Bright Ideas by ColorVizion Lab is the go-to newsletter for people leaders transforming the talent experience. We answer the tough questions people leaders face daily—with straight talk and real solutions. Desiree Booker, CEO of ColorVizion Lab, and Cassandra Cassillas, Senior Consultant at ColorVizion Lab, answer this week’s question.
Note: Bright Ideas was on pause due to Desiree’s maternity leave, but we’re back to our regular biweekly schedule!
❔How can people leaders stay resilient and innovative in a politically charged economy?
When a new president takes office and starts signing executive orders on immigration, citizenship, and workers’ rights, people’s real lives are heavily impacted.
Policies shift, uncertainty grows, and for many employees, work suddenly feels a lot more personal.
Even if these orders are aimed at federal agencies, such as the order to end all diversity programs, they tend to have a ripple effect. Companies in other industries may adopt similar policies, and employees may bring their fears and frustrations into the workplace.
As always, people leaders are in the thick of it, trying to keep the business steady while making sure their team feels seen and supported.
“The people leaders I’ve spoken with are simultaneously trying to plan and provide reassurance in real-time,” says Cassandra Cassillas, Senior Consultant at ColorVizion Lab. “But the fact is the tides are changing quickly and it’s a tough boat to be in.”
Based on conversations with people leaders, Cassandra has pinpointed their biggest concerns about Trump’s executive orders and the ripple effects on the workplace:
Leaders are scrambling to adapt fast. Compliance is a moving target and leaders are trying to quickly update policies while keeping the company out of legal and reputational risk. With orders evolving in real time, there’s little room for proactive planning.
The future of DEI. Decades of research prove diverse teams drive better business outcomes, but “DEI” has become a political target. Leaders fear new directives will eliminate inclusion efforts, hurting engagement and retention.
Trust and culture are on the line. Beyond DEI, politically driven changes could diminish employees’ psychological safety. If leadership development, well-being, and inclusion take a backseat, employees will notice, and morale will take a hit.
The return-to-office battle. Many employees won’t accept a full return, but leaders worry about external pressure to enforce it. Forcing old norms could spark disengagement and push their best employees out the door.
Global talent at risk. Shifting immigration policies could disrupt hiring, threaten visa holders, and make it harder for companies to compete for top talent. Leaders are preparing for whatever the next steps may look like.
This is a lot to carry. But it’s also a chance to show empathy, build trust, and remind employees that your workplace provides steady support, even when the outside world feels uncertain.
So, how can people leaders stay resilient and proactive during political change?
Let’s talk about it.
💪Why people leaders are the backbone of a resilient culture
Political tension is draining mentally, emotionally, and even physically. During these times, it’s easy for people leaders to overlook just how vital they are to their organizations. But make no mistake: your role keeps the workplace resilient, adaptable, and forward-thinking.
You are the driving force behind innovation.
By creating an environment where employees feel safe to share bold ideas and challenge norms, you help shape the future of your company. You amplify diverse perspectives, foster collaboration, and turn great ideas into real policies and programs.
You’re the one keeping teams motivated, spotting and addressing burnout before it spreads, and helping employees navigate change with clarity and confidence.
Desiree Booker, CEO of ColorVizion Lab, credits the people leaders at a client company for leading the team through change.
This client, affected by the impending tariffs imposed on imports from China, is now responding by moving their manufacturers to Thailand.
“People leaders prepared their teams for this transition by taking a proactive approach and implementing a plan as soon as the potential tariffs were announced by Trump’s administration,” Desiree says. “They didn’t wait until the tariffs were in place.”
This resilient approach gave leaders time to prepare employees for change. They’ve remained transparent through internal communication, planning, and training.
🔑7 focus areas to keep your team strong and adaptable during change
The only way to build and maintain an innovative and resilient workplace is to create a holistic talent strategy. One that considers all areas of the company and each stage of the employee lifecycle.
Below are ColorVizion Lab’s top people leader strategies for preparing for change and minimizing risk. (We’ll be diving into each topic in depth for future issues!)
1️⃣ Make RTO work without breaking trust: If your company has issued a return-to-office mandate, remember this transition is about offering flexibility, addressing real concerns, and making sure employees with caregiving, health, or accessibility needs aren’t left behind.
2️⃣ Keep inclusion alive beyond DEI: Inclusion doesn’t disappear just because DEI programs do. People leaders must focus on making it part of everyday culture by promoting real collaboration, celebrating diverse perspectives, and giving promotions and raises to those who’ve earned them, not just those who are most visible.
3️⃣ Motivate and keep your best people: Perks and pay matter, but they’re not enough. People stay when they see a future for themselves. Balance financial incentives with real career growth and learning opportunities that help employees feel challenged and invested in.
4️⃣ Get leadership on board with people-first strategies: The best way to get leadership buy-in is to speak their language. Use data, show impact, and connect people initiatives to business goals so they see why investing in employees isn’t just ethics, it’s business.
5️⃣ Use data to stay ahead of change: Regular pulse surveys and people analytics can help you spot engagement dips, skills gaps, and culture issues before they become big problems. Workforce planning should be flexible enough to pivot fast when needed.
6️⃣ Break down silos and spark innovation: Great ideas don’t happen in isolation. Encourage collaboration across teams, create spaces where fresh ideas can thrive, and pair experienced leaders with emerging talent to share knowledge both ways.
7️⃣ Prioritize well-being like it actually matters: Make mental health, resilience, and overall well-being part of daily work life, not just a once-a-year workshop. A burned-out workforce is a short-term workforce.
Cassandra recalls a time when she worked with a global tech company that was facing serious inclusion gaps. Employee satisfaction and performance were declining, and people leaders realized they needed to change and launched an inclusion strategy that went beyond traditional DEI efforts. This included:
- Overhauling performance review processes to prioritize merit and skills over tenure.
- Establishing “innovation task forces” to infuse diverse perspectives into problem-solving for each department, like product development.
- Introducing regular listening sessions to address inclusion challenges head-on.
“These initiatives not only revitalized the internal culture but also kept employees informed,” Cassandra says. “This helped business results and created a customer-centric and collaborative culture.”
How do people leaders implement these strategies into their day-to-day roles?
Executing employee-focused strategies requires executive buy-in and the tools to navigate unexpected change. That’s why ColorVizion Lab developed The People Leader’s Playbook.
This playbook is packed with action items to help you better connect with senior leaders, execute your people strategies, and prioritize your professional development in 2025.
Download your free copy today and share it with others in your organization.
📞 What’s your biggest challenge as a people leader?
We want to hear your questions about navigating change, getting leadership buy-in, or keeping employee engagement high.
Submit your question here and we may dive into it in an upcoming newsletter!
📰 Story of the week: Which way will the DEI pendulum swing next?
The number of companies with female directors on the board has steadily increased over the last decade. But in 2024, the number of female board appointments and appointments of directors of color declined.
Even though studies show that more diverse boards lead to higher performance, which way will the numbers trend this year? Read the full story from WorkLife here.
📣Put your 2025 workplace plans into action
As you navigate the changes ahead, remember to prioritize what matters most: your people and your culture.
When you partner with ColorVizion Lab, we help your team build holistic talent strategies that engage your best employees and help them grow as your company evolves.
🛠️Learn more about our services
📘Download the People Leader’s Playbook
