Why brokers call social polarization a workplace problem

As public opinion globally and within Canada veers to extremes, P&C brokerage employees increasingly report the trend impacts their work lives.

In total, 58% of brokerage employees answering Canadian Underwriter’s 2025 Brokerage DEI Survey say rising polarization affects their daily work experiences—a jump from 49% in the 2024 survey.

Impacts are most common at firms where none (60%) or only some (61%) of the senior leadership comes from diverse backgrounds. But it remains an issue at firms reporting nearly half of senior leadership as diverse (55%) and at firms considering themselves leaders (44%) among P&C insurers in promoting diverse candidates to the senior level.

CU’s survey asked respondents about numerous aspects of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) issues faced by insurance brokerage firms. The research, now in its fourth year, was made possible with the support of Sovereign Insurance.

In terms of direct effects for Canada’s brokerage employees, 40% of respondents say they self-censor while at work and avoid talking with colleagues about controversial subjects — a 6% increase over 2024. Another 17% say they simply interact less with colleagues (6% above last year’s results), while 14% say they’ve cut back on time spent socializing with colleagues (8% more than last year). And 12% of respondents say they now restrict social interactions to colleagues with whom they share beliefs (up 9% from 2024’s survey).

In their own words

In verbatim survey comments, one Gen X woman respondent in a city out West says, “Talking about politics… is forbidden at work.”

Why innovative customer experience will define the future of personal auto insurance Image

Insights Paid Content

Why innovative customer experience will define the future of personal auto insurance

Technology is helping insurers reimagine how they support personal auto customers — and it starts the moment a collision is reported, say experts at Accident Support Services International.

By 

Sponsor Image

And another in a rural area out West says she was, “terminated without cause…for voicing my concerns about the misogyny in the workplace.”

Multiple commenters use some version of “I keep to myself” to describe their conduct. But one female Baby Boomer respondent asserts workplace interactions actually improved as the COVID-19 pandemic waned because arguments around vaccine mandates were highly divisive.

Slightly more than two-thirds (64%) of survey respondents say they rarely or never overhear co-workers discussing polarizing topics while at work, or participate in such discussions themselves. That’s essentially unchanged from 2024’s survey. And 35% of brokerage respondents say they hear or participate in these discussions at least occasionally.

Ownership can help

Nearly all (96%) of respondents say they can identify ways managers could make changes to help employees feel comfortable discussing polarizing topics while at work.

The survey finds 57% want managers or senior leaders to demonstrate how to treat colleagues with kindness, particularly those with whom they disagree. Another 52% want leaders to encourage or reward respectful conversations, and 45% would like safe spaces where difficult conversations can take place and allow participants to move forward.

Further, 37% of respondents want their leaders to define expectations for behaviour, set parameters for political discussion and provide resources and training on what constitutes healthy conflict.

In verbatim comments, several brokers say they do have open dialogues about contentious topics, but that such discussions are respectful. They also note it’s helpful if companies express their values to employees without veering toward a specific political stance.

“Believe it or not, we can disagree with others and still get along with them,” says one 50-plus respondent on the West Coast.

And a Gen X-er at a rural brokerage out West says leaders can’t engage in disrespectful behaviour while telling employees not to. “If it’s the leaders doing it, training employees won’t help,” she says.

Brokers also worry about the fallout from discussions, with 73% saying they can impact the workplace in some way. Potential issues include a decline in morale or employee engagement (40%), reducing the quality of teamwork (38%) or allowing a toxic culture to either sprout or become entrenched (32%).

Interestingly, brokerages that might appear to be at opposite ends of the spectrum based on their leadership makeup hold nearly equal percentages of employees who believe they’re able to discuss polarizing topics without jeopardizing the firm — 44% at firms leading in diversity and 41% at firms with no diversity.

Phil Porado

Phil, an award-winning journalist with over 30 years of experience in financial topics, has been managing editor of Canadian Underwriter for more than three years.