Workplaces Don’t Exist in a Vacuum: A Call to Action for Proactive Leaders this Election Season
By Viva Asmelash and Michael Gregor
At times, we (Viva and Michael) feel almost crushed under the weight of fear and anxiety with the state of the world and—more specifically—recent US Supreme Court rulings and the looming Presidential election. You could say that, to some degree, we've been burying our heads in the sand a bit.
Here's the truth—
We've been disheartened and frustrated that it feels like everyone else has—wait for it—their heads buried in the sand, too. We know many feel powerless in the face of strong political momentum and significant uncertainty. It's a natural response to avoid thinking about the future too much.
If you know us personally, you know that each of our respective stories has been directly shaped by issues that are front and center right now like immigration, anti-Blackness, LGBTQ rights, violence, mental health, the housing crisis, and reproductive rights.
With Kamala Harris' entrance into the race, some might be feeling a renewed sense of optimism or a flicker of hope. But we mustn't forget that an election cycle is bigger than any single candidate or political party. In fact, the interconnectedness of these issues—and our subsequent and collective liberation—requires that leaders don't wait to act. Those of us with marginalized identities—like Black women—are bracing for impact in an election cycle that will become even more divisive, racist, and misogynistic.
We're writing this to remind ourselves of our power and, in part, to remind you of yours.
All of us have either earned or unearned privilege within workplaces. With each type of workplace privilege comes a responsibility to step into this moment and prepare for what will surface in the coming months and beyond.
The election is just over 100 days away.
Do you have a plan for supporting your teams, especially those employees whose rights might be directly threatened?
Because whatever happens this election cycle, lives are quite literally on the line.
Whether in a regular leadership meeting or a special meeting series before and after the election, here's a non-exhaustive list of questions leaders should be asking right now so they're as thoughtful and nimble as possible during this time:
What's the relationship between our mission and values and key election topics?
Understanding we may all have different direct experiences and opinions on specific topics, how might we leverage our mission and values to a) steer our decisions as a leadership team this season and b) communicate our org's position?
What's top of mind for our workforce this election season?
What parameters, channels, and agreements have we put in place about discussing politics at work (with the awareness that the personal is political for marginalized groups)?
What do we need to be accountable for as an organization?
How will we make—and communicate about—decisions about our public social actions (like communities or causes we support or donate to, for example)?
How are we prioritizing the needs of employees who face the most social marginalization?
How might we adjust or reinforce our annual/quarterly strategic plan?
What can we do to remind/educate people managers about overwhelm or stress during this time?
How does the election season impact our effectiveness as an organization?
Reflecting on these questions as leaders and gathering employee perspectives will help you prepare for what's to come, even amid great political uncertainty. This work isn't about planning for all potential futures but about getting clear on the values, intentions, and practices that will guide you no matter what happens. All workplaces will be affected by the election. Still, you have the power to make your workplace one that acknowledges how our political environment affects work—creating a supportive community that can still get important work done.
Recommendations:
Make intentional space for employees to discuss how politics affect them or their work.
Develop a crisis response process.
Demonstrate that you're aware of political events' impacts on your organization.
Take a clear stance for what you believe in (and hold yourself accountable for making decisions from that place).
Build an internal culture that reflects the world you'd like to see.
Additional resources to leverage as your plan takes shape:
Corporate Power That Benefits All of Us, by Mahlet Getachew, Managing Director of Corporate Racial Equity at PolicyLink
Three Ways Project 2025 Will Impact American Workplaces, by Janice Gassam Asare, Ph.D., author of Decentering Whiteness in the Workplace
[recording] Liberation Labs Panel Discussion: Building Trauma-Informed, Healing-Centered Workplaces
[upcoming event on July 30] Anti-Racism Daily Workshop: Conflict Evolution—From Friction to Transformational Change (select from the drop-down menu of Trainings + Workshops)
