7 Things Bosses Shouldn’t Talk About in the Workplace

Some things are better left unsaid. Especially in the workplace. Especially when you’re the boss.

There simply are some things bosses shouldn’t talk about at work. With employees. With colleagues. With bosses. With clients.

Even in a day and age when we’re expected to be able to bring our full selves to work, some things aren’t meant to be hashed out at work.

Why We Shouldn’t Talk About Them

Some of these topics create legal minefields. Some bring the potential for TMI (too much information). Others are risque. Some are cringe-worthy. And some just lay grounds for gossip.

For many of these subjects, the stakes are higher. Bosses who talk about them can land your company in trouble.  Say the wrong thing in conversations, and an employee might (rightfully so) misconstrue the boss’s comments as being biased against certain people. And that can lead them to discrimination or wrongful termination lawsuits.

So here’s a rundown on topics bosses don’t want to talk about at work. The top five are legal hotbeds.

According to employment law attorney D. Albert Brannen of the firm Fisher & Phillips listed at MultiBriefs, the conversation topics that get managers in trouble include:

1. Religion

The company can be held liable if the boss gives an appearance of making decisions based on their own religious views or those of their employees. And the only way anyone knows a boss’s view on religion is if the boss brings it up.

2. Race, Ethnicity

Despite DEI initiatives and overall awareness in society, racial tensions still exist. Problems can bubble up and cause legal and practical problems for companies if bosses discuss anything relating to race, color or ethnicity.

Those words hurt feelings and can hurt the company because they potentially give an impression employment decisions were made based on inappropriate talk.

3. Romance, Sex

Eww! First, no one wants to hear details on any colleague’s love life. And if they do want to hear it, that’s another Eww! Work is not a high school locker room.

More importantly, you can be held liable if managers create a workplace that’s hostile and offensive based on or because of sex. Bosses shouldn’t discuss their sex lives or those of others in the workplace. And they shouldn’t tell jokes, show sexual images or proposition others in the workplace.

4. Drug, Alcohol Use

So what if you partied it up last weekend? Everyone at work doesn’t need to hear about it. Or shouldn’t in some cases.

As Brannen says, “Most employers maintain policies that prohibit the use of illegal drugs or excessive amounts of alcohol. Managers cannot be viewed by employees as violating those policies or laws if management is to be respected.”

5. Medical Conditions

Companies can’t legally disclose medical conditions about employees under various privacy laws. And they can’t discriminate on the basis of medical conditions, disabilities or handicaps. So it’s obvious that bosses shouldn’t discuss protected matters or give the impression or appearance that any employment decisions are being made on the basis of these factors.

Along these lines, too, bosses don’t need to go into lengthy detail about their own ailments. Don’t put employees in a position where they have to feel sorry for you or listen to you lament about the twisted ankle from the weekend pickleball tournament.

6. Politics

We’ve already touched on one of three topics etiquette expert Emily Post has long said we shouldn’t talk about at cocktail parties (or work): Sex. The second, which might not get bosses in legal trouble like the other but is done in poor taste, is politics.

Political conversations can hurt feelings, turn ugly and cause intense discourse in a workplace. Bosses shouldn’t share their political views or comment on others’ views.

7. Personal Finance

Money is the third taboo topic for cocktail parties and work. Talking about money or finances at work can trigger all sorts of negative emotions such as anger, jealousy and resentment.

Finances are a personal matter, and bosses shouldn’t discuss them at work. This includes salary and what you pay for housing, cars, jewelry, technology, ex-wives or any indicators of wealth.

Beyond putting you at risk for a lawsuit, talking about these kinds of topics can make employees feel singled out, angry or uncomfortable, which can lower employee morale and hurt productivity.

Be Proactive for Things We Shouldn’t Talk About

Now, just because we’ve said — and you know — we shouldn’t talk about these things at work, doesn’t mean it won’t happen. HR pros will want to be proactive to avoid legal or morale issues.

“To create a highly engaged and diverse culture, you need to build on a foundation of psychological safety, where employees feel safe to be themselves. This includes a humble acknowledgment that we often work with people who have different political beliefs than us,” says Adam Weber, an executive coach, podcast host and author of Lead Like a Human.

Bosses and employees will likely take on topics they shouldn’t in the workplace. To get ahead of it, Weber suggests you: 

• Acknowledge that some subjects are deeply personal and connect to personal lives, families and faith traditions
• Stress the importance of kindness and respect around the wide spectrum of beliefs on social and political issues
• Explain how miscommunication can easily happen on forums like Slack and email, and
• Offer other communication outlets to discuss the issue such as with the HR department, and mental health counseling. 

Get Aligned After the Pot Is Stirred

Conversations about these topics are disruptive and sometimes hurtful. Unfortunately, you probably can’t completely eliminate them from the workplace.

But you can counteract any negative effects by rallying around topics and causes that unify your people.

“What good can your company do in the world – whether it’s perpetuating the mission of the company or donating and serving a cause that is universally impactful,” says Weber.

When you recognize something to rally around or an area where the group is aligned, try to:

• Find ways for everyone to participate to the degree each wants to (recognizing that some won’t want to participate at all)
• Give employees time to be involved and/or advocate for the good, and
• Share the positives. The more you can show good things happening within your organization – and their impact on people and causes – the less likely people will focus on negative topics.