November 6th: Don’t Make Your Employees Choose Between the Office and the Voting Booth

At the heart of every decision we make here at Buildium is our commitment to redefining the way that business should be done.

Nothing matters more to us than ensuring that we have the happiest customers and employees anywhere — and wherever possible, we extend that mission beyond our office walls, striving to make the communities that Buildium inhabits better places to live and work.

This November, we believe that it is our responsibility to both encourage and to empower our employees to vote. Every voice deserves to be heard. In 2014, turnout for the midterm elections was the lowest that the U.S. had seen in over 70 years — and 35% of those who registered but didn’t vote reported that their work or school schedules had kept them from getting to the polls.

Why should companies care about whether or not their employees vote? First and foremost, voting is what fuels our democracy by ensuring that citizens feel that their values are represented by the leaders they elect. Just as in any company, local leaders have the power to create an environment where businesses and their employees can thrive. But in addition, when employees are encouraged to participate in their local community, they gain invaluable perspective on the context in which their business operates.

To put it simply: Enabling your employees to vote is the right thing to do. That’s why Buildium has joined a growing list of companies, including other values-driven organizations like Patagonia and Lyft, who are committed to ensuring that no employee is prevented from voting by their work schedules, responsibilities, or access to transportation. On Election Day, Buildians will be encouraged to work remotely so that their only commute is from their home to their polling place.

When it comes to the impact on your business’ bottom line, allowing your employees to take the time to vote is small — but strong voter participation will have a resounding impact on your community for years to come.

Boston, this is our time to lead. I’d like to call on my fellow CEOs in the tech industry and beyond, to do their part in making it easy for their employees to vote. Let’s put our democracy into action by ensuring that no one has to choose between being a good employee and a good citizen.

Originally published at medium.com on November 1, 2018.