As you start to build out your election readiness approach, here are a few things to consider:

What To Do Before People Start Arguing About Politics

Conversations about politics that were once considered taboo are almost inevitable in today’s climate. According to research from Gallup, nearly half of U.S. workers said they had conversations about political issues with a coworker in the past month. Politics is bound to come up, whether we want it to or not, so you may as well help people prepare to engage with each other in healthy ways. Things you can do:

1. Set expectations by sharing specific guidelines for civil conduct and productive discussion. Invite employees to consider how they can ground discussion in empathy and respect, even if they disagree. Check out ReadySet’s Community Agreements for an example of guidelines for healthy discussion. 

2. Provide training on how to have productive dialogue when differences come up. Our Supporting Dialogue During Polarizing Times Workshop equips participants with the tools to prepare and navigate political conversations at work.

How To Prepare For Either Outcome

The outcome of this election could impact organizations and employees in a number of ways. Understanding employees’ needs allows for a proactive approach to support. For example, employees in certain states might be concerned about the downstream impacts of the election on benefits such as healthcare, while senior leaders might be focused on contingency safety planning in the event of civil unrest or violence. 

1. Create a series of contingency scenarios and plans for various outcomes that address needs from safety and emergency planning to talking points and questions staff might have about impact to benefits. Reach out to us if you need advice or resources on building a contingency plan that anticipates needs and impacts on staff populations.

2. Come up with a post-election communications plan on how to get information to employees quickly and efficiently; consider answering the following questions:

   • How will information be shared? 

   • What safety plans are in place and how will that information be circulated?

   • How can you center the needs of employees that will be most impacted? 

   • What information will be most important for employees in the short and long term? 

How To Make Sure Employees Can Exercise Their Right To Vote 

If your employees want to vote on election day this year, your role as an employer is mitigating barriers and supporting this process. According to the APA, having an election day plan can help alleviate election cycle stress. While uncertainty is unavoidable, making sure your teams feel prepared for the day can help employees feel supported while reducing disruptions to the business. Consider: 

1. Encouraging employees to make a Voting Plan, where they can check their voter registration, understand the different ways to vote in their state, and note polling locations for any in-person voting. 

2. Ensuring that work obligations are not a barrier to voting in person, consider creating an organizational voting policy to include floating PTO or dedicated time off on Election Day to allow for and incentivize employees to make their voices heard. 

3. Joining other businesses to support organizations like Time to Vote that are committed to increasing voter participation and access. 

We recognize the immense challenges that come with navigating election uncertainty, while leading and supporting employees. Stay tuned for more resources, and we hope you’ll join us for a live panel discussion on election preparation on October 17th.