American Voters Reject Chaos. Business Leaders Should Too.

After a contentious election, business leaders often ask us for our thoughts in navigating the raw emotions and cultural fractures within their organizations. So, here is our response in the wake of the latest election season.

The results of the 2022 midterm elections should tell political and business leaders one thing: American voters, who are also employees and consumers, are tired of game show hosts with more charisma than competence. (Are you listening Elon?) American voters expect a return to sobriety and sanity regardless of who leads Congress. They expect their leaders, in business and politics, to bring their lunchboxes to work and improve the lives of ALL Americans, regardless of who voted for them and who works for them.

In other words, it’s time to get to work.

They’re Tired of Chaos

Any good manager will tell you that employees are more productive when they feel their voices are being heard and their work is valued. American voters have been feeling neither heard nor valued for years now. From trade deals that benefit corporations over workers to a healthcare system that leaves millions without coverage to an education system that saddles graduates with crippling debt, too many Americans have been living in a state of constant anxiety, wondering how they’re going to make ends meet. And they’re tired of it. They’re tired of being treated like they’re expendable like their voices don’t matter. That’s why they rejected chaos in the 2022 midterms. They want stability and solutions.

What Business Leaders Can Do

If you’re a business leader, you have a responsibility to your employees and your customers to provide stability and create solutions. Here are a few things you can do:

• Reset your relationship with your employees. This election revealed a growing divide between managers and employees, partly because management still sees them as workers rather than the talent engine that will power prosperity in an economy driven by those uniquely human capabilities of knowledge and creativity. Whether your talent sits in the corporate office or manages robotics on the factory floor, today’s economy requires they use their uniquely human capabilities to deliver shareholder value. Stop treating them like commodities and fungible assets and start treating them like humans and valuable partners in creating success for everyone.
• Pay your employees a livable wage. During the pandemic, CEO pay increased by double digits while real salaries and wages of the rank and file barely rose during the last 30 years. It’s no secret that many Americans struggle to make ends meet on minimum wage. If you can afford to pay your employees more, do it. They’ll be happier and more productive as a result.
• Make healthcare more affordable: Premiums and deductibles have risen dramatically, making healthcare prohibitively expensive for many Americans. At the very least, too many employees put off going to the doctor until it’s too late. When it’s too late, even employer supported plans aren’t enough to keep many employees from being evicted from their homes because they’re overwhelmed by healthcare expenses. If you offer affordable healthcare options to your employees, you’ll not only help them stay healthy, but you’ll also boost morale and increase productivity.
• Advocate for humane policy changes: Greed was never good. It perpetuates income inequality, damages the climate, erodes the quality of life for most Americans, and undermines the prosperity of future generations your business depends on for growth in the 21st century. If you want to create real change, use your platform to advocate for humane policies that improve the lives of everyday Americans. That includes your employees and your consumers.

The American people have spoken loudly and clearly: They’re done with the chaos and want real, actionable solutions. It’s time for business leaders to step up and help create the stability they need by treating their employees like humans, paying livable wages, offering affordable healthcare options, and supporting humane policies that improve the standard of living for everyday Americans. Only then can we begin to heal as a nation and move forward together.