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FOXBusiness.com's Kate Rogers on how to navigate talking politics in your small business this election season.
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Everyone welcome back at foxnews.com live -- and the fado inferred -- -- and we don't hear about.
What a disaster mixing business and pleasure is that if it is bad mix business and politics -- -- Kate Rogers is here.
Reading about that topic in giving this triple a bit on her column that's on foxbusiness.com.
At the moment so -- -- that is -- Well I think it's Super Tuesday it's just behind us that we -- we have a long summer ahead of campaigning on the -- the White House so.
Avoiding all political conversation in the workplace is pretty much impossible.
I spoke with regime -- who aren't she's communications expert.
-- said basically because our founding principles in this country we can't tell people that they can't discuss politics at all in the office.
So it's just natural water cooler conversation and it is going to come up.
But for some offices who may have employees that have differing views on politics which so many of us have you know different networks.
That might be impossible so if you think that this -- kind of be detrimental to your employees' productivity in the office.
You can start with your employee handbook and put a clause in there about discussing politics -- office this is legal to do.
And it's similar to having social media policies saying nobody can go on their personal social media accounts during today -- You putting your employee handbook nobody can talk about politic aspect yes you and me you -- you that's that's a good place to start.
And -- -- some people can fit have a civilized conversation and agree to disagree and feel like.
You know maybe they learn something in the course that conversation.
And then other people really they just wanna hear themselves up that is an exact off their opinion and we criticize anybody disagrees with that and so knowing revenue.
The wrong way to -- -- so if you do have a policy in there of course it is election season it's coming up south.
You want to remind your workers that do this policy in place he should do this -- -- written memo or you can just call me and say hey listing the campaign tells really heating up and wanna just remind everyone that we don't discuss this in this office.
But on the flip side a lot of small business owners.
They do have heated opinions when it comes to certain policies especially Health Care Reform and tax policy.
Sell your company may have a stance on Health Care Reform for example.
Especially here let's say healthcare provider -- you can't have a right to say how you feel -- Issue actually went into a small business the other day and there was a piece of Paper taped to different then you -- -- you up to an.
-- have basically with sounding off on -- -- in fact they're privately owned so you can say whatever you want and you can like your employees now listen this is my stance on XYZ this is how our company is being represented.
You don't have to push your affecting your views and values on them but if you feel that you are going to do in the civilized manner.
And you really -- -- educating someone.
The one you're not pushing in on -- -- -- she says it's totally fine detail so what do -- small business is on the risk of alienating their clientele.
By being so open about -- -- -- opinion yes they absolutely do and also to she says keep in mind your audience in an audience of valuation before.
You sound off or going your whole -- -- for certain candidate and make sure that your opinion is welcome in office about what happens if one of you or employee disagrees.
With your political -- well it all depends on the degree to which you speak yet some of these small businesses they might may not have a dedicated HR department where in this known -- really really should be.
-- -- on the business owner and south.
Here she should evaluate their own stance if there alienating.
Their workers than these probably take a step back because you don't wanna lose their workers over something like -- company legally they can't five year oh well because of workers says I actually don't -- -- you -- -- -- and then alienating them even.
Forces are meant to leave if you're just doing its horizon pushing your views on some house but no they can't -- and I -- -- be grounds for hostile work environment is that where we've been one acquaintances I think -- Depends on the extreme to -- -- in south.
Be careful anybody with your political opinions so I interrupted you let go on those that is very experienced.
-- -- he said he can't you can't fire them by if you are I think that -- take away here is if you don't want it discussed.
Make sure it's EU -- employee handbook and be sure that all of your employees especially and managers know what your policy is -- And remind them topic going into this season and then if you do want to you have.
-- discussion puncture workers Disney shares at its welcome and I wonder if if any the analysts he spoke at -- tips as far as an office that.
Does kind of want to fall through that conversation and yet make sure it -- Maintains itself had a conversation and doesn't -- -- Exactly while and it and that's another point that rust -- he said that sometimes employees amongst themselves might have differing views and -- it's not necessarily coming from the top.
But -- coming from coworkers are.
Discussing politics so that goes back to your entire.
Standpoint.
Amongst employees he -- look at it.
Like it's a social media policy don't want them on their personal FaceBook accounts that's allowed you don't want them discussing politics -- Templeton.
Thought about clouds and -- and then yes -- like the ending quoted your piece here really analyze your office before you open your mouth.
Lives how many billion -- other about.
Let me tell you definitely -- find out more about -- read all I'm -- article it's on foxbusiness.com.
You can see if there.
Foxbusiness.com.
Again and that's in the small business section on about making business and politics is -- a recipe for disaster of -- give us your input on that you can comment.
On the -- K thanks so much from you for having.
And -- going to take a quick.
