Support During Election Season
In this election season, it’s essential to recognize the impact this time can have on our community, especially within the workplace and classroom.
There are steps we can take to ensure that our work and classroom environment remains respectful and supportive. Below are some resources and recommendations for leaders of people, instructors, and for all university employees to assist in balancing work and teaching with the opportunity to vote and provide support throughout the season.
Voting Policy:
Voting is central to our democratic process, and all employees have the opportunity to vote. To support this, Human Resources sent out an email with key details regarding time off for voting and early voting options on campus. Managers should be familiar with this information to effectively guide their teams.
- Visit the Voting Time Off webpage for FAQs around voting during scheduled work hours, how much time off is allotted for voting, and what leave type is used for time off to vote.
- The webpage also has links to the Travis County Clerk’s website and other resources to help employees plan around voting.
Guidelines for Respectful Conversations:
During this fall election season, we can maintain respect in workplace and classroom conversations by keeping these principles in mind:
- Respect and Understanding: Use conversations to understand others without the goal of changing their minds.
- Conflict Resolution: If staff have conflict in the workplace, a good resolution to a conflict can be agreeing to disagree. If the conflict continues, Managers and employees can seek help from Conflict Management and Dispute Resolution Office (CMDR).
- Training: On a regular basis, CMDR has training to help people improve their skills with conflict. Visit the CMDR training page for trainings on conflict and communication, leadership skills in conflict management, successfully navigating conflict and more.
- In the Classroom: The Center for Teaching and Learning has a new resource for strategies for promoting instructor and student wellbeing during election season.
- Support Services: The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides counseling, support services, and resources for the election season including the following handouts:
- Challenging Conversations
- Caring for Yourself During the Election Season
Additionally, the EAP is offering the following
- Wednesday, November 6th, 11 am-12:15 pm Living Through Big Changes: Stress Management and Resiliency Yoga Group (in-person, drop-in group)
- Wednesday, November 6th, 12-12:15 pm Mindful Meditation (virtual via Zoom, drop-in)
- Wednesday, November 6th, 4-5 pm Yoga for Compassion Fatigue (In-person, drop-in group)
This election season, we can cultivate workplaces and classrooms that are a space of mutual respect and care. We can help one another engage in the political process in a way that aligns with our civic duties, professional responsibilities, and commitment to excellence in the classroom.