The 2016 presidential election has come and gone, but emotions about the results can linger and might interfere with productivity and friendly employee relations in the workplace. Fortunately, national and local HR professionals have helpful hints for navigating choppy post-election waters.
The 2016 presidential election has come and gone, but emotions about the results can linger and might interfere with productivity and friendly employee relations in the workplace. Fortunately, national and local HR professionals have helpful hints for navigating choppy post-election waters.
Elaine Bryant, an advisor with the Society for Human Resource Management’s HR Knowledge Center, said it can sometimes be appropriate to treat employees who are upset about election results as you would treat someone who is grieving. HR managers might even consider recommending employees see a therapist, perhaps through a company’s employee assistance program.
The point is not to avoid political discussions entirely, SHRM advises, but to keep them civil. Managers should pay attention and intervene when conversations cross the line and people start to get upset. Managers can change the subject with a line such as, “I can see you are all really passionate about this. Maybe we can apply that passion to meeting our sales goals this month.”
But sometimes it might be best to just nip political discussions in the bud. Managers and employees can be prepared to say something like, “I think we should agree to disagree about politics but I hope we can still work together.”
According to Lance Madigan, who works in media relations for Intermountain Healthcare, his company does not have a set policy or script for handling political discussions in particular, but he said the standard rules of employee relations apply to politics in the workplace: respectful communication and a workplace environment friendly to everyone.
Madigan said that Intermountain handles political matters with a policy statement:
“As a not-for-profit company, Intermountain Healthcare neither endorses nor opposes any political party or candidate. We respect the right of our employees to be politically active, as long as they are careful to ensure that their statements and activities do not imply that they speak for, or reflect the views of, Intermountain in any way.”
The American Psychological Association also recommends turning off office televisions — or at least avoiding news channels. Managers can also create a politics-free zone in the office, a place like a break room or conference room where political discussions aren’t allowed.
Employees can also do their part to redirect their energy and high emotions. Managers can suggest taking a walk at lunch, taking a few minutes to play mindless games on smartphones or getting a favorite treat like an ice cream cone. Employers should tell employees that if they feel uncomfortable or confronted, it is always all right to politely ask for time and space to process their emotions on their own.
Additional tips from SHRM include telling employees:
• Don’t gloat if your candidate won — and don’t predict the end of the country if your candidate lost.
• Don’t continue an argument that will get you nowhere.
• If you need to vent, do so with people who share your views.
• Put the presidential campaign in a box, leave it on the shelf and move on.
