Elections are very stressful for your employees. Here’s how you can help

About 73% of Americans report that they are worried about the election. No matter where your political leanings lie, there’s a good chance that if you watched last week’s debate, you felt it—a stream of news alerts flooding your phone; the fear of what might happen if the election does not go your way; and tension within your community and among co-workers, friends, and family.

In today’s world, where home and work often overlap, the stress and tension of an election can easily spill over into the workplace. At Mandala, we help managers and leaders at work with three core questions: How do you manage yourself? How do you treat others? And how do you manage this changing ecosystem?

As this election between Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump sits in the crosshairs of all three, we wanted to offer our perspective on how managers can manage election anxiety in the workplace:

Accept that there will be chaos, for good reason

Election seasons and election anxiety can be very stressful, with political and policy issues that feel deeply personal. Whether it’s reproductive rights, the economy, or the stability of our democracy, we’re living in an era of great turmoil and division right now. Instead of underestimating its importance, it is important to recognize that we are navigating through a truly complex and difficult time.

How might that sound? “As we enter the election period, I realize that this is a time of chaos. So if you’re feeling that tension and discomfort, just know that you’re not alone. If there is anything I can do to help you, even if it means listening to what you are going through, please let me know.”

Emotion regulation as a role model

You may have strong feelings about the election and may not immediately see the argument that nearly 50% of the country is making. Just remember—whether they say it or not—your team looks to you as the voice of calm in the chaos.

There are many powerful ways to manage emotions, from exercise to social interaction to breathing exercises. Here’s a quick tool we’ve been using with leaders at Google and Microsoft that you can practice at your desk:

BEAM:

• Take a breath. Take two breaths through your nose, followed by a deep exhale. This deep breathing technique, popularized by Andrew Huberman as “circular sighing,” can help shift our body from “fight or flight” mode to “rest and digest.”
• Emotion. Write down two words that describe your emotional state. The act of making an emotional comment, just saying a specific word or feeling, can have the same calming effect.
• Confirm. Make two affirmations to yourself about how you appeared the day before. The more specific, the better. Neuroscience confirms that our bodies are more likely to move when we are kind to ourselves.
• Reflection/ Mentally send two thank you notes to the people in your life. This can be done silently with your eyes closed, or more literally with a text, note, or call. An intentional act of gratitude can reduce stress.

Provide clarity about resources and support where you can

If your company offers mental health benefits to employees, now is a good time to make sure they know they’re available. If you’re too young to offer much in the way of benefits, share the resources you use with your team—whether it’s a day or two to take a break, or a few activities that help you stay grounded.

Live within your zone of control

A lot of anxiety about elections comes from worrying about things we can’t control. It’s almost impossible to devote all your attention to what you control, but it’s important to do what you can, especially as you go to the polls. If you’re worried about the election, remember that there are tangible ways to get involved outside of your workplace—donate, fundraise, knock on doors, make phone calls. These are all things that are under your control.

What is not in your hand? However, everything else: what the media reports, what the candidates say, and what the media reports about what they say. Data suggests that our media ecosystem is harmful to our mental health. It reduces our sense of empowerment and stimulates the activity of our sympathetic nervous system. As with any exercise, it’s important to practice moderation.

How do you do that?

First, if it matters to you, make a list of two things you can do or want to do with this election. It could be to check the news once a day to stay informed but avoid headlines; it could be giving your team time off on election day to vote.

Second, create a time limit on media use during this election cycle. It might sound silly to say something like, “I’m only going to watch the news for 10 minutes,” but trust us—there’s zero marginal cost from that next podcast.

Always be curious, not judgmental

At a time when our two sides feel like they couldn’t be further apart, this can feel almost impossible. But in today’s age, the candidate that connects is you. Remember that over 70 million Americans voted for someone they disagreed with. They are people you grew up with, shared meals with, or in many cases, shared life and workplaces with. For our democracy to survive, we need to maintain a sympathetic tone when talking about politics—which is no different for Coach Ted Lasso.

Significantly, most political and news media will not cover this issue. Although that is not something you can control, on the other hand you can recognize that there is dignity in each person and that they may have a number of reasons for supporting the person they support—many of which have to do with the complex way they see themselves. and meet the world, rather than any policy-based discourse.

What might that look like?

“I want to do everything in my power to ensure that the workplace ends up being a social place with speeches that affect those who disagree with us very well. I realize that this may not be what we hear on the news or on stage. I have my opinions, and I’m happy to share them if people want to know, but I’ll do my best to be a listener in this space.”