Keeping Employee Morale High During Political Upheaval

September 11 2019 - The current uncertain political climate is affecting people across the globe. This era is defined by the threat of populism, extremism and unpredictable political behaviour, and it may be causing undue stress in the workplace. In the UK, Brexit is dividing friends, couples, colleagues and even families. Therefore, as an employer, it is important that you take proactive steps during this unstable period. From maintaining an open-door policy to seeking support for employees that may be struggling, there is a lot that you can do to keep your employees morale high during challenging political times.

Initiate an Open-Door Policy

An open-door policy is a very simple yet effective way to support all your employees. It means that you are giving all your employees a space to come and talk to their employer, regardless of their level in the company. It has been widely reported that since Brexit, racism is rising in the UK and similar instances have been happening in the USA and other politically troubled countries. As such, if you show employees that you are involved in the workplace environment by operating an open-door policy, they will feel more comfortable talking to you about potential instances of bullying or discriminatory behaviour in the workplace. It is also worth bearing in mind that you are legally accountable for any suffering your employees face while working in your company; therefore, their wellbeing is paramount to your company's success.

Mediate Political Discussion

Of course, as an employer, you will be busy working rather than monitoring any political discussion. However, you must set a precedent in the workplace by treating everyone's political opinions with respect, even if you vehemently disagree with what they are saying. As you can see from the IG political timeline, the subject of Europe has been causing conflict in our country for decades, and this polarisation will only be eased through constructive debate and listening to other perspectives. You should not ban political conversations in the workplace, as that is not conducive to creating a comfortable environment for your employees. Instead, you must channel a voice of reason and compassion during political debate. As is the case for many political events, people are either on one side or the other, and they cannot communicate effectively.

Bring Your Employees Together

After two years of Brexit negotiations, it may seem like there is nothing that can be done to boost people's moods and anxiety about the future of Britain appears to be steadily rising. As an employer, there are ways that you can encourage your employees to support each other rather than turn against one another. By allocating some of your company's budget for team days and social events, you'll be able to bring those employees back together over constructive acts of kindness and collaboration in order to bridge gaps between political stances and to dismiss any ill-feeling between employees with starkly different politics.

Keeping employee morale high is an important step in being a great manager - and managing your staff's emotions while any political upheaval is happening is a top priority.

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