3 Topics To Avoid Talking About At Work
Drama is not good for any workplace, especially if it is unnecessary. Even if you are a person who tries and avoid drama, it will be difficult to remove yourself when you are surrounded by it daily. Conversations that seem casual may cause turbulence in your work environment. Here are 3 things not to talk about at work.
1. Religion
Religion is a major part of many Pacific Islanders lives, however, it is not an appropriate topic to talk about at work. Faith and religion is a personal thing to some people. And it is something that they would earnestly defend. Mentioning religion is ok, but going into depth about religion can make you fall into dangerous territory, especially if the discussion is with someone who has a different faith than you. Work is definitely not an appropriate environment for religious conversations. Your co-workers will certainly not want to hear you talking bout how you disagree with certain faith and religious teachings. When you attempt to force your own beliefs on others whilst diminishing the value of their faith it can easily lead to accusations of religious discrimination. These accusations can lead to serious outcomes and can be avoided if the conversation about religion is kept to a minimum.
2. Politics
Politics is probably an emotional topic one can discuss. People tend to get uncomfortable when the topic is brought up especially if their beliefs in a particular political party is questioned. Even at the moment in certain Pacific Islands, the country is divided in the political realm and any conversation regarding politics can quickly go south. Expressing your political affiliations at work can also create a lack of productivity and bias at work. When people get riled up about topics that they are passionate about, it can be hard to cool down enough to focus on the work at hand especially if the conversation turns into a debate.
Managers or upper level managers would be biased towards employees who share their political affiliations at work . Coworkers may also view you differently once you take a stance. Knowing and discussing everyone’s political standing at work can also create a sense of isolation or discrimination in the minority. An employee in the political minority may feel that they may be a target for bullying from the majority. Henceforth, politics can create division within a company so its best to not discuss about it at work.
3. Your Love Life
Your love life is a no-no conversation to have at the workplace. And yet so many people discuss it in the workplace. It can be an interesting subject and may often involve drama that make it more entertaining for listeners. But is the subject entertaining or simply more cringe worthy? You also have to decide whether the conversation is intentionally inappropriate or is your co-worker simply looking for attention. If it turns out to be the latter, and you are not interested in the conversation without being rude, there is a more appropriate way to approach the situation.
If your co-worker seems to be trying to form a connection with you, then you can change the subject to something appropriate that can still establish the connection he is looking for. If the conversations continue, it may be time to pull them aside and gently but firmly set the boundary that while you like them and consider them an acquaintance or even friend, you are not comfortable discussing that topic, especially not at work.
While work may not be enjoyable for most people, unnecessary workplace drama can make it unbearable. Topics such as religion, politics and love should definitely be discussed in a place of work as it can cause division. Henceforth, before starting a conversation with a co-worker, think of an appropriate topic you may talk about that would not make the other uncomfortable or that may offend them.