How Leaders Can Navigate Workplace Convos Around the Election with Ease

Imagine walking into the office the day after a heated election—emotions are high, opinions are divided, and the usual buzz of productivity is replaced by tense discussions. It’s up to leaders to foster healthy and respectful workplace conversations during this time to maintain team morale, productivity, and cohesiveness.? ?

So, what should a savvy leader do? Lead by example and implement these practical strategies to foster a healthy and mutually respectful workplace.? ?

Understanding the Impact of Elections on the Workplace

But why should you even care about your teams’ election-related conversations? Election season affects both interpersonal relationships and organizational performance. Team members experiencing election-related stress may struggle with collaboration, decreasing organizational productivity.???

According to the?Society for Human Resource Management , nearly 80% of American workers said that the upcoming election was causing them anxiety, with more than 20% describing their anxiety as “significant.” The majority say they think about the election daily or multiple times daily.?This, in turn, leads to decreased productivity and morale and lowered effectiveness—especially among younger talent.??

To avoid all this, leaders must become aware of the political situation within their teams and address any issues proactively so that polarized views and potential conflicts don’t wreak undue havoc on the entire organization.

3 Key Strategies for Leaders to Manage Teams During Election Season

Consider implementing these three strategies to help your team manage stress during election season.? ?

1. Set the Tone for Respectful Communication

It’s up to you to set the tone and model the behavior you want to see among the rest of your teams. For some teams, this may mean leaving political discussions out of the workplace entirely. In others, it may mean allowing political discussions but ensuring that all such communications remain civil and inclusive,?using active listening ?and similar?emotional intelligence skills ?to reduce?tension among colleagues.??

Beyond modeling appropriate behavior, you may also need to set communication guidelines to promote a respectful culture.?This?could mean implementing a “no politics talk” rule during team meetings to maintain focus and ensure the meeting remains a valuable use of time for all involved.?

2. Create Safe Spaces for Dialogue

For those who do want to discuss political ideals in the workplace, it’s wise to create safe spaces for that dialogue. Foster structured environments where employees feel able to express their opinions without the fear of resulting tension. For example, properly monitored and moderated forums can provide a safe space for idea exchange while ensuring conversation doesn’t become heated or otherwise unconstructive.? ?

Consider hosting a Lunch & Learn session for employees to actively engage in political dialogue but provide a moderator and stress the importance of a non-judgmental setting. ?

Remember to encourage everyone to approach discussions with curiosity rather than judgment and strive to understand the other person rather than pronounce them “right” or “wrong.” Additionally, promote the inclusion of diverse perspectives to help your teams solve problems, recognizing that broader, more varied viewpoints strengthen your teams rather than weaken them.? ?

3. Emphasize Common Goals

Regardless of the election’s outcome or any divisions that may arise before and after, reassure your team that you’ll remain unified, working together toward a common goal. Remind teams of your mutual and shared objectives and values, focusing on your unity rather than your divisions.? ?

For example, you can focus teams away from political differences and toward a looming deadline. In that case, they may be more inclined to work together to achieve their common goal rather than dwelling on political differences. ?

Regardless of your team members’ stances, you’re all coming to work for the same reason — and sometimes, it just takes a little reminder of that fact to get everyone back on the right track.

The Bottom Line

Navigating election-related workplace conversations requires leaders to foster a respectful and empathetic environment by focusing on shared goals and encouraging open dialogue.???

Learn more about using emotional intelligence and enhanced communication skills to lead your teams during stressful times and retain productivity and morale. Executive coaching can help you finetune your leadership skills so you can accomplish all this and more. Schedule your free, introductory call with an Arootah executive coach today.