Fear is a force to be reckoned with in the workplace.
Some human resource officers are seeing the well-documented fight-or-flight mechanism kicking in among co-workers, and they're worried.
The sharply divided electorate is tense, not just about election results on Nov. 8 but about what might happen afterward. National news reports are quoting people who plan to engage in armed marches on Washington if the presidential winner isn't their choice.
The incredible divisiveness of this election season _ in which people have formed opinions on radically different sets of "facts" _ is pervading the workplace. It's building on worker unrest about being left behind in post-recession income gains, about struggling in downsized workplaces, or about continuing to lose jobs because of global competition and technology changes.
Seventy percent of human resource officials said in a Society for Human Resource Management national poll that their workforces were more concerned than ever about this presidential election.
On top of that, distrust of authority, any authority, is high. Poll results, too, are discounted.
But it's clear that some workplaces are witnessing the fight mechanism, evidenced in outbursts, hostility and active efforts to disrupt management directives. Others see the flight mechanism in disengaged, "checked out" employees or higher rates of absenteeism.
As if that weren't enough unrest, the volatile climate even exacerbated Halloween as a workplace concern. Some companies were more careful this year to make employees aware of costume guidelines.
In past years, it might not have mattered if someone wore a scary clown costume to the office. This year, because of widespread allegations that people in clown costumes are lurking where they shouldn't be, that costume is a no-go in some places.
Sadly, it's hard to differentiate between things that are scary-to-the-bone and things that are good-fun-like-a-funhouse scary. People react differently to stressors. For some, it's just a clown costume. For others, it's terrifying.
We can't change fears by simply saying, "Oh, don't worry," or, "This, too, shall pass." Much as we'd like, major divisions will stick around.
All we can do as individual workers or managers is to be sensitive to heightened sensitivities. Sexist, racist or political costumes may elicit strong reactions that may carry over in interpersonal relationships (or lack thereof).
People may argue that political correctness has run amok or that nobody can take a joke any more. It's possible that some people wildly over-react to things that should be a momentary blip.
But attention must be paid when universities are publishing websites with guidelines _ not just for costumes but even for comments about costumes.
����
ABOUT THE WRITER
To reach Diane Stafford, call 816-234-4359 or send email to stafford@kcstar.com. Follow her online at kansascity.com/workplace and twitter.com/kcstarstafford.
