Instead, while on the job, employees should “campaign for the mission of the workplace,” Downs said.

“I think the right approach is to govern your behavior — to use a term from government. Think of yourself as someone who could contribute to a very large problem,” Downs said in the interview. Otherwise, she said, “you could have a huge workplace blowup today if you’re not careful.”

What if someone pulls you into a political discussion at work?

Downs suggests using a communication strategy called “reflective listening,” which involves repeating the co-worker’s thought to confirm that it is understood correctly.

“You want to be diplomatic, so you … want to acknowledge that they feel that way ,” she said. “But don’t get into that political banter with them. Don’t feed into that argument.”

Here’s the entire Action News Jax interview with Downs: