Full Frontal PR Report
Brian Flynn

As we embark on the 10-month media frenzy leading up to Election Day, how does one deal with politics in the office setting? Although “office politics” is an ongoing obsession around the water cooler, I am actually talking about another kind of politics around the office: Presidential politics.

HR consultants tell you to avoid any sort of discussion of politics in the work environment. It could cause tension among office workers and potentially some element of discrimination. Therefore, for 8 to 10 hours per day, they say, we should actively avoid any discussion of politics.

Maybe this is why 50% of Americans don’t vote: because we are “not allowed” to talk about this subject at the place where we spend most of our time. Unfortunately, the office has become community for many of us, so perhaps we need to encourage open debate at the office to get people engaged once again. And I mean debate—not just complaint.

Traditional forms of community interaction have deteriorated in America for more than 50 years. One can blame old fashioned apathy, the end of small towns, suburbanization, or even the two-income family. Whatever the cause, most families barely have enough time to feed the kids and go to bed—never mind traipse over and meet with neighbors to discuss local or national politics.

We are all criticized for our lack of community involvement, but maybe our definition of community needs to evolve. For better or for worse, the office is part of our socialization now, and business leaders have a responsibility to encourage civic engagement. (No, our HR person did not get to edit this piece.) It is time to embrace the election season and make politics fun again.

Although RLM works for a number of progressive (some say “liberal”) causes from our DC office, we also have conservative clients and employees. In order to re-engage people in politics this year, we are going to make the election season a sport of its own. Getting people to vote is easy once they care. So, we are going to encourage debates and the sharing of information. We also are going to have Friday evening Pub and Politics gatherings to let people go at it. The whole process might even help people develop their critical thinking skills.

I know, mixing office and politics is like discussing religion at a holiday dinner. Well, growing up in my home, you were required to come to dinner with your facts straight for a good debate. It taught us to care about important issues. If business leaders can encourage employees to get involved, to care about the issues, to root for a candidate, then maybe America will rise above last place among democracies in percentage of the population that votes in elections.