Presidential election tensions spill into the workplace

Managers believe political conflict among colleagues in the United States will only intensify in the wake of a divisive election, a new survey shows. Here are some suggestions for dealing with tensions in the workplace and at events.

Morale and productivity at U.S. companies have plummeted as the contentious presidential race has stoked workplace conflicts, so much so that many are letting employees work from home this week in anticipation that tensions will not ease on Election Day.

A new ResumeBuilder survey of more than 1,000 U.S. managers shows that two in five plan to have employees work remotely during election week. About 3 in 10 people said the election sparked conflict among employees, and 7 in 10 feared tensions would rise after Nov. 5, the survey showed.

Before Tuesday, one in three voters – more than 75 million people – had cast their ballots in the tight race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. new york times Report. But according to a ResumeBuilder survey, workplace political conflicts begin even before early voting.

Managers say they face strained relationships, verbal sparring and reduced team cohesion, according to the study. Respondents said political disagreements distract employees and reduce overall output. Surveys show that about a quarter of employees refuse to work with colleagues who have different political views and are asked to work remotely to avoid potential conflicts.

Event organizers are also likely to face political divisions among event attendees in the coming weeks. Jess Pettitt, CSP, a speaker and consultant with decades of expertise on diversity and inclusion topics, tells us convene Earlier this year, the day after the 2016 election, “people were getting ready to go to funerals, or wearing party hats” to events where “they thought everyone was like them”. Pettit said many groups have yet to recover from the polarizing effects of the U.S. election.

One might say that since 2016, political divisions and the stress they create have exploded. In October, an American Psychological Association poll found that more than 7 in 10 U.S. adults were stressed about this year’s election.

Planners can ease potential stress among participants by determining in advance how they will respond to political conflict, Pettit said. Providing more connection points for event attendees, Pettit tells us convenesuch as providing participants with a phone number to contact someone to talk about political conflict and discomfort.

But, as Pettit says, this and other methods require some advance planning. Organizers and attendees facing the possibility of political conflict at events this week can try employing workplace responses suggested by Dr. Robert Kovacs, who writes psychology todayThe work psychology blog.

Whatever the outcome of the election, many will be disappointed, while others will be ecstatic. Kovac wrote: “My advice to those who are happy with the result is to try to exercise restraint. There are still four years to enjoy the victory. Give the other side some time.”

For those who supported the losing candidate, “this might be a day to consider working from home or taking a mental health day,” he wrote. Maybe it would take a week — results are unlikely to be immediate.

If you choose to go to work or attend an event, build shared beliefs with others, not differences. People who attend professional meetings may or may not share similar political views as you, so don’t make assumptions about who you can celebrate or sympathize with regarding Pettit’s views.

Curt Wagner is the digital editor for held.

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