A presidential transition is a time of change for the country—but nowhere is that change more acutely felt than in the federal government itself. A new wave of politicians and political appointees will come in to reset agendas and missions, causing career civil servants to feel anxiety over the unknown elements that will change the nature of their jobs. This added employee stress has the potential to severely diminish employee engagement, mitigating governmental effectiveness before the transition and after the next administration takes over.

To reduce anxiety and prevent false information from spreading, managers must find ways to creatively and proactively communicate with employees. Read the Partnership for Public Service and Deloitte’s latest Best Places to Work in the Federal Government® analysis to learn more about the essentials of communicating with federal employees during a presidential transition.