This year’s election season is almost over.

With America being politically polarized and already under tremendous emotional stress from the coronavirus pandemic and social justice unrest, business leaders will be challenged following the election to be empathetic to their employees while refocusing them on the organizational objectives and the need for collaboration, not division.

Sometime immediately or shortly after the election, those who supported the next president will feel emboldened while those who didn’t support the next president will feel defeated.

Companies should prepare for the post-election impact on employees and the workplace.

Businesses can take different approaches. Some universities, for example, are already preparing students by offering therapy dogs and suggesting that professors give students a break after the election.

Some employers may offer an opportunity to meet in small groups to discuss the emotional toll of the election while others may hold larger sessions to discuss as a whole. Discussing the election results as a group will likely not change anyone’s mind and may further divide your team, especially with the political vitriol that has permeated this election season.

Here’s an alternative approach for employers to consider: Engage your team with productive and collaborative discussions on the company’s organizational objectives and deliverables for the balance of 2020 and the outlook for 2021. Look forward, not backward.

And now is the time to explain to employees the company’s expectations following the election.

Leaders should first and foremost avoid taking a political position.

Too often they assume that everyone is on the same page. Taking a political position will make it difficult to reduce divisiveness within the ranks of the company, and it frequently diminishes the credibility of the leader.

In addition, leaders should explain the expectations for political apparel and displays. Whether in virtual meetings or in the workplace, employees should not be wearing hats or shirts with political slogans or displaying political paraphernalia or signs in the background. Doing so is just taunting.

During work discussions, professionalism and respect must be expected of everyone. The company needs to explain that it will strictly enforce its code of conduct. Bullying anyone because he or she voted a certain way also must be prohibited and immediately addressed if it occurs.

To fend off the employee who demands his or her right to free speech on the matter, in the private sector, employers are not required to provide employees with free speech.

Free speech only applies to government intervention, not private employers. So if an employee claims that he or she has a right to show support for a candidate at work or display political signs and slogans, this isn’t accurate in the private sector workplace.

Company leaders also should offer whatever resources might be available for employees, such as an employee assistance program, if employees are struggling with the election outcome.

Finally, executives and managers should make themselves available to their staff for individual discussions about anything impacting their ability to focus and engage with the needs at work.

There has never been a more important time for leadership to communicate, empathize, and guide the business through this divisive and difficult time in our country.