Rule Of Thumb: Does Political Affiliation Influence Hiring?

skynesher

Our polarized society has yet again proven concerns in other domains of our lives besides politics. Typically, discussing politics in the workplace is avoided; but what opinions can be shared prior to the job during the hiring process? Even without direct discussion of political views during an interview, our experiences and social media provide companies' insight into our political association. Does publicizing our political affiliation impact our potential to be hired for the next job we apply for?

Jill Ellingson, professor of human resource management and Dana Anderson Research Fellow at The University of Kansas School of Business, research proved that your political affiliation matters when in consideration for hiring. The article that she co-authored, published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, "finds that identification and disidentification with an applicant's political party influence the hiring process."

Ellingson attributes this influence to several societal factors. The first of which being that our country's political landscape has dramatically shifted from even just a decade ago. Conversations regarding politics are now much more oppositional and alienating. Furthermore, social media has become a leading means of communication in our culture for individuals to express their opinions freely. The rise of social media also means that more personal information and opinions become easily accessible by others, which includes employers. 

One of the studies mentioned in the article that Ellinson also co-wrote presented raters with applicant Facebook profiles culled from 187 undergraduate students taking business administration courses. The profiles included implicit cues that insinuated the user's political identification, such as "a Choose Life license plate, an NRA membership logo, or a Black Lives Matter hashtag."

When applicants' Facebook profiles were shown to raters in conjunction with information about actual job-related requirements like internship experiences and GPA, it was expected that the job-related qualifications would take precedence when over any political alignment. However, this was not the case, and association proved an influential variable in hiring decisions. Job applicants were evaluated more positively when the rater's political affiliation matched the applicant compared to when the rater's political affiliation did not match. For comparison, past research demonstrated that when race and gender are presented with job-related qualifications, the qualifications override the influence of biological factors. 

Employers try to minimize hiring bias by anonymizing demographic-related information. This is done by removing a candidate's photo and name to help recruiters focus on qualifications, not on gender, race, or other characteristics that may lead to bias. In recent years, companies have also turned to software solutions such as HireVue and Greenhouse. They provide data and analytical evaluations of each candidate to ensure that candidates are evaluated on the quality of their skills rather than being influenced by the unconscious bias of potential employers. 

The reasons suggested for the influence of political affiliation are seen as a discretionary choice rather than biological, and that social media makes one's collaboration much easier to discern. Many individuals are aware that there are certain subjects that they should avoid publicizing to ensure an unbiased opinion when being viewed by a potential employer, such as racism or sexism. But should individuals avoid mentioning anything on their resume or LinkedIn that identifies their political stance? Should you list that you were president of the College Republicans at your university? Should you mention your volunteer experience for an organization that pairs mentors with LGBT teens?

One other extreme example of individuals who have been expelled from clubs and memberships due to their political perspective is individuals who have been expelled for being associated with the Proud Boys, a men's only “far-right” political organization. A man was expelled from the Sacramento GOP earlier this year for his Proud Boy association. Despite his connection with The Proud Boys, should he be judged by other groups for his affiliation with an extremist organization?

For many people, their experience reflects the kind of person they are and their values. As a result, it becomes difficult for people to navigate when deciding how appropriate it is to reveal to the public, especially when applying for jobs. 

When listing experience in something that not all would consider favorable, it is essential to ask yourself how significant value is to the work environment you want to be in. Discovering that something you value is not viewed in the same light by the workplace culture might just tell you this is not the right fit. 

While there are employment discrimination protections for gender, race, religion, and other characteristics, political views are not protected under these laws. In addition, some laws protect job candidates from discrimination. But not every prospective employee is in the position to ensure that all companies are upholding these laws. 

Possibly the majority of people may not see rejecting someone who holds different political ideas as a problem. Certainly not as harmful as not selecting a candidate due to their religion, race, or gender. Still, this practice can be just as hindering to a company because it limits the diversity of employees and unique perspectives. Companies should note this issue because it exhibits discriminatory practices. After all, there is a lack of support for the idea that political affiliation is related to job performance, outside of any politically connected job position, of course. 

In some instances, it can be argued that choosing to hire someone that aligns with an organization's political ideology can be beneficial. For example, some groups believe that achieving a strong sense of leadership is done by political homogeneity. Hiring individuals that align with your corporate ideology can help drive a sense of belonging and alignment to the core values an organization intends to promote. At the same time, it is important for companies to prioritize the core competencies of individuals and promote workplaces where employees can feel comfortable expressing their own opinions. Ultimately, the experience and accomplishments of a potential candidate should be noticed before their political affiliation.