Don't be so judgmental...

Companies everywhere are struggling to come up with succinct and workable policies about getting people back to work after this year of layoffs, furloughs, and WFH and hybrid working arrangements. Recently, General Motors published their new back to work policy: it simply says - Work appropriately. It’s a flexible, evolving policy that will differ depending on the employee, week and assignment, according to executives there. And, unlike most policies, it’s not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. Not surprisingly, policies like this are becoming part of the new normal in the workplace and you may want to review your policies with an eye towards simplifying them. One thing you may want to consider is using the Golden Rule as the basis of your policies – after all, most employees probably learned that basic principle above all others while growing up. Another: you probably list the things employees should not do in your employee handbook – consider that employees know right from wrong, so focus on just listing and emphasizing the things they should do. At the end of the day, don’t be so rigid and judgmental – give employees the benefit of the doubt and encourage supervisors to manage them appropriately. After a brutal year of Covid-19 disruptions, companies need to be more flexible in their policies, especially one’s about now getting back to work. That’s what employees are going to expect today.

 

Phillips Brooks (1835 – 1893): American Episcopal clergyman and author, long the Rector of Boston's Trinity Church; he wrote the lyrics to "O Little Town of Bethlehem"