Conversation Topics That Should and Shouldn't Be Discussed in the Office (Infographic) Find out what conversation topics you should leave at home.
By Rose Leadem
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Be careful what you say in the office, it could come back to haunt you. From relationships to politics to religion, there are some conversation topics that should stay at home. In a recent survey of 1,000 workers across the country, insurance website InsuranceQuotes.com uncovered what people believe are the most and least taboo conversation topics in the workplace.
Related: How Startups Are Building Strong Office Cultures
Turns out, your sex life should stay in the bedroom. According to the research, 71 percent of survey participants agreed that "sex life" was the most inappropriate thing to talk about at work. After sex life, "drug use" was voted the second most inappropriate workplace topic (69 percent) and "gossip about a co-worker" came in third.
So what are people comfortable discussing in the office? "Personal health concerns," "family issues" and "relationship issues" were the top three topics a majority of participants gave the green light for.
Related: The 6 Toxic Traits of Workplace Gossips
Of course, depending on the industry you're in will also affect what's appropriate conversation matter for work. Overall, the finance industry has the strictest feelings towards what can and can't be said around the office. And on the other end of the spectrum, people in science could care less about what comes out of your mouth.
Despite the strict views that some people and industries have about what's appropriate office conversation, talk is talk and people are going to do it either way. So what's the hottest topic of conversation? Politics. Seventy-four percent of people agree that politics is the most common subject, and that's likely due to the rocky 2016 election and the current state of American politics right now.
Related: The 8 Essential Steps to Building a Winning Company Culture
To learn more about what should and shouldn't be said in the office, check out the infographic below.
