💼 Building a Values-Driven Workplace in Political Consulting 💼

In the fast-paced world of political consulting, a strong workplace culture isn’t just a perk—it’s essential. 🚀 From effective communication to proactive HR policies, experts Kyle Wilder-Slaughter (New Blue Interactive), Ashley Knight (Axium), and Sierra Schmitz (Moxie Media) share strategies for fostering accountability and compliance in campaign-driven environments. 

Creating a Values-Driven Workplace in Political Consulting

In the high-stakes world of political consulting, where campaigns move at breakneck speed and burnout is a real risk, fostering a values-driven workplace isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a necessity. Experts Kyle Wilder-Slaughter (New Blue Interactive), Ashley Knight (Axium), and Sierra Schmitz (Moxie Media) shared actionable strategies in a recent AAPC webinar on creating accountability and compliance-driven cultures.

Communication is Everything
“Communication comes in a lot of places: one-on-ones, questionnaires, reviews,” said Wilder-Slaughter. “We get wrapped up in the work and forget how we’re actually feeling in moments of complete and utter stress.” Ensuring open lines of communication between senior and junior staff, particularly during election crunch times, is crucial for retention and workplace morale.

Be Proactive, Not Reactive
Knight stressed the importance of strong HR policies to protect both employees and the company. “You don’t want to wait for the crisis to determine what to do. Think worst-case scenario now, so you’re prepared when it happens.” From misconduct allegations to compliance with FEC regulations, having clear policies in place can prevent headaches down the road.

The Junior-Senior Disconnect
One of the biggest challenges in consulting firms is ensuring junior staff are supported. “With firms, you end up being a senior person and forget what it’s like to be a junior,” Wilder-Slaughter noted. “Having leadership meetings that specifically address junior concerns is critical.”

Training That Sticks
Nobody loves mandatory HR training, but Knight emphasized its importance: “I always preview training before sending it out. If it’s too mundane, I’ll record one myself to make it more engaging.” Political firms can benefit from tailoring compliance and harassment training to be relevant and digestible.

Compliance Across States
With consultants and contractors working remotely across multiple states, staying on top of employment laws is a challenge. “I recently leaned on compliance software because laws change so frequently,” Schmitz admitted. “You find something from two cycles ago, and it’s not relevant anymore.” Keeping up with regulations on worker classification, tax laws, and required training is essential.

A strong HR foundation isn’t just about compliance—it’s about building a resilient team that can withstand the pressures of campaign life. As Wilder-Slaughter put it, “You have to treat everyone like they’re here for 10 years—even if it’s just one day.”

AAPC Members can watch the full webinar here. Not a member? Join today.