HR & Politics: Should We Speak Up or Shut Up on Social Media? by Lance Fulse
I admit this topic is sensitive and one I struggle with. One of the first things we learn as HR professionals is to not talk about religion and politics, but here I am doing just that. As a Christian in the field of Human Resources, there are many things we try to avoid discussing that could potentially cause a lawsuit or harm to the company’s reputation and perhaps to our own Christian integrity. Do we sit in silence on these issues, or do we speak out when we have the opportunity and or the right circumstances? Is there ever a time in our professional capacity that allows us to speak on this? How does the HR Christian keep suppressing that small still voice that is yearning to speak up while also trying to quiet the voice that is speaking out? Maybe it’s just me with those issues.
Throughout my career in HR, I have had several conversations with employees who have wanted to talk politics. Whether it’s sitting with me in my office, talking on the phone, or via emails, employees wanted to vent. They wanted to express their opinion on politics and the comments they heard and or read on social media by their supervisor or coworker. The questions I received the most were…
1) Can a person who says I am an idiot and then uses other denigrating adjectives to describe me for my political beliefs, really support me as a supervisor or coworker?
2) How do people who say these things also say they are Christians?
3) How do I get beyond this and do my job without feeling a certain way?
My consistent response was the following question: Why do you show up for work every day? This one question allowed them to consider steps they could take to move beyond those comments to complete their job duties. With my Christian coworkers, who also discussed their faith, we were able to speak on another level. I would ask them a different question, and that was: Who do we (Christians) really work for? This last question opened the door to deeper discussion as we took a closer look at how we wanted our interactions with others to allow God to get the glory despite the situation. We also agreed that our behavior and responses, as Christians, should mirror those of a person following the teachings of Christ and not just the parts we like. OUCH!!!
Personally, I have always felt that as an HR professional I would not discuss, post, or share any political thoughts or views on social media. I have always wanted to offer an environment where any employee could walk into my office and feel completely comfortable sharing their concerns. I didn’t want them to wonder if I would I be biased because of my political beliefs versus theirs. I in no way want to deter a person from coming to speak with me based on predispositions they assume I may have. Most of my HR colleagues follow this same rule and keep their political thoughts to themselves or at least off social media.
Sometimes I still question myself on speaking out and saying more. Am I hiding behind my HR position by remaining silent? I am not saying HR professionals can’t speak out about politics on social media - it all comes down to a personal choice. My choice is not to speak out.
In Romans 14:13, the Bible says, “Therefore let us stop passing judgement on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block in the way of a brother or sister.” With that thought in mind, I do my best daily to be careful that my good works are indeed good. I never want to be a hindrance to others coming to the office to see me, and most certainly to coming to Christ. At the end of the day it is my desire that others will see Jesus in me, and that I can encourage them to live life abundantly.