Big business too political, new study finds
Study results published by 1792 Exchange, WestGroup Research, and Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy
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DAYTON, OH — Americans believe businesses have become too political, with most urging corporate leaders to step back from the cultural debates, a new workplace politics survey reveals.
The study found that a significant portion of Americans—almost 80%—say that large corporations have become too political in the last five years, in comparison to not political enough. Furthermore, 62% of respondents want chief executives to get back to running their businesses and stop taking stands on politically sensitive topics.
“The evidence is clear: it’s time to get back to business,” said Daniel Cameron, 1792 Exchange CEO. “C-Suite leaders shouldn’t feel the pressure to engage and pick sides on issues that do not have to do with their company. Businesses that choose to do so leave a substantial portion of hardworking customers and employees behind.”
As part of 1792 Exchange’s commitment to help steer public companies away from divisive practices, the nonprofit partnered with the Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy at Troy University and WestGroup Research to study the impact of political and societal conversations in the workplace over the last five years.
The study reveals that employees feel somewhat or very comfortable having conversations about current events (73%) with coworkers or management at work. Across all topics, employees feel the least comfortable discussing politics (42%) in the workplace.
And pressure to be politically correct is a prevalent issue, especially in larger and medium companies, where over half of the employees reported feeling the heat.
Despite this growing pressure, more than a third of respondents have seen a coworker receive poor treatment due to their beliefs or felt pressure to do something that goes against their personal beliefs at work. Notably, many workers also believe that political orientations within an organization can influence hiring and advancement decisions.
“These findings highlight an increasing gap between corporate political activism and the values of the American workforce and consumers,” said Dr. Allen Mendenhall, Executive Director of the Johnson Center. “Businesses must realign with their core missions and create environments accommodating diverse perspectives instead of engaging in divisive political actions.”
The intersection of politics and workplace dynamics may be a leading indicator of why 61% of workers say they prefer small, local companies for potential employment.
View the full results and poll methodology here.
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1792 Exchange is a 501(c)(3), educational, non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve freedom by steering public companies back to neutral on ideological issues. They create Spotlight Bias Reports, policies and resources that expose coercion and corporate bias. They protect First Amendment freedoms and ensure all viewpoints have a seat at the table. They help corporate board members and executives maximize shareholder value, respect stakeholders, return to cultural neutrality, and serve customers with excellence and integrity. They also educate Congress, other leaders and the American people about the dangers of stakeholder capitalism to safeguard Free Exercise, Free Speech and Free Enterprise.