Blog

In advance of May as Mental Health Awareness Month, CMF and SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management, are continuing our workplace training programs with a series focused on improving “life in Congress” and the well-being of congressional staff. Coming up are sessions on Personal Safety & Preparedness (April 28) and Preventing Burnout: Using the Science of Stress & Energy Management to Reset and Recover (May 5). These webinars are open to ALL congressional staff AND interns.

For our latest report, we wanted to gain a better understanding of what voters want and expect as well as what would improve their trust in Congress. One of the key findings from the surveys was that voters find it acceptable for Members of Congress to vote contrary to their views if they trust it was for valid reasons.

Today marks three months since the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Just as a scab was beginning to form over that painful scar, the congressional community was again thrown into a lockdown by an armed threat bringing back all the terrible memories. You may feel that nothing will ever be back to “normal.” Trauma takes a long time to heal, and everyone heals differently. But there are many outside groups that want to help congressional staff recover and, in time, thrive.

Congressional internships are the starting point for many of us in public service – they can literally be life-changing and career-altering. Internships tend to be the beginning of the staffing pipeline, and the most common source for offices when filling positions. The Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) encourages all House and Senate offices to use their paid intern allowances and to consider ways in which your office can diversify who you place in your office.

My comments are rooted in CMF's unique history of working with Congress for the past 44 years, including my own 24-year tenure at CMF. We have always worked closely with staff on management and operational issues, including staff recruitment, retention, and professional development; managing constituent communications and engagement; adopting and using technology; and other inside-Congress topics that few outside the congressional campus ever consider. 

Join CMF and SHRM on Wednesday, April 7, for a webinar featuring former Rep. Brian Baird, a clinical psychologist, who will offer strategies for managers and staff to manage their emotions and response to trauma and stress related to the pandemic and the January 6 attacks. Watch the recording >>

Legacies are often built in the legislative arena – getting your boss's vision enacted into law. As a new Member of Congress, how do you become an effective lawmaker? As a congressional staffer, how can you help your boss define their policy agenda and achieve legislative success? Join CMF and the Center for Effective Lawmaking on Monday, March 29 for this special webinar for freshman offices.

Does email drive you crazy? Can you sleep through the buzz of your iPhone at 2 AM, or do you have the irresistible urge to check your email? You can change things! Join us Friday, March 26 for a webinar that will show you that by utilizing just a few easy features, you can significantly make your life more efficient. 

When we surveyed thousands of registered voters about their elected representatives in government, we asked them about the importance of interactions between citizens and their representatives. Most (93%) agreed that Member-constituent interactions are very valuable for our democracy. Moreover, the majority (58%) strongly agreed.

One of the key findings from the surveys was that voters who contacted a Member of Congress tended not to be satisfied with the response they received. Unfortunately, they also believe that Congress is simply not taking their views, and the views of other constituents, into account when deciding on an issue.