Among the key findings of the research:

Rising political stress and generational trends. In June, 24% of employees reported feeling politics-related stress at work, but that number surged to 30% by September, tracking along the predicted 42% increase expected in November. Generationally, baby boomers, Gen X and millennials reported increased stress at work because of political issues between June and September, with only Generation Z reporting a drop in stress.
Political talk erodes workforce wellbeing and connection. The week before the 2022 midterm and 2020 presidential elections saw workforce wellbeing drop by up to 6% and productivity drop by 2%. In August 2024, two-thirds of employees who overheard political talk at least several times a week wanted to avoid certain coworkers, up dramatically from 28% in June.
Workers look to a connected, neutral approach. Seven in 10 workers want organizations to stay politically neutral, and 61% expect them to focus on employee wellbeing and culture instead. Employees who feel a strong sense of belonging and receive wellbeing support from their organization experience approximately 30% less politics-related stress compared to employees who lack these resources.

The consensus among workers in a MyPerfrectResume survey is that political discussions have no place in the workplace. When asked whether employers should limit or discourage political discussions at work as the presidential election approaches, 9 in 10 workers agreed, with 71% of those saying these discussions should be limited and 18% saying employers should discourage them.

Instant Insights /

Election stress takes heavy toll on worker wellbeing, productivity

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