Politics follow you at work - no matter if you’re talking about it or not

It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about politics in the office or not: new research shows it’s probably coming to work with you, anyway.

The social media, podcasts and news content consumed by employees outside of work can influence their behavior in the office, a study of more than 300 U.S. workers found.

Employees who consumed more political information they perceived to be negative had higher anxiety levels and lower engagement in the workplace.

“Political information is designed to capture attention and provoke emotional reactions,” Dr. Ian Hughes, assistant professor of psychological and brain sciences at Texas A&M University, said in a Thursday statement.

“The challenge is that those reactions don’t necessarily disappear once people close an app or turn off the TV - they can continue influencing how people experience the rest of their day.”

But the opposite was seen after employees received political news they believed to be positive.

People felt more hopeful and that was associated with stronger work engagement and an increased willingness to help co-workers.

Workers were surveyed weekly, over the course of nine weeks, during the 2024 presidential primary season from January 19 through March 15.

The findings suggested that treating politics as something separate from work may not serve employers or employees ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.

There are serious consequences to political stress, too, with political discussions potentially raising blood pressure and leading to mood swings, trouble sleeping, weight fluctuation and substance avoid, the University of Michigan says.

But the cure for any stress related to politics isn’t becoming less informed. “An informed public is important, and our study isn’t arguing otherwise,” Hughes said.

Instead, the study offers solutions for mitigating stress from negatively perceived political information.

Employees should balance staying informed with activities that can help them to recharge, such as physical activity, sleep and meditation.

Workplaces can help by offering mental health support and increasing employees’ sense of agency by giving them time off to vote or encouraging volunteering.

“These practices provide alternative pathways to replenish hope and counteract the draining effects of political stress without requiring political disengagement,” the study said.