SearchHRSoftware – The political polarization in the nation is also causing problems in the workplace. Political discussions are more common, and it may impact hiring choices. “Employees are discussing national politics in the workplace now more than ever. This is making some employees uncomfortable, if not irritated. But political leanings may become more than just an office irritation. Managers tend to hire people of similar ideology, and doing so could create a hiring bias. In recruiting, some employers try to reduce hiring bias by anonymizing demographic-related information. This may involve automated removal of candidate photos and names to help recruiters focus on qualifications, not on gender, race or other characteristics that may bias the recruiter. But political leanings aren’t as easy to hide on a resume. Hiring managers can find clues in volunteer work or veteran status, as well as social media posts. There are employment discrimination protections for gender, race, religion and other characteristics. But political affiliations are not a protected class under the law. Two new surveys of workplace attitudes on politics point to what some believe is a problem…”