Resources available for those stressed out by upcoming election

After months of rallies, speeches and political commercials, the 2024 Presidential Election is just hours away.

Regardless of partisan affiliation, millions of Americans report being united in feeling stressed out ahead of Nov. 5.

A survey conducted by the American Psychological Association found nearly 70% of adults see the upcoming presidential election as a significant source of stress. It's the third most common source of significant stress identified in the survey, trailing the economy at 73% and the future of the nation at 77%.

Amid all the tension, the Washington State Employee Assistance Program has put together a pre-election support resource guide (PDF) complete with information on managing stress, talking to children about the news, and navigating politics in the workplace, among other topics.

Resources from Washington State University's Human Resource Services team related to politics in the workplace were shared system-wide earlier and are also available. HRS recommends anyone with questions review on-demand courses related to the topic:

• Percipio course: COMPLIANCE IMPACT: Political Activities - Keep It Personal (6 minutes)
• Percipio course: Setting Professional Boundaries (28 minutes)
• Percipio course: Navigating Micro-behavior Dynamics in the Workplace (27 minutes)
• Percipio course: Leadercamp on-demand: Setting Professional Boundaries (1 hour)
• Percipio course: Leadercamp on-demand: Political Speech in the Workplace (1 hour)

Any WSU employee who has additional questions about political speech in the workplace is asked to contact the HRS Service Team.