Consuming political news can hurt your job performance
With the midterm elections around the corner, political anxiety is in season—and productivity could pay the price. A new study from researchers at Texas A&M University shows that consuming political news and social media outside of work affects employees’ emotional states and workplace behavior, even if they aren’t discussing politics at the water cooler. Researchers tracked more than 300 workers…
As the midterm elections approach, political anxiety is on the rise, and it may impact workers' job performance, according to a new study from Texas A&M University. Researchers monitored over 300 employees over nine weeks during the 2024 presidential primary season, analyzing how often they consumed political news and social media, whether they viewed it as positive or negative, and their emotional states at work.
When employees consumed political information they viewed negatively, they reported higher anxiety and lower engagement at work. Conversely, when they consumed more positive political news, they felt more engaged and willing to help their coworkers. The lead researcher, Ian Hughes, emphasized that political information is designed to grab attention and provoke emotional reactions, which can linger even after people switch off their devices.
Organizations should be aware that their employees are dealing with additional stress during election season and should provide mental health resources and stress management support. Managers can mitigate political stress by offering time off for voting or encouraging volunteering, which can boost employees' sense of agency and control.
Workers themselves should also engage in leisure activities, practice resource-building techniques like mindfulness and gratitude, and take breaks from media consumption to maintain their well-being and productivity.
Written by urgent.news from Fast Company's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
