Associate Professor Hanna Brant

Summary:

Congressional staff are more likely to leave their jobs, not because of low pay, but because of the impact of polarization on their job satisfaction.

Abstract:

Congressional staff serve as the “invisible force” in Congress by helping draft legislation and conduct oversight. Given this, excessive turnover among staff is a loss of institutional memory and inhibits legislators’ ability to effectively conduct their constitutional duties. Using a mixed methods research design of interviews and a new survey of staff in the 115th session of Congress, I capture staffer intent to leave their current position and track whether they actually left their position 12 months later. Similar to civil servants, staff who report dissatisfaction with coworkers report higher levels of turnover intention, while the type of office, age, and level of education impact actual turnover. However, the extent to which polarization impacts staffers’ job satisfaction impacts both intention and actual exit. My study makes a unique contributions to the growing body of literature devoted to understanding congressional staff by providing important insights into how to recruit and retain staff.

Research question:

What factors influence congressional staffers' desire to leave (exit intention) their positions and what factors influence staffers' actual exit from their roles?

What the research builds on:

Congressional staff are paid poorly compared to their counterparts working in lobbying, or the private sector. The low pay makes it difficult for most staff to live in Washington DC, leading to high turnover and a loss of talent and expertise in Congress.

What the research adds to the discussion:

My research takes a broader approach by not focusing solely on congressional staff who leave their positions to work in lobbying, but trying to understand the factors that influence why staff intend to leave and the factors that influence actual exit from Congress. Turnover intention is influenced by negative perceptions of coworkers’ abilities to effectively do their jobs, while actual exit is decreased through staff obtaining more knowledge and expertise while working on the Hill. However, the extent to which polarization impacts staffers’ job satisfaction impacts both intention and actual exit. Interestingly, salary was not a significant predictor of intention or actual exit. The lack of statistical significance should not be misconstrued to suggest that staff should not be paid more; however, this finding may be due in part to individuals self-selecting to work on the Hill knowing that the pay is poor compared to other opportunities, such as lobbying.

Novel methodology:

The study uses an original survey of congressional staff in the 115th session of Congress (2018) coupled with original interviews with staff.

Implications for society:

A portion of staffers who intend to exit ultimately do not. These individuals may be “quiet quitting” by remaining in their positions even though they have a desire for a career change and may not be committed to their work, which can have adverse impacts on the representational role of the members of Congress. If the staffers who are reporting they are leaving Congress because of the impact of polarization on their job satisfaction, are the staff who remain more comfortable with polarization and, in turn, likely to contribute to more polarization in Congress?

Implications for research:

Prior research has largely focused on the impact of polarization on members of Congress and the broader public, however, more attention should be paid to the impact of polarization on staff, the employees who work in the institution and serve a key role in representing the voices of the public. Future research should explore polarization among staff and the impact of polarization on the working environment of staff in greater detail.

Implications for policy:

Staff turnover and retention is of such importance to members that the House of Representatives created the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress at the start of the 116th session to address it. Concerns of the impact of polarization on staff are echoed by the final report issued by the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, and polarization should be an even bigger priority after the January 6th insurrection in 2021. The Select Committee issued several recommendations to encourage bipartisan collaboration and civility; for example, including training opportunities on skill building, collaboration, and civility for staff; New Member Orientation; updating Congress.gov to better acknowledge member contributions to legislation; and hosting bipartisan events to encourage socializing across the aisle, among other recommendations. Recently, Congress implemented one recommendation from the Select Committee by creating a coworking space in the Cannon House Office Building for staff to encourage staff interaction across the aisle. Time will tell how this “staff collaboration space” influences bipartisan interactions among staff; however, my findings suggest that there needs to be added emphasis on mitigating polarization in Congress.

Funding:

This project was supported by two Geneseo undergraduate research assistants, Hannah Rohrabacher and Bria Robinson, through grants from the ������ Foundation and Research Council.

Hanna K. Brant (12 Aug 2024): "Polarization and the Ties That Bind: Congressional Staff Turnover," Congress & the Presidency, DOI: 10.1080/07343469.2024.2372251

(2024)

Jeonghwa Yang is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science & International Relations. She earned her Ph.D. in Public Administration from Florida State University, with a graduate certificate in Emergency Management & Homeland Security. Her research areas include nonprofit and public management, with an emphasis on disaster management. Her work examines effective and sustainable collaborative arrangements involving nonprofit and community-based organizations focusing on social capital and social equity with comparative cases.

Dr. Yang's academic ability has been acknowledged through numerous scholarships and awards, and she has actively presented her work at academic conferences such as the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organization and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA), International Society for Third-Sector Research (ISTR), Public Management Research Conference (PMRC), and American Society for Public Administration (ASPA). 

Dr. Yang holds a B.A. from Ewha Woman’s University and an M.A. from Korea University in South Korea. Her interdisciplinary research extends beyond academic inquiry. Embedded in community-engaged research, her work aims to bridge theory and practice in public administration, making a substantial impact in public and nonprofit management.

Classes
PLSC 374: Public Administration
This course introduces public administration, covering both its theoretical and practical aspects. Students will explore the foundational concepts and ethical principles of the public sector, probing historical and contemporary issues within the field. The course focuses on the essential elements of public administration, including public ethics and values, organizational theory, human resource management, leadership, program and policy evaluation, public budgeting, citizen participation, and collaborative governance. Students will be expected to demonstrate their understanding of the ideas presented in the course and apply their knowledge to critically evaluate the decisions of public officials from an ethical perspective.

PLSC 414: American Public Policy
An introduction to the policy-making process in American government with special emphasison the development of national domestic and defense policies from World War II together with the analysis of decision approaches taken by the President, Cabinet, Congress, various federal agencies, and pressure groups. The reordering of national priorities is considered within the context of selected policy decisions, the participation of groups affected, and the implications for national goals.

Sample Courses

• Constitutional Law
• Developing World Politics
• Environmental Economics
• Ethics
• International Organizations
• International Politics
• Introductory Macroeconomics
• Labor Economics
• Law, Morality, and War
• Liberal Democracy and Its Critics
• Philosophy of Law
• Politics of International Economic Relations
• Women and the Economy
   

Philosophy, Politics, and Economics

Why study philosophy, politics, and economics at Geneseo?

The interdisciplinary philosophy, politics, and economics major is a globally recognized course of study. Students learn how politics, morality, and economics interact in major questions and issues of policy, law, and social organization. They ask big questions about things that matter, and they learn how to address the most pressing issues facing complex societies. The major prepares students for law school, MBA programs, and MA and PhD programs, as well as careers in public policy and administration, non-profit management, media, public and private sector consulting, marketing, business, and teaching. Philosophy, politics, and economics is a great major for anyone interested in making a difference.

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Program Options

Partnership Program

• BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics + JD in Law

Program Highlights

• Receive the combined benefits of the social sciences and the humanities in one course of study.
• Gain training in a range of analytical tools and research methods.
• Engage in thoughtful interaction and debate about the fundamental questions and recurring challenges of life in complex societies.
• Gain a rigorous exposure to all three disciplines while maintaining flexibility within the major to focus on specific areas of interest.
• Explore opportunities for mentored research, internships, and other integrative and applied learning experiences.

Example Career Fields

• Business
• Education
• Law
• Marketing
• Media
• Non-profit management
• Public and private sector consulting
• Public policy and administration

Contact Info

Carly Herold, Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Program Director
heroldc@geneseo.edu
Welles Hall 105D
585-245-6352

Program

Faculty

Program Highlights

• Program options include internships in political affairs or legal affairs.
• Coursework covers political and social systems, management and organization, and methodology.

Public Administration

Why study public administration at Geneseo?

This minor provides a broad understanding of the political, managerial, and quantitative aspects of public agency functions and policy activities. Students learn practical and analytical skills in preparing for a management career in federal, state, or local government, or for graduate study toward a master’s degree in public administration, management, or public policy.

Program Option

Additional Option

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Sample Courses

• American Indian Law and Public Policy
• Applied Statistics
• Environmental Psychology
• Intro to Financial Accounting
• Intro to Urban and Regional Planning
• Labor Relations
• Managerial Economics
• Modern Political Analysis
• Organizational Behavior
• Public Finance
• Quantitative Methods
  Sociology of Law

Contact Info

Karleen West, Professor and Chair of Political Science and International Relations and Program Coordinator
kwest@geneseo.edu
Fraser Hall 107C
585-245-5445 

Political science and international relations dept

poli sci and IR faculty

Sample Courses

• American Indian Law and Public Policy
• Business Law I and II
• Constitutional Law
• Criminology and Juvenile Delinquency
• Gender and Law
• International Law
• Legislative Process
• Philosophy of Law
• Politics of Judicial Process
• Reasoning and the Law

Pre-Law Advisory Program

Interested in a law career? Learn more about Geneseo’s pre-law advisory program.

Pre-Law Program

Legal Studies

Why choose legal studies at Geneseo?

The legal studies minor provides interested students the opportunity to gain a substantive theoretical and critical background in the study of law broadly understood. Students will examine the social, political, constitutional, and philosophical dimensions of law, as well as various specific legal issues and problems.

Program Option

Additional Option

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Program Highlights

Areas of law studied:

• Business
• Constitutional
• Criminal
• International
• Public policy

Contact Info

Aaron Herold, Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations and Program Coordinator
herold@geneseo.edu
Fraser Hall 107B
585-245-5371 

political science & international relations

poli sci & ir faculty