As the Nov. 5 presidential election draws near, political uncertainty is a top concern for business leaders. The race is dead even and it may be days or even weeks until it’s clear if Donald Trump or Kamala Harris is the country’s next leader—and it may take even longer for many American workers to accept the outcome. All of this poses a headache for bosses as political divisions may lead to lost productivity or even outright conflict in the workplace. How should they handle this?
The risk of politics disrupting the workplace is not hypothetical: A Gartner, Inc. survey released in February 2020, found that 78% of employees reported discussing politics at work, and 47% reported that the U.S. 2020 presidential election had impacted their ability to get work done. The survey of 500 employees across the U.S. found that politics and the topic of the presidential election negatively affected productivity, collaboration, and employee morale. And, a study by Owl Labs released in September found that 45% of U.S. employees admit that political opinions from colleagues or their employer make them avoid the office.
