How To Talk At Work About The Attempted Trump Assassination
This past Saturday’s attempted assassination of former President Trump is the latest bloody reminder of how tense the 2024 election has become. As each candidate campaigns on distinctly partisan solutions to the myriad existential issues on the ballot in November, the tense discourse carries into our workday, too.
For communicators tasked with fostering unity and civility among employees, this raises renewed questions of how to best mediate healthy internal dialogue, and whether to address the assassination attempt at all.
Just days before the assassination attempt employee experience agency Integral and research partner Researchscape asked over 2,000 US adults working full-time at companies with 100 or more employees how they want to see election-related communications show up at work. Their research, not yet published but shared with Ragan, found that nearly half felt people should have the ability to express their political views in the workplace (47%) and felt comfortable sharing their own personal political views at their organization (48%).
An even greater percentage (71%) said that they feel comfortable with their organization taking positions on political and social issues related to the organization’s core mission and stated values. Top employee concerns related to the election include voter suppression (68%) and voter fraud (66%).
From CommPRO:
The recent assassination attempt on former President Trump underscores the heightened tensions of the 2024 election.
Communicators must navigate these complexities, fostering unity and civility at work. A survey by Integral and Researchscape reveals that many employees are comfortable discussing political views and support their organizations taking stands on relevant issues. This highlights the need for intentional language to bridge divides and maintain a respectful workplace.
Communicators should read this to understand the importance of strategic messaging in fostering a trusting and cohesive environment, especially during politically charged times.