A reader writes:
I currently work in a management role in a government agency. For anyone who cares to do a quick Google/LinkedIn search, it is clear from my previous jobs for campaigns/issue groups/certain politicians that I’m a Democrat, but I maintain pretty strict boundaries about discussing politics at work. We are a service agency, and I would never want to do anything that would alienate who we serve or make people in the workplace uncomfortable.
Every week, I have an all-hands with my team, and as part of that, I bring up office policy reminders as they come up (time sheets, upcoming reviews, vacation submission deadlines, donut arrivals, just the important stuff). Whenever we have an election, I remind them of our office policy on time off around voting (our meetings also happen to be on Tuesdays).
I was discussing this with another manager, who was taken aback and said it could come off as “too political.” His argument was that they know I’m a Democrat and Democrats are known as the “pro-voting” party, and my team is more likely to vote left. (I don’t know the ideological makeup of my team, but if sweeping generalizations are true, he’s probably right.)
I was a little dismissive at first because I need to know for planning purposes if my team is going to be unavailable, but on reflection, he might be a little bit right? We live in a swing state going into a very contentious election. I always preface the reminder with “if you are planning to vote” rather than pushing them to vote. I have heard from my team that it has served as a reminder that got them to vote, especially for non-presidential elections. And between you and me, I am that annoying person who reminds everyone in my personal life to vote, and I do believe it’s important! But then we’re sliding into “everything is political” territory because as someone who cares deeply about labor rights, a lot of my reminders are about making sure my direct reports are aware of everything they’re entitled to from their employer.
So yay or nay on this being too political? Is there a normal way to find out if these reminders make anyone feel pressured or uncomfortable? Should I do something less direct, like an email reminder in October? Or am I seriously overthinking this?
It doesn’t even sound like you’re reminding people to vote. You’re letting them know of the office policy on time off if they are voting. That’s work-relevant information, just like reminding people of your inclement weather policy when a snowstorm is expected or that the bloodmobile will be on-site next week.
If that’s all you’re doing — just “the company gives up to four hours paid time off for voting on Tuesday; use code 032 on your timesheet” or whatever — your coworker is being very weird. You’re sharing info, not urging anyone to do anything.
Is the subtext of the reminder that the company supports people in voting? Sure, because your company does (assuming the policy makes voting during the work day easier, not harder).
Is sharing info that makes it easier/more likely for people to vote an inherently partisan message? Only if you don’t believe in democracy, I suppose. And it’s sure true that one party is currently engaging in a lot more vote-squelching activities than the other. On the other hand, it’s also true that both parties engage in intensive turn-out-the-vote activities (for their own voters — but both do it).
The more interesting question, I suppose, is whether reminding people to vote — not just reminding them of the company’s policy — is too political for work. I’d love to say, “Of course not! Implying that one side wouldn’t want all voices heard in an election is itself a partisan stance; it’s insulting to that party and counter to foundational principles of our democracy.” That should be the answer. But we’re in such a raw nerve of a cultural moment that that encouragement could indeed read as partisan from either side, depending on which political views are assumed to dominate on your team or in your company, or could just feel like an unwelcome injection of political talk into a space where people might be trying hard to tune it out. It’s incredibly messed up that that’s the case! And on the principle of it, I still think it’s fine — good, in fact — to remind people to vote. Please do. But ugh that we even have to ask the question.
