Promoting Calm in the Countdown

And so, the countdown begins.

Election Day is less than two weeks away, and voting is well underway across the U.S. With a presidential election that remains far too close for polls to predict, every vote will matter. Access to fact-based and unbiased information will matter.?And maintaining calm amid growing anxiety—well, that will matter, too.

Maintaining calm in a workplace setting is particularly important given this analysis?from BetterUp researchers, who found that self-reported well-being and productivity drop in the three months before an election, recovering fully three months after Election Day.?(The report also found that managers are the most significant factor in determining how much election-related stress employees experience at work.)

So, today’s Finding the Words is dedicated to helping you find the words to support your team in the weeks ahead, inspired by our friends at Civic Alliance, The Civic Business Initiative,?and The National Task Force on Election Crises.

If you are a business or organizational leader:

• Remove all possible barriers to voting, such as giving employees flex time or PTO to cast their ballot on Election Day.
• Provide nonpartisan, accurate information about the election process to your employees.
• Set expectations in advance. We may not know the final results on election night, or the day after. That means the system is working as it should to count every vote.?Set expectations about this fact to reduce increased anxiety on Election Day.
• Be proactive in promoting peace, calm, and patience with the election process. Acknowledge that people may be noticeably distracted in the coming weeks. Proactively share mental health resources and reduce meetings around Election Day to reduce undue stress.

If you are a people manager:

• Lead by example.?Get involved in last-minute GOTV efforts, and proactively share resources with your community to help them navigate the election process.?When you come across an informative, well-researched resource, share it—without political viewpoint attached.
• Promote Civility and Respect. Model and promote respectful dialogue, emphasizing the importance of diverse perspectives and discouraging divisiveness. As a starting point, check out SHRM’s wide range of resources on leading civil conversations.
• Stay Neutral in the Workplace. While we may all have individual, personal political views, maintaining a neutral, nonpartisan stance can prevent unnecessary tension among reports and employees.
• Focus on Wellbeing. This will undoubtedly be a stressful time. Find ways to proactively implement wellbeing checks and stress-relieving workplace activities to support the team’s ability to navigate this time.? ?

Here are some additional resources from our partners:

• The?American Press Institute has a robust checklist to support reporters and journalists on Election Day.
• The National Task Force on Election Crises has several fact-based resources about the electoral process.
• Civic Alliance’s Politics and Polarization Workplace Guide is a handy tool for team leaders and people managers.
• Election SOS has a host of resources for journalists and public communicators. ?They have free and accessible webinars on how to combat election misinformation and scenario planning for political violence.
• If you’re located in the DC area, join the DC Public Library and Truth in Common on October 29 for a (Mis)information Lab Seminar. Here, you can practice and refine your skills in dispelling misinformation and learn how to find useful and fact-based?information about controversial and important topics.

Bottom line: there’s no use predicting what may lie ahead in the coming weeks, so focus on what you can control: being the calm in the storm for your team and community.

This post is part of the Finding The Words column, a series published every Wednesday that delivers a dose of communication insights direct to your inbox. If you like what you read, we hope you’ll subscribe to ensure you receive this each week.