The 2024 U.S. election season has been full of twists and turns, from the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump to President Joe Biden’s much-debated decision to exit the race. Even before either of these events,
researchers at Rice University and Stanford University found a general increase in animosity between the supporters of U.S. political parties. In this polarized atmosphere, it makes sense that in recent months, several
Tier 1 Security Leaders have raised concerns about controversial communications in the workplace.
Polarizing language and conversation could lead to conflict, a hostile work environment, or threats to safety and security. Now may be a good time for security leaders to meet with Human Resources to discuss policy on workplace communication. Let them know that Corporate Security is aware of the potential negative impact of controversial communications and discuss any existing code of conduct or policy with an eye toward helping increase employee awareness and compliance.
The SEC has created the draft policy below to help facilitate the discussion. If HR doesn’t yet have a policy to address these concerns, this draft can serve as a starting point for one. If a policy does exist, consider walking through the draft with them to ensure its comprehensiveness.
Download a PDF of this draft policy here:
