Politics is a topic that can be divisive, and 77 percent would rather not discuss it at work. This election season is already having a negative impact on the mental health of some employees. Company leaders may be forced to confront the elephant in the office.
The American Psychiatric Association’s annual mental survey shows that 73 percent are worried about the U.S. Presidential election. The uncertainty of a presidential election and the promise (or threat) of a new leader can evoke a wide range emotions, from excitement and hope to fear and frustration. Anxiety can affect employee performance.
The companies have an opportunity and a duty to help their employees deal with the stress of election season. They must tread a fine line when communicating, making sure the message is inclusive yet neutral, direct yet compassionate. My team at Spring Health is working to make this a little easier. We have developed an Election Stress Support Guide that provides mental health strategies to organizations for the 2024 elections. These are the same strategies that we use internally to support employees at all levels, based on the lessons we’ve learned from managing employee reactions to high-stress events around the world, such as the pandemic, racial unrest, and the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Here are some best practices that we will follow and suggest to other business leaders during this election season.
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Give managers as much guidance as you can
Recognize the importance of the role played by front-line managers, and their desire for guidance in navigating discussions with employees who hold different views. Encourage managers to maintain a neutral stance, showing tolerance and respect for different political viewpoints.
Help managers understand when they should “be” and not “do”. High-performing leaders are often compelled into action – either to solve a particular problem or to argue with others. Sometimes, however, the manager’s role is to simply listen. Honor silence. Empathize, validate and reflect on the situation, and direct people to mental health resources if needed. One of these moments is election-related stress.
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Discuss the election without choosing a side
Speak out about your commitment to support employee mental health during the stressful election period. Avoid taking a stance on politics unless it is directly related to your company’s mission.
I’ve learned to never make assumptions about the political or personal views of a group or individual. If you pledge any loyalty, you’ll ostracize employees, customers and potential customers who disagree with your views. This group may be larger than you think.
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Provide proactive support and resources
Encourage your employees to take care of themselves by checking in regularly with them.
If no one takes advantage of the benefits, they are worthless. Promoting the resources available and sharing guidelines on how to access them is important. Consider developing election-specific resources. These could include everything from information on where and how to vote to healthy ways of managing election-related anxiety.
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Accept these fundamental truths
Employees need to know what they can control and what they cannot. You cannot decide the outcome of an election by yourself, but you can use your vote and voice to influence the outcome.
Multiple truths exist despite what we see in social media. Although a two-party system can lead to binary thinking, and right and wrong rhetoric, many issues are nuanced and have shades of grey. Encourage your employees to accept the reality of this, as it can lead to more compassionate discussions.
It is extremely difficult to strike the right tone when communicating with your employees and coach managers on how to remain neutral while they discuss issues they feel strongly about. Business leaders must not avoid these discussions.
This election season, it is important to care for your employees by acknowledging stress without taking a stance on politics and respecting different opinions. It is an opportunity to improve the mental and physical health of employees by creating a psychologically safe environment. Supporting employees during this emotionally charged time will strengthen your relationships and build trust, so that you can do your best work no matter what happens in November.
