Mixing HR and Politics

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Every four years Americans come together to vote on the future of our country. It's an emotional time, where heartstrings are tugged and ideological differences become polarizing. As an HR professional, it can be alarming when you hear these emotions in the workplace - HR and politics simply don't mix!

We have all read articles that implore us to keep politics out of the workplace and have seen how a civil political discussion can quickly turn into a mean-spirited attack with retaliatory risk concerns, but sometimes separating politics from the workplace is easier said than done. One HR director told me about her own experience: "I was venting to a colleague about the impact of the Affordable Care Act and added that I felt Obama didn't know much about health care when she piped up defensively to say, 'Hey, I voted for Obama!' Too late, the damage was done."

Beyond the political debates that occur around the office or in the field, support for political action committees (PACs) from management and unions can add another complicated layer. It's not uncommon for companies in heavily regulated industries to have a PAC and to encourage employees to donate to it. For HR, this adds an additional layer of politics in the workplace as the discussions that begin around the PAC can easily escalate to full political showdowns.

Before you swear off election-year politics, redirect your focus on issues that impact the HR profession. One HR manager at a company with a PAC used that as a reason to find out more about the legislative impact on HR. "If I was going to be contributing, I wanted to be aware of how these political races impacted my job," she explained. While the presidential election is sure to grab headlines, there are Texas-wide elections, such as retiring Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison's senate seat, and numerous Texas congressional and legislative races also on the ballot, along with some key local races.

How can you make an impact? Invite candidates to your local chapter to hear their goals and help shape their views on topics near and dear to HR. A few years ago, I attended a meeting at the Heart of Texas chapter in Waco and then-U.S. representative Chet Edwards described how he was working to help Central Texas and asked for our feedback on recent legislation impacting job growth. On the national front, check out SHRM's new 2012 Legislative Issues Guide (www.shrm.org/Advocacy) to understand SHRM's stance on upcoming legislation. Use that information to develop key considerations for candidates vying for your vote. Remember, your elected officials are paid to listen to you and represent you in Austin or Washington, and as America's job creators, your feedback as an HR professional is critical.

So the next time you hear "HR and politics don't mix" remember that you and every other HR professional are a needed part of the political discussion.

Submitted by: Luke Prettol, CEBS, PHR - member of HRHouston and a Senior Associate in the HR services practice at Employee Benefit Solutions.