How workplaces can navigate office relationships as tempers flare, protests rise about Gaza on Canadian campuses

As the crisis in Gaza continues and tempers flare on Canadian and U.S. college and university campuses where protests are underway this week, workplace leaders say they’re dealing with tensions between co-workers.

However, DEI and mental health experts say there are ways to navigate the conflict at work and provide safe spaces for all employees.  

“Many folks are experiencing a destabilization in their relationships, a sense of diminished support from their organization, and a disruption in their comfort speaking up; their psychological safety,” said Dr. Komal Bhasin, an equity, inclusion and workplace mental health consultant.

“People are adjusting to this new reality. They’re adjusting to seeing their workplace and colleagues through a different lens. 

“For those of us who are not as closely affected, one of the privileges we enjoy is the ability to revert to a relatively familiar, normative experience in our workplaces. But, for some, this experience has been profoundly destabilizing. They’re just not discussing it as openly in the workplace.” 

This destabilization can be particularly jarring in social purpose organizations, where many workers choose to join because they feel aligned with a similar mission and values. 

Faced with the complicated landscape, advisors like Bhasin encourage leaders to approach discussions with particular sensitivity. 

The situation in workplaces

News of bombardment, death, and deteriorating conditions in the Gaza Strip has fuelled emotions, sparking a surge in hate crime. This week, Canadian students at several universities from Ottawa to Vancouver set up pro-Palestinian encampments in solidarity with students across the U.S.

The conflict is leaving many social purpose organizations fractured, said Bhasin. 

The Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, left social purpose leaders scrambling to react and establish their public position. Within organizations, DEI teams, too, were struggling to support their co-workers. 

During those first few months, Bhasin said she was approached by a wave of professionals asking for guidance. 

Workplace tensions were high, and many had difficulty navigating various sensitivities and opinions. 

“For many people, this is the first time a ‘geopolitical issue,’ has made its way into the workplace in such an overt kind of way,” she said.

“I don’t think they always knew what was coming next, and some of their approaches backfired.”  

Sometimes, town halls and mediations set up to repair fractured relationships only made the relationships worse, she said. 

This may have set the scene for the distrust that has continued to seep into the workplace, said Bhasin.

“Relationships that were really strong, based on shared values, many years of working together, really positive work experiences, accomplishing things together, are shifting and changing without folks having a very tangible interpersonal conflict leading to that sense of separation,” she said. 

In some instances, employers’ treatment of the situation created confusion, leaving workers feeling unsupported. 

Sources of discomfort ranged from flippant displays of cultural symbols during holidays to instances of double standards, said Ishat Reza, an employment lawyer in Toronto.

“I have had conversations with people who’ve been made uncomfortable just by the rhetoric around them,” she said.

“I also have been approached by people who have faced some kind of disciplinary action, whether it’s a suspension or a termination, and there’s some litigation I’m involved with regarding that.”

In one case cited, an employee wore a Free Palestine T-shirt to work, mirroring actions others had taken to support other causes. 

However, expressing their pro-Palestine stance regarding the Gaza conflict led to a significant rupture in the organization. 

What leaders can do to help support their teams

While many agree that the best way to repair workplace divides is through discussion, the emotions surrounding the crisis in Gaza have made the subject difficult to approach. 

“Positions on the conflict in Israel and [Gaza] have not been openly deliberated in the mainstream before and we haven’t collectively defined our positions or how we will hold them while interacting with others,” said Bhasin.

“That’s part of why there’s heightened discomfort right now. Folks sometimes struggle to handle these discussions and even their own feelings. Moments like these are extremely challenging in the workplace because they expose the implicit cultural dynamics at play.”  

Workplace leadership often shows a reluctance to address problems proactively, said Mante Molepo, a DEI consultant who has worked with several social purpose organizations.

While many organizations celebrate diversity, they have been unwilling to allow workers to express opinions “not aligned with the dominant narrative.”

“Leaders need to think about what they really mean when they talk about diversity.

“Are they cultivating an organization where those diverse identities can bring their full selves to the table, where they can articulate their thoughts and their perspectives without being silenced and reprimanded?”

Reza echoes this opinion, saying consistent policy is critical to supporting diversity within the workplace, particularly regarding the conflict in Gaza.  

“Employers and universities have to really be careful around making comments on a particular issue,” she said. 

“They need to realize that they probably should make similar commentary around other issues that are going to also deeply affect other employees.”

The best approach an employer can take is to inform themselves of the different perspectives surrounding the issue and identify personal bias, said Reza.

“For the most part, I would say it’s people who just aren’t willing to try to understand the different perspectives that are on the table and who are completely unaware of the impact that it’s having on a certain segment of their employees.”

For Bhasin, the solution lies in impartiality, separating support from personal opinions.

“It’s going to bring and has already brought trauma,” she said, suggesting that viewing the issue through a trauma-informed lens could help leaders provide better support.

“Whether they agree or disagree with others’ political positions, what I’m encouraging people to do is to focus on taking care of themselves, staying grounded, seeking support and connection, and regulating their emotions. 

“With this foundation, we can all engage and sustain a practice of greater openness and empathy.”

Correction: Due to an editing error, an earlier version of this story attributed a quote to Mante Molepo. The quote should have been attributed to Dr. Komal Bhasin. We apologize for the mistake.

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