How to Support Your Team During a Tense Election Season

There’s nothing like a heated election season to ignite personal convictions and highlight divisions among people. These differing opinions often spill into the workplace, potentially creating distractions and tension. However, instead of letting election angst drain your team’s energy between now and November 5th, you can take action to keep each person calm, focused, and productive by providing support this election season.

5 Ways to Support Your Team This Election Season

Politics and the workplace can be an unlikely pairing. In a recent Monster survey, most employees (67%) said they discussed politics with coworkers, but 68% said they weren’t comfortable with it. A similar number of employees (60%) said political ​discussions should be avoided ​entirely at work. In cases where political discussions become too heated, or employees need help with election-related stress and anxiety, managers can be invaluable in offering empathy and support.

To keep your team calm amid all the election frenzy, you can take the following actions:

1. Address issues head-on

Employees react to political tension differently; they can feel combative, stressed, and even fearful. Unfortunately, these areas of concern can negatively impact team engagement and performance. During the last general election, 47% of employees surveyed by Gartner said the election impacted their ability to get work done.
Instead of ignoring problems or assuming they will resolve themselves once the election is over, you should:

• Look for signs the political climate may be negatively affecting your team, for example, hostility between employees, sadness, and difficulty managing stress.
• Use one-on-one meetings as an opportunity to listen and empathize with employees who are struggling.
• Ask HR for help and direct employees to company resources such as mental health benefits and employee assistance programs (EAPs).

2. Promote company values

 In politically divisive times, conflicting political beliefs can drive a wedge between team members. You can address this by reminding employees they are all part of one team, and that even the strongest differences in political views shouldn’t stand in the way of working well together. By reinforcing company values like collaboration, mutual respect, and inclusion, you can help employees rise above their differences and maintain effective teamwork. Regularly scheduled one-on-ones, team meetings, and offsites are great for building team unity and helping the team become more connected.

3. Follow company guidance on political expression

There’s a time and place for political expression at work, and it’s probably not on the weekly team Zoom call. However, if your company has specific forums, employee resource groups (ERGs), and other outlets for socio-political discussion, promote them with your team and ensure everyone knows how to get involved. You should also become aware of relevant company policies, which may cover:

• Displays of political campaign banners and slogans
• Dress code guidance
• Rules about posting on social media during work hours

4. Don’t take sides

During a US election season this historic and polarized, just about everyone (yourself included) has a strong view about one political issue or another. However, it’s essential to avoid picking sides when employees have political disagreements. Expressing your political views in favor of one employee’s perspective over another’s can lead to feelings of alienation. In one survey, 59% of employees said their manager’s political beliefs influenced their management style and decisions, and 25% said they wanted to leave because of it. To avoid unnecessary conflict, it’s better to listen and respect both sides of a debate—unless an employee’s views directly contradict your company’s culture and values.

5. Leverage available training

It can be especially challenging to lead and motivate your team when it seems like every conversation and news article is focused on the latest political developments. If you need help, talk to HR about what additional training the company offers. You may benefit from refresher courses covering topics like discrimination, inclusion, and belonging. You may also want to recommend similar training for your team as part of your election season support strategy.

Maintain Team Focus During Election Time

Keeping your team connected and productive ahead of the upcoming election doesn’t have to be an uphill battle. By staying in tune with employee emotions and encouraging healthy and respectful communication, you can help your team thrive in the current political climate with the right support this election season.

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