The current presidential administration has employees glued to social media even during working hours. While productivity is always important this Wall Street Journal article totally misses a dynamic that is occurring in the workplace. The reason employees are spending time on social media and debating in person about what is going on is because they are experiencing democracy being dismantled, in real time on prime time. For many, what they are seeing on the news parallels what they are experiencing at work. Most have not witnessed the rise of totalitarianism in their lifetime and are completely consumed and confused by it—and at the same time unsure of what they can do to prevent it.
While my new book From Bully to Bull's Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire centers around workplace dynamics, it is equally applicable to society in general. Bosses, rather than bemoan this distraction, should tap into how employees feel about what is going on and create cultures where democracy thrives to the benefit of the individual and the organization. When employees experience this at work, they will be more secure in their own ability and more likely demand the same from government.
Credit: BIGSTOCK