The possible government shutdown puts significant strains not only on the executive branch but also on the legislative branch. This time of uncertainty requires certain changes in how congressional managers conduct business, serve constituents, and communicate with staff. Member personal office and committee staff are understandably concerned about the effects of furloughs on both their professional and personal lives. Additionally, you will need to consider your constituents who depend on your office. With these concerns in mind, CMF offers the following four tips for managing congressional offices through a government shutdown.

1. Set up systems to communicate with furloughed staff. Guidance provided to managers indicates that furloughed staff may not use their office smart phones, computers or official email accounts for official business. Therefore, prior to any government shutdown, managers may want to collect personal email addresses of all furloughed staff.
2. Give furloughed staff daily updates about returning to work. Times of professional uncertainty like these can be devastating to office morale. Congressional staff are dedicated to their professions, and the uncertainty surrounding these furloughs weighs heavily on staff. You can help alleviate this stress by providing staff with daily updates sent to their personal email. Conflicting news reports will cause confusion among furloughed staff. That's why it is essential for managers to be THE source of calm counsel and information for affected employees. (Please keep in mind that setting up alternative communications' paths should not be used to get around official guidance in order to allow staff to engage in official activities. Communications should be limited to the likelihood and timing of when an employee should plan to return to work.)
3. Update your website and social media accounts to set constituent expectations. If offices will be furloughing staff who provide constituent services, managers should draft appropriate language and post it prominently on your Member website and social media accounts. If responses to constituent mail will be delayed, casework intake suspended, or district/state staff attendance at local events cancelled, it is important to communicate this information to constituents.
4. Give talking points to people answering the phone to manage constituent expectations. While you don't want people answering phones to be the "shutdown spokesperson," providing two or three talking points about how the office is altering constituent services is highly recommended. Referring callers to the website for more information is an option, but a less desirable one. When a constituent calls the office they want an answer to their question ... immediately -- that's why they called. Certainly, complex questions should be routed accordingly. But providing a general script to staff answering the phones will provide constituents with clearer expectations about availability of office services and reduce anxiety among those staff members on the front lines. Similarly, offices may want to alter the script of their voicemail message to reflect changing conditions during the shutdown.