An HEC Paris study highlights the role of the workplace in political divides
On the eve of the 2026 municipal elections, a new study from HEC Paris conducted by professors Yann Algan, Antonin Bergeaud and student Camille Frouard highlights the decisive role of workplace experience in shaping the political attitudes of private-sector employees.
Based on a survey carried out in 2024 and 2025 among 3,909 employees, the study shows that traditional socio-economic variables — such as income, occupational category or education level — explain political preferences less than the quality of social relationships in the workplace.
In an interview with Le Monde, Yann Algan emphasizes that “the company has become an essential space for building social cohesion.” Daily interactions with colleagues, the sense of belonging to a team, and interpersonal trust strongly influence how employees perceive society and institutions.
The researchers notably find that employees who identify with the far-right party Rassemblement National more frequently report feelings of isolation and distrust toward their colleagues. By contrast, supporters of the radical left express greater trust in their peers but are more critical of management and their organization. Employees who identify with the political center, meanwhile, report high levels of trust both toward colleagues and toward their organization.
The study also highlights the existence of a large group of employees with no partisan affiliation, representing around one-third of private-sector workers. This group is characterized by a weaker sense of belonging to the workplace collective and a more pronounced disengagement from civic life.
For the authors, these findings underscore the central role that workplace relationships play in shaping social trust. Policies aimed at strengthening cooperation and recognition within organizations could therefore contribute not only to well-being at work, but also to democratic cohesion.
| Politics at Work: |