Election season is upon us, and we know that emotions are running high. This year, more than ever, we've heard from many of our employer partners about concerns surrounding mental health and well-being in the workplace, especially with the anxiety that often accompanies the election cycle. 

To address these concerns, CentraCare Occupational Health is committed to providing resources that can help employers support the emotional and mental well-being of their teams during this challenging time. We understand that the election is just the beginning of a season filled with stressors, as the holidays approach and bring their own unique pressures. 

Election-related discussions can easily spill into break rooms and working environments, creating tension and discomfort among coworkers. We are excited to partner with PrairieCare as well as our CentraCare Behavioral Health Team to offer tools that encourage positive communication, respect for differing viewpoints, and healthy boundaries around political talk in the workplace. 

This newsletter is the first in a series of resources designed to help you navigate the complexities of this season. You’ll find tips and tools on how to engage in constructive conversations, manage workplace stress, and foster a supportive environment for your employees. In the coming months, we’ll continue to provide more content from our behavioral health and addiction medicine teams to ensure you have what you need to maintain a healthy, productive workforce.

Feel free to download and share the articles included in this newsletter with your teams, and let us know how we can further support your efforts. Together, we can help reduce the stress and anxiety that often accompany both the election and the holiday season.

Steer into the skid. When we feel out of control, it can be helpful to exert the control we do have. Decide on a few concrete ways to take action—like making calls to get out the vote, volunteering for a cause you care about, or scheduling an unplugged vacation.

Rideshare through rush hour. Set up a regular check-in with one or more friends to see how you’re all doing, share difficult moments, and make each other laugh. It could be a meetup for coffee, a group chat, or just a quick text a few times a week. 

Take your foot off the gas. During times of upheaval, self-care often goes by the wayside, increasing our stress levels. Give yourself permission to take it easy during this challenging time.

Keep your eyes on the road. When we’re feeling uncertain about the future, we tend to jump ahead and ruminate on the potential disasters to come. If you feel yourself spinning, pause and take three deep breaths to help your body and brain come back into the present moment.

Explore a relaxing detour. Find fun, fulfilling distractions—take pickleball or guitar lessons, join a book group, read a fantasy novel ... anything that takes you off the information superhighway.

If you’re with someone who you feel comfortable talking 
about politics, that’s great! These connections can ground us 
and allow us to express our feelings during a time that can 
feel so divided. 

Use these pointers for a respectful interaction:

Be an active listener: Make sure you allow them to talk. Part 
of this includes positive body language that shows you’re 
interested in them as well as what they have to say. 

Stay curious, not combative: If someone’s opinion differs 
from yours, engage your curiosity about why that may be, and 
don’t make assumptions. This can include asking open-ended 
questions to learn more. 

Emphasize values rather than a party or person: Instead of 
talking about who you’re voting for, express what’s important to 
you, like education, healthcare, or economics. Finding common 
ground on what we care about can show us just how similar we 
are, rather than creating a bigger divide.

Let’s say you’re with a stranger or a family member you don’t 
want to upset, or you just don’t have the mental capacity to 
get into an intense discussion. You can always pivot the chat 
to something less polarizing. 

• “I respect your right to your viewpoint, but I’m just not in the 
right mindset to talk about this right now.” 

• “I can see you have strong feelings about that! I respect that 
you have your own perspective.” 

• “I can see you have lots of reasons to believe the way you do, 
just like I have lots of reasons to believe the way that I do.” 

In the workplace: Being professional is all about respect, which 
can be tricky in politics. Avoiding the topic is wiser. Close to half 
of people in a recent CNBC survey said they would prefer to ban 
political talk at work. 

If you feel physically or mentally overwhelmed: Protecting your 
own health and well-being may be enough to deal with already—
you don’t need to add extra stress. If you’re feeling fragile, there’s 
also a higher chance that you’ll have less tolerance for others. 

When you know it won’t go well: If a previous conversation with 
this person went awry or you know they won’t tolerate other POVs, 
stick with neutral conversation topics and stay away from politics. 

If you feel targeted or fear for your safety: Unfortunately, certain 
populations can become targeted in an election and take center 
stage. You should never feel that you have to fight for a particular 
group if putting yourself out there puts your safety at risk.

 If your employees are struggling to cope with stress and anxiety, encourage them to reach out to their primary care provider for support.

They can provide additional resources or connect your employees to mental health providers.

At CentraCare, our Integrated Behavioral Health team members are available to support patients in-person or virtually.

Resources for your employees if they are having a mental health emergency:

• Call 911 or go to your closest Emergency Room

• Central MN Mental Health Center Crisis Hotline: 320-253-5555 or 800-635-8008

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988