Politics and business go hand-in-hand. They are intertwined, joined at the hip, and cannot be separated. Yet, there are some who continue to assert that these two areas are independent, that politics has no role in the business setting/context, and/or that politically driven/themed discussions do not belong on business-oriented social-media sites. This assertion is misguided and either willfully or unintentionally ignores the direct and important relationship between the two.
According to a Pestle Analysis conducted in 2015, there are many political factors that can affect a business. Some of these factors include tax policies and laws, controls on trade, regulations on competition, intellectual-property laws, employment and discrimination laws, health laws, tariffs, and restrictions on imports and exports of products. As noted in the analysis, these factors impact the economy, regulations, political stability, and mitigation of risk, each of which directly affect(s) business organizations.
Despite the clear relationship between politics and business, there are still naysayers who vehemently deny the relevant and important role that politics and policy play in the business context, and who oppose any discussion of politics in the business arena. For example, a quick and cursory search on LinkedIn, a supposed business-oriented social-media platform, will reveal many highly critical comments directed toward any author who dares to submit a “political post,” and demands that the author take such posts to Facebook or other sites, where they are seemingly more appropriate. Given the clear relationship between politics, policies, and business, this position is nonsensical.
The notion that politics and business are separate and distinct “creatures,” and/or that they should not be discussed together, is simply unrealistic in modern times business businesses owners are directly impacted, and are forced to make very difficult decisions, based on the political landscape/climate, and the policies promoted by the administration and/or political party in control at a given time. As noted in the Pestle Analysis:
The political situation of a country affects its economic setting. The economic environment affects the business performance.
For example, there are major differences in Democratic and Republican policies in the US. This influences factors like taxes and government spending, which ultimately affect the economy.
The current political climate is no different. Today, business owners must decide how they will handle COVID, considering the federal government’s efforts to mandate vaccinations nationwide and to severely penalize those businesses that refuse to comply with these mandates. Should they comply with this potentially unconstitutional directive by the federal government, or should they oppose it? Can they afford to oppose it, or will doing so jeopardize their very existence? These difficult questions are a direct result of the current administration’s policies, thereby making a discussion of such policies highly relevant in the business context.
Business owners must also decide how to handle President Joe Biden’s decision to significantly raise taxes. This decision could very well impact the number of available jobs and determine whether businesses that are most impacted by these tax hikes decide to leave for greener pastures. Businesses must also worry about high inflation, supply-chain shortages, the administration’s attempts to implement the Green New Deal, high gas prices, the cost of health insurance, and various anti-discrimination laws. Again, these issues directly relate to Biden’s far-left policies, which have a direct and profound impact on business owners and employees nationwide.
Businesses are also taking a stand and getting “political.” As reported by the Harvard Business Review:
Consider what’s happened in the past decade: Hobby Lobby — a chain of craft stores that challenged a federal mandate stating companies pay for insurance coverage for contraception — took their case all the way to the Supreme Court and won. Nike featured the controversial athlete and social crusader, Colin Kaepernick, in an ad campaign. Retailers like Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods stopped selling certain weapons in response to tragic mass shootings nationwide.
Moreover, the CEO of Coco-Cola publicly criticized Georgia’s new election laws, while Starbucks has also gotten on the “political” bandwagon.
These issues are real and directly relate to the nation’s political climate and the policies of the president and the party in charge. They are not merely “fluff” that should be ignored or overlooked. To the contrary, they directly impact the very lives of business owners, employees, contractors, and families throughout the nation. As such, they warrant serious discussion, and should be critiqued, analyzed, and artfully criticized and dissected, when necessary.
Do those discouraging such efforts deny the clear and obvious nexus between the current administration’s policies and its devastating impact on the overall business landscape, inflation, and the nation’s economy? Do they expect Americans who disagree with these policies to sit idly by while the current far-left policies eviscerate the economy, the ability to make a living, the ability to live the American dream, and the right to speak freely? Do they expect Americans to merely acquiesce while the wealthy owners of companies such as Facebook and Twitter use their money and power to influence policy and politics?
There is no doubt that many business decisions/issues have a political spin/aspect these days. Whom you hire or fire? Political. Vaccinations? Political. Use of certain bathrooms at work? Political. What pronoun to use with someone at work? Political. How much to tax corporations? Political. Trade restrictions? Political. Changes in regulations? Political. The list goes on and on.
Let’s not deceive ourselves. Politics and business are intertwined. The political climate and the various policies directly impact large and small businesses, including their employees and staff, and millions of Americans. As such, there is no reason to refrain from engaging in such discussions, which are both timely and highly relevant.
