When Politics Walk Into Work: Managing Ideological Tensions

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April 22, 2025 • 31 mins

The social and political landscape is getting more complicated and divided—things like Trump, Gaza, climate change, and so-called wokeism are just a few examples. And all that tension is spilling into the workplace. With misinformation spreading fast, people stuck in their own online bubbles, and fading trust in traditional institutions, employees are showing up with all kinds of different—and often conflicting—opinions. For employers and HR teams, this growing divide makes it harder to keep things running smoothly and respectfully. It’s tougher to encourage open, honest conversations, and disagreements can escalate quickly, leading to conflict, disengagement, or even people leaving. If it's not handled well, it can seriously mess with team dynamics, hurt productivity, and damage the overall culture. Joining Lucy on this week’s episode to discuss these issues and to offer her insights is Edel Holliday-Quinn - the Chief Leadership Psychologist and founder of the Centre for Leadership Psychology. Edel shares her tips for encouraging ‘courageous conversations’ that welcome diverse perspectives and balancing empathy with action.

Chapters

(00:03) Navigating Workplace Polarization and Authenticity

(14:24) Building Psychological Safety for Diversity

(20:57) Navigating DEI Challenges in Organizations

Contact Edel https://www.linkedin.com/in/edel-quinn/

Disruptive HR

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}When Politics Walk Into Work: Managing Ideological Tensions