Leaders of all organizations in the United States will need to think about the impact of tomorrow’s elections on their organizations and their citizens. Possible scenarios range from the status quo to situations in which employees are no longer willing to collaborate or acts of election-related violence. A victory for either side could lead to radically disparate futures, as well as risks of threats, protests, and other disruptions.

In a recent survey of 67 senior resilience, risk, security and crisis leaders, 91% of respondents believed violence was likely to occur, according to Sigma7. While 70% of U.S. business leaders say they are concerned about the U.S. election, about one in four respondents say they are unprepared to deal with political risk, according to a study by Beazley Insurance. “As we move closer to Election Day and the results, workplace divisions may increase as employees bring their personal views and anxieties into workplace discussions,” wrote Daryl Brewster, CEO of General Managers for Corporate Purposes (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. Additionally, businesses and other organizations face reputational risk. Disgruntled employees may use social media to draw negative attention to their employer, which can damage their reputation and lead to financial losses. 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 are not disrupted and that employees feel protected and supported. What follows is a new playbook that leaders can use to determine what their organizations can do proactively and how they can respond to unexpected events.

Stick to your purpose and principles

Be authentic to what your organization stands for because it is the basis for all communications and actions taken in response to politically motivated disruptions. At Wesleyan College, this week’s actions will be informed by its Methodist heritage, which teaches participation in holy conference – a practice of discussing differing viewpoints with respect, humility, and a genuine desire to understand one another. “Our ‘Culture of CARE’ principles have never been more relevant than today,” said Wesleyan President Meaghan Blight. “By upholding our commitment to accountability, respect and fairness, we create space for meaningful dialogue across political divides while preserving our shared sense of community. »

Building Confidence in Election Security

According to a 2023 poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, only 44% of the public has “a great deal/somewhat” confidence that votes in the 2024 presidential election will be counted accurately. It’s important that so many Americans are worried, and their concerns should be taken seriously. The Conference Board believes business leaders can play a key role in leveraging resources devoted to security measures already implemented for elections that address common misinformation narratives. To support leaders, the organization has developed a Election Toolkit with sample messages that can be shared with employees.

Hire your Chief Diversity Officer (CDO)

CDOs are likely already aware of current and potential legislative issues and are evaluating them based on their impact on their organization. They can play a key role in fortifying businesses against disruption and internal divisions. They can also use this knowledge to involve CEOs in scenario planning. More specifically, it concerns the outcome of tomorrow’s elections and what those results 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 larger organizations, placing a team on Capitol Hill that includes representatives from the DEI function,” said Ruth Umoh, editor-in-chief of Fortune.

Prioritize co-creation and collaboration

Employees in most organizations are likely to be passionate about many of the issues debated and may feel considerable anxiety after the election. “The Presidio Graduate School has a culture of co-creation, collaboration, and inclusion that allows for divergent positions to be addressed,” says Marsha Willard, faculty president. Presidio regularly brings its community together to share its appreciations; announce new information; raise problems with solutions; and grappling with puzzles that may not have an immediate solution. “Because it’s a regular practice, we’ve built trust over time that allows us to handle hot-button issues,” says Willard.

Provide resources for emotional and psychological support

This election is very stressful for employees and mental health resources can help them manage their emotions constructively. CESP suggests that organizations provide access to employee assistance programs, mental health resources and stress management workshops. “Prioritizing employee well-being not only contributes to the health and happiness of staff, but also to the overall success and sustainability of the organization,” writes Daryl Brewster, in How to unify employees in the 2024 elections.

Stay neutral in company messaging

The CECP recommends avoiding political messages in official communications. For example, instead of abstract, vague, and controversial terms, organizations should use concrete, specific, common-sense examples in inclusive language to create a sense of unity and belonging. Organizations should also encourage managers to engage with employees around the key values ​​that underpin democracy, such as freedom, justice and unity. Overall, it’s important to remind employees that the workplace is neutral ground where the emphasis is on collaboration, growth, and mutual respect. “Now is also a good time for business leaders to advocate for unity and when employees with different political views can feel heard, valued and respected,” Brewster writes.

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 as well as their state or regional fusion center to supplement data collection efforts. information from the organization,” says Dr. Marisa Randazzo, executive director of the Ontique Center of Excellence. She believes this is also a good time to build multidisciplinary teams to address threats of workplace violence and to hold tabletop exercises to examine possible scenarios.

Prepare for political unrest

How will you deal with the threats facing your organization? How prepared are your employees – at all levels – for political unrest? What type of training have your leaders, site management teams and staff received to deal with 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 a crisis? Unfortunately, these are all important questions to answer, according to Dr. Mike Blyth, Chief Revenue Officer at Sigma7. This starts by consulting with your internal risk management and security team, conducting an audit of your existing procedures, and developing a personalized resilience strategy.

“The strength of our college is our ability to learn from each other, especially when we have different perspectives,” Blight said. “In times of political transition, we must remember that our shared commitment to education, understanding and mutual respect transcends partisan divisions.”

This week, every leader will need to think about how to protect their people and their organization. Blight’s message is something everyone should take to heart.