More than half of Brazilian workers (54.4%) say they avoid expressing political opinions always or sometimes due to fear of professional consequences. The fear of retaliation in companies causes many employees to choose silence on political issues in the workplace.
The phenomenon is even more pronounced among young people. Among workers aged 18 to 24, the percentage of those who avoid taking political stances reaches 61.2%, indicating that the younger generation faces even greater barriers to expressing their opinions.
In addition to voluntary silence, 23.5% of Brazilian workers say they have felt pressured by an authority to support or reject a political position. This pressure represents a direct interference in employees' freedom of expression.
When asked about the origin of this pressure, 54.7% of workers who reported the problem point to an owner, partner, or member of senior leadership as responsible. This suggests that the imposition of political positions often comes from the top of the corporate hierarchy.
