Supporters of US Presidential Candidate and former South Bend, Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg watch … [+]
Leaders of every organization in the United States will need to consider the impact of the election on their organizations and their people. Possible scenarios range from business as usual to situations where employees are no longer willing to collaborate or where there are acts of election-related violence. A win on either side could result in radically disparate futures along with the potential for threats, protests, and other disruptions.
In a recent survey of 67 senior resilience, risk, security and crisis leaders, 91% of respondents believed that violence is likely to occur, according to Sigma7. While 70% of business leaders in the United States are reported to be concerned about the US elections, around 1 in 4 surveyed stated that they are unprepared to deal with political risk, according to research done by Beazley Insurance. “As we grow closer to Election Day and the results, divisiveness at work can spike as employees bring their personal views and anxieties into workplace discussions,” wrote Daryl Brewster, CEO, Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP).
Beyond the election itself, other factors are contributing to the polarization of American society. These include anti-abortion rulings, pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian activism, AI deepfakes, and conspiracy theories becoming mainstream. In addition, businesses and other organizations face reputational risk. Unhappy employees can use social media to draw negative attention to their employers that can cause reputational damage and result in financial loss. And, alarmingly, there is now acceptance among Americans that violence is a valid means of settling political disputes.
This is uncharted territory. In the absence of a definitive roadmap, I wanted to know what companies should do to ensure that their operations aren’t disrupted and that employees feel protected and supported. What follows is a new playbook that leaders can use to help shape what their organizations can do proactively and how they can respond to events that are unexpected.
Stick To Your Purpose and Principles
Being authentic to what your organization stands for is the basis for all communications and actions taken in response to politically-based disruption. At Wesleyan College, actions this week will be informed by its Methodist heritage, which teaches to engage in holy conferencing – a practice of discussing differing views with respect, humility, and a genuine desire to understand one another. “Our ‘Culture of CARE’ principles have never been more relevant than they are today,” said Meaghan Blight, President of Wesleyan. “By upholding our commitment to accountability, respect and equity, we create space for meaningful dialogue across political differences while maintaining our shared sense of community.”
Build Trust In Election Security
Only 44% of the public has “a great deal/quite a bit” of confidence that the votes in the 2024 presidential election will be counted accurately, according to a 2023 poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. It matters that so many Americans are concerned, and their concerns must be taken seriously. The Conference Board believes that business leaders can play a key role by leveraging resources on security measures already implemented for the election which address common disinformation narratives. To support leaders, the organization has developed an Elections Toolkit with sample messages that can be shared with employees.
Engage Your Chief Diversity Officer (CDO)
CDOs are likely to already be on top of current and potential legislative issues and are assessing them for how they will impact their organizations. They can play a key role in fortifying companies against internal disruption and division. They can also use this knowledge to engage CEOs in scenario planning. Specifically, related to the outcome of tomorrow’s election and what the outcomes will bring in 2025 and beyond. “Other CDO tactics include monthly meetings with the company’s government affairs team, consistent discussions with their general counsel to prepare for potential DEI-related litigation from states and organizations, and, especially for large organizations, placing a team on Capitol Hill that includes representatives from the DEI function,” said Ruth Umoh, editor of Fortune.
Prioritize Co-Creation And Collaboration
Employees in most organizations are likely to be passionate about many of the issues that are on the table and may feel a considerable angst after the election. “The Presidio Graduate School has a culture of co-creation and collaboration and inclusion which makes it possible to process divergent positions,” says Faculty Chair, Marsha Willard. Presidio regularly gathers its community to share appreciations; announce new information; raise problems with solutions; and grapple with puzzles that may not have immediate solutions. “Because this is a regular practice, we have built trust over time that makes dealing with hot issues manageable,” says Willard.
Provide Resources For Emotional and Psychological Support
This election is highly stressful for employees and mental health resources can help employees navigate emotions constructively. CESP suggests that organizations offer access to employee assistance programs, mental health resources, and workshops on stress management. “Prioritizing employee well-being contributes not only to the health and happiness of the workforce, but also to the overall success and sustainability of the organization,” writes Daryl Brewster, in How to Unify Employees During Election 2024.
Stay Neutral In Company Messaging
CECP recommends avoiding political messaging in official communications. For instance, instead of abstract, vague, and controversial terms, organizations should use concrete, specific, and common-sense examples in inclusive language to create a sense of unity and belonging. Organizations should also encourage managers to have dialogues with employees around key values that underpin democracy such as freedom, justice, and unity. Overall, it’s important to remind employees that the workplace is a neutral ground where the focus is on collaboration, growth, and mutual respect. “It’s also a good time for business leaders to advocate for unity, and when employees with differing political views can feel heard, valued, and respected,” writes Brewster.
Establish A Relationship With Law Enforcement
“If you have not already done so, now is a good time to establish liaison relationships with local law enforcement and also with their state or regional fusion center to supplement the organization’s intelligence-gathering efforts,” says Dr. Marisa Randazzo, Executive Director for the Ontic Center of Excellence. She believes it’s also a good time to establish multi-disciplinary teams to address threats of workplace violence and to run tabletop exercises to walk through possible scenarios.
Prepare For Political Unrest
How will you cope with threats to your organization? How prepared are your employees – at all levels – for political unrest? What kind of training have your executive leaders, site management teams, and staff gone through for crisis situations? What risk control measures or business continuity and emergency management plans do you have in place? How quickly can you deploy them across the organization in the event of a crisis? Sadly, these are all questions that it’s important to address according to Dr. Mike Blyth, Chief Revenue Officer at Sigma7. This begins with consulting with your in-house risk and security team, conducting an audit of your existing procedures, and crafting a customized resilience strategy.
“Our college’s strength lies in our ability to learn from one another, especially when we hold different perspectives,” said Blight. “In times of political transition, we must remember that our shared commitment to education, understanding, and mutual respect transcends partisan divisions”.
Every leader will need to consider how protect their people and organization this week. Blight’s message is something everyone should take to heart.