How are employers responding to the Israel-Hamas conflict?
![the silhouette of a soldier](https://www.axioshq.com/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/0270_638515533915239264.jpg)
Published by Human Resources Director on May 17, 2024
Employers are putting their focus on supporting employees amid growing pressure from the workforce to take a stand in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, according to reports.
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Handling politics at work
Politics have always been a touchy subject in the workplace amid concerns that it could cause divisions. A portion of employees are now saying that they want their chief executive officers to remain neutral on socio-political matters.
"This is becoming part of everyday life in the American workforce right now, where employers are having to grapple with these questions constantly," said Schwartz-Fenwick in the DW article.
Jordan Zaslav, chief operating officer of Axios HQ, previously underscored how important it is for executives to have a plan for how, when, and which political issues they are willing to discuss at work. Set expectations with employees, and follow through on them with clarity and consistency.
Handling political conversations thoughtfully and carefully "is so important... not just because if you mishandle it, it can become a PR crisis that takes over the C-suite's week or month and damages the brand, but also because it really connects to productivity."