This New Publication Facilitates NSFW Conversation at Work
“I’ve been at agencies my entire professional life and it’s been interesting to see how various places shape up when it comes to freedom of speech. I think at some agencies the consensus is act like we think freely but watch what you say because we don’t want to piss any clients off. That’s not really freedom of speech,” says co-founder of The Charles agency, Samantha Edwards.
Edwards established the creative hub alongside her brother, Aaron, who previously worked in finance. Last year, amidst the tension of an increasingly vitriolic election, the pair noticed a new dynamic emerging between many of their employees: they were having raw, meaningful and sometimes very difficult conversations, about everything.
Instead of worrying about the potential of an HR scandal – both siblings had experienced this in past work environments – they decided to create a platform dedicated to taboo workplace conversations. The first issue of Charlie Magazine was formed with one thought firmly in mind: How do you have productive discussions about controversial topics in spaces they don’t normally occur?
We chatted with the siblings about facilitating awkward dialogues, the role of print today, and why having NSFW conversations at work can be a one-of-a-kind team building experience.
We’ve been working on a lot of brand-sponsored content recently. We were spurred on by the awards we picked up for Netflix’s “Narcos” and Wall Street Journal’s “Cocainenomics” story. After that, we knew we had to do something that used our design, content marketing and development skills.
Last year was a pretty heavy in terms of news and opinions, and we had plenty of in-office debates about all topics: Black Lives Matter, the election, LBGTQ rights, climate change…You name it, we probably discussed it. The team was fired up and we believe in self-expression, particularly because you spend the majority of your ‘awake time’ at work. In terms of personality we felt like Charlie would be l’efant terrible to The Charles.
Why was it important to give employees a safe space for having controversial conversations at work?
Aaron Edwards: NSFW conversations in the workplace are every HR teams’ nightmare – but that’s part of what makes us unique. We’re a very diverse team and always have been – straight, gay, queer, Black, White, Chinese, Korean. Religious, atheist, agnostic.
I think enabling your team to have a healthy balance of discussion, debate and opinion shows that you trust them to make the right decisions. Furthermore, encouraging them to communicate these issues in a way that makes sense – not just for shock value – reinforces that point. It enables them to think critically.
How will the inspiration change from issue to issue?
Samantha Edwards: We’ve talked about this a lot – if we do the same thing next issue will we fall into the realm of just another publication? Media today needs to be varied in order to be truly relevant. Charlie is a mindset and movement, an expression of our culture and individuality. Aaron and I talk all the time about the concept of metamorphosis and it’s something that influences us on a daily basis. Not to get all Willow and Jaden on you but the next issue won’t be an issue, and that shouldn’t be an issue.
Where is the line between self-expression and insensitivity in the workplace?
AE: Emotional intelligence ranks high on the list of personality traits we look for when we’re hiring, so people innately know where the line is. They also have the ability to communicate their beliefs and express themselves while not offending anyone. On paper this is an HR nightmare, but in reality it works.
How do make sure your employees honor each other’s points of view even if they don’t agree?
AE: My experience in corporate finance helped spur the idea of a NSFW forum at The Charles. In finance coming out with statements that don’t fall in line with stringent compliance policies could get you fired immediately (I saw this a couple of times). Yet at the same time executive leaders would foster a culture of magnified self-expression (narcissism and vulgarity with a dash of sadomasochism). So you’re trapped in fear of losing your job over expressing how you really feel.