Civility Remains of Paramount Importance Following Election

The need for civility is as great as ever, now that Election Day is over, and HR has the power to help bring about civil conversations. We’ve gathered articles from SHRM on the benefits of civil political discourse and ways that HR can facilitate civility in the workplace.

Benefits of a Civil Workplace

Fostering civil political conversations can result in employees staying with their employer for years longer and trusting their organization more, according to a new SHRM Research report, Managing Difficult and Political Conversations in the Workplace.

Workers who rated their workplace high on civility and psychological safety during political conversations were likely to stay with their organization for nearly two years longer on average than those who rated their organization low on these areas, the report found. It was based on a survey conducted July 10-22, 2024, with a representative sample of 1,971 U.S.-based workers.

In addition, these workers were more likely to be satisfied with their jobs, have greater trust in their co-workers and managers, and agree that their workplace supports innovation. These are important factors in retaining qualified workers who are in high demand.

(SHRM)

A Fine Line

Open political discourse at work can help employees bring their whole selves to work and feel empowered to share ideas—a key ingredient in helping companies innovate and thrive. That said, employers shouldn’t let politics at work stray into incivility.

On the one hand, Jonathan Segal, an attorney with Duane Morris in Philadelphia and New York City, said that among workers, “banning political talk is not desirable as a cultural matter. Further, it is not enforceable as a practical matter.”

On the other hand, being completely laissez-faire about political conversations may be asking for trouble, particularly in the thick of an election season.

(SHRM)

Steps to Resolve Conflict

Unintended outcomes when political discussions become contentious can include distraction from core business goals, leading to decreased productivity and focus, as well as increased turnover.

SHRM’s Political Conversations Playbook includes the following recommendations to resolve conflict:

• Schedule a meeting to address the problem in person, preferably at a neutral place.
• Set the ground rules, requesting that all parties treat each other with respect and empathy.
• Ask each participant to describe the conflict and their desired outcomes.
• Ask participants to restate what others have said to ensure everyone is listening and understanding what is being said.
• Summarize the conflict based on what you have heard and obtain agreement from participants.
• Brainstorm solutions by discussing all options positively.

(SHRM)

Political Tensions Can Impact Workers’ Mental Health

Employers have been bracing for a big impact on their employees’ mental health during the election season.  

“With ongoing and increasing political tensions, the election season can have substantial impacts on employees’ mental health,” said Lindsay Oberleitner, director of clinical strategy at SimplePractice, a management tool for health and wellness professionals. “Election-related mental health concerns can, and do, impact anyone.”

“Employers need to care because election stress can affect employee productivity and morale,” said Nicholette Leanza, a therapist at LifeStance Health in North Royalton, Ohio. “Anxious employees are less effective, and chronic stress can lead to burnout. Plus, political tensions can disrupt teamwork.”

(SHRM)