UMass Lowell Talent Management Strategist is Available for Interviews
Image by Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images
UMass Lowell management Professor Kimberly Merriman spoke about the impact of local politics on where employees choose to live. This illustration ran with her research on MIT Sloan Management review.
04/25/2024
Media Contacts: Emily Gowdey-Backus, director of media relations; Nancy Cicco, assistant director of media relations
Whether individuals are tired of what they view as “far-left” or “far-right” agendas, the politics of place is increasingly influencing where workers choose to live – a development that creates new opportunities for employers, according to a UMass Lowell talent management expert available for interviews.
Research conducted by Kimberly Merriman analyzed the personal stories of 1,300 individuals who moved. Her work uncovered how local politics factor into workers’ decision to relocate and identified strategies business managers can use to mitigate the “politics of place.” This topic has perhaps never been more relevant, as the 2024 presidential election looms in November, according to Merriman.
“A survey of 500 U.S. real estate agents shows 32% of them had at least one client who relocated in 2023 due to political fit,” she said. “This is an emerging concern for businesses seeking to retain workers.”
Merriman cites three core ways employers can enhance their brand with their employees relative to local politics. Management can either:
- Separate the corporate identity from the politics of place
- Use the corporate identity to influence local politics
- Relocate corporate headquarters to states that identify as “purple” – that is, neither Democratic nor Republican
“Business, politics and place are inexorably intertwined. Companies have always weighed these considerations for the non-people aspects of their business operations but have given less attention, until recently, to what politics of place means for workers,” Merriman said. “There’s no better time than now for companies and leaders to examine how the local political climate impacts their ability to attract and retain a workforce.”
A former real estate agent, Merriman is a management professor in UMass Lowell’s Manning School of Business. To arrange an interview with her, please contact Emily Gowdey-Backus or Nancy Cicco.