"In a world intent on dividing us into factions, political discourse threatens to disrupt workplace culture at a time when companies must unite around change and growth strategies in the AI era. A recent Burson study* revealed that workplaces - much like the American public - hold complex, multi-layered opinions about the state of the world. Politics divide, but employees across party, income and education levels share views on how Washington policies affect their lives and the role corporate America should play."
"The rise of media polarization and ideologically driven micro-targeted content creators is reshaping how employees see the world. Burson's study found that 39% of American adults now get news primarily from online influencers. That jumps to 52% among employed Americans and 57% among those earning $100,000-plus, 31 points higher than the unemployed. This means most employees receive news through highly filtered channels that shape how they interpret business conditions and fuel anxiety that can affect performance."
"Burson first uncovered this disconnect ahead of the 2024 elections, when our research revealed an anxiety gap between the C-Suite and employees. Top executives felt prepared for post-election discourse, but employees cited stress over company readiness for potential violence or political conflict in the workplace. While 76% of employers and 84% of C-suite executives felt prepared, only 53% of employees agreed."
Political discourse threatens workplace culture as companies must unite around change and growth strategies in the AI era. Workplaces hold complex, multi-layered opinions about the state of the world, with politics dividing yet employees across party, income, and education levels sharing views on Washington policies and corporate roles. Many employees get news primarily from online influencers (39% overall; 52% employed; 57% earning $100,000-plus), exposing them to ideologically filtered content that shapes business interpretations and fuels anxiety that can affect performance. A preparedness gap exists between executives and employees; establishing a tone from the top to decrease political discourse can ease tension and distraction.
Read at Fortune
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]