Beyond the Ballot: Tips for a Healthy Post-Election Environment

Hello all,

This week has been a month long already! Between the time change and the national election, I'm running close to empty, and it's possible that some of you are as well.

That's why I was happy to see this article from the Harvard Business Review pop up in my email yesterday: How to Talk to Your Team the Day After the Election. Written by Rebecca Knight, it's a short read filled with good advice that works equally well for supervisors and colleagues.

From the article:

"The day and week (and weeks) following the U.S. election are going to be trying for all of us. While some of your colleagues may feel relieved or happy about the results, others might be feeling angry or anxious. What do you say, if anything, to your team about it? You might wish to avoid the topic, but recognizing the emotional atmosphere within your team and the broader mood of the country is important. In this article, three experts offer advice for what to actually say to your team after Election Day — even if the results are unknown."

Another great article The Day After: How to Survive the Post-Election Workplace comes from the website of Psychology Today and offers tips for all of us organized around these key points:

• "Not everyone is interested in the election. That’s OK.
• A lot of people are going to wake up disappointed on November 6. It might show at work.
• If you choose to come to work, connect with others on your shared beliefs, not your differences."

Of course, in SUNY we also have a responsibility to look out for any students we interact with, and keeping our own mental health balanced allows us to better support our students.

Wishing you all the best,
Holly