The Stress of Politics, the Politics of Stress
It’s the election season in America. With that comes the seemingly never-ending wall-to-wall political coverage leading up to a national election. No matter your politics, the people in your office are talking about this, either by the water cooler, or on Slack, and most of them are completely stressed out.
According to the American Psychological Association, “Fifty seven percent of people surveyed said that the 2024 presidential election was already a significant source of stress for them…76% of Americans believed that the future of our nation is a significant source of stress, and 66% were stressed by the current political climate.”
That’s a lot of stress.
How can managers discuss this with their teams, if at all, without devolving into interoffice political squabbles? Here are some tips and resources below:
NPR put out a list of top 5 ways to manage the political stress in your life and it may be helpful to share with your teams.
Allow your people to have a voice. Offering your team PTO hours to volunteer for their candidate, or even just for voting, gives them a chance to do something productive with their anxiety and shows them that you understand what they are going through. If applicable, encourage teammates to use their company’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) which provides free, confidential mental health services, or refer them to local resources such as the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Mental Health Services webpage.
Keep your door open. “My door is always open” may never mean more than during this time of year. Set and share guidelines on when and where it’s appropriate to participate in political conversations in the workplace. It’s also important to acknowledge that political discussions can be sensitive and polarizing. It’s good for colleagues to be mindful of the time and place to have a conversation about politics, such as in a private setting. Let your people vent and discuss, but not in a team setting as this can get tricky. They’ll feel heard and most times, that’s all they want.
Just turn it all off. Managers can say ‘Listen, we know it's that time again, and you all have a right to your opinion, but when we’re at work, let’s turn the politics off and focus on the job at hand.’ This is completely acceptable in today’s rough political scene and, per NPR, might push workers to find other ways to cope via volunteering, donations, and more.
The American political theater is…unique, but planning can help you and your team navigate its tricky waters. We’ve included some additional resources below that may be helpful for you:
Are you looking for a safe space to have a conversation surrounding the stress of the election season? If so, consider attending our upcoming Cup of Equity event on Oct. 24, which provides a non-judgemental forum for conversations about diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). Stay tuned to our events page for other Cup of Equity events we’ll be hosting throughout the year.
Join us on October 24, 2024, from 9-10:30 a.m. at Either/Or for a cup of coffee, delicious refreshments, and meaningful conversations. Register here today as space is limited.