Discussing Politics at Work Boosts Employee Well-being

New research suggests talking about politicized news at work can help employees manage stress and improve well-being.

Mar. 25, 2026 at 12:05am

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A study from Washington State University found that when employees discussed emotionally charged political news with coworkers they expected to be sympathetic, those conversations were often linked to better emotional well-being. The research suggests that a blanket ban on discussing politics at work may not be practical, as major events and news cycles inevitably shape how employees feel during the workday.

Why it matters

In an era of nonstop headlines and growing political division, many workplaces still avoid discussing politics, but this research indicates that allowing some political discourse at work could actually benefit employee well-being and morale.

The details

The study examined employee responses to news during periods of heightened political tension, such as the 2020 and 2024 U.S. elections, as well as non-election times. Researchers found that when employees discussed emotionally charged politicized news with coworkers they expected to be sympathetic, those conversations were often linked to better emotional well-being. However, most people only brought up these events at work when they expected coworkers to respond in a similar or supportive way.

  • The research was conducted during the 2020 and 2024 U.S. elections, as well as non-election time periods.
  • The findings were published in the journal Academy of Management Discoveries in 2026.

The players

Kristine Kuhn

Lead author and professor of management in WSU's Carson College of Business.

Leah Sheppard

Associate professor of management in the Carson College.

Teng Iat (Lawrence) Loi

Assistant professor at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and WSU Carson College PhD graduate.

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What they’re saying

“Our findings suggest that most employees are not looking to pick fights at work. In our samples, people were usually selective. They tended to talk about emotionally charged politicized news with coworkers they expected would be sympathetic or who viewed the issue similarly.”

— Kristine Kuhn, Lead author and professor of management

“In the world we live in today, saying 'we don't talk politics at work' could mean 'we don't talk about current events at work.' And that is probably unrealistic as a blanket rule.”

— Kristine Kuhn, Lead author and professor of management

What’s next

The researchers plan to further explore how workplace dynamics and political identity shape the impact of discussing politicized news at work.

The takeaway

This research suggests that allowing some political discourse at work, particularly when employees feel their views will be respected, can actually benefit employee well-being and morale, rather than causing conflict. Organizations may need to recognize that major events and news cycles inevitably shape how employees feel during the workday.