How Should Google Put a Lid on Political Discussion in the Workplace So Employees Can Concentrate on Work?
Thomas J. Madden, Chairman and CEO, Transmedia Group
A freelance writer’s query the other day on a service we subscribe to called ProfNet got me thinking about this. ProfNet is a product of Cision whereby journalists announce they’re working on a story and looking for experts to interview. It’s a way for a PR firm like mine, TransMedia Group, to suggest a client as a news source.The freelancer cited Google recently clamping down on political talk on its internal bulletin boards, which will be a hard adjustment for Google employees as they have been used to a free-wheeling atmosphere in which anything can be discussed.Since Google did not forbid political speech from the outset, Google is now taking away something that employees were allowed to do.The freelancer asks: “What advice would you offer Google or any other company in a similar situation to smooth out such a transition in its internal platforms and bulletin boards?”I respond as follows:To your query on workplace politics, here’s how I get employees to stop discussing politics in our office. I tell those leaning Democrat that they can only talk nice about the President and I tell Trump supporters they can only say kind words about Democrats. In this way, we get total silence. And concentration where it belongs, on work! Actually, a client of ours, an organization called American Priority, has an event coming up Oct. 10-12 called AMPFEST 2019 at the Trump Doral Hotel in Miami that is attempting to have both political sides speak softly and nicely to each other as the organization stands for diversity and free speech.I suggested to the freelancer that she interview its president and I’m hopeful we’ll soon be arranging a nice interview for him.
About the Author: Madden’s next book “Love Boat 78” will be published in the fall by Mascot Books and available on Amazon, along with his current book, “Is there enough Brady in Trump to the win the inSUPERable Bowl?”
