Your organisation’s unwritten rules and how to verbalise them

Every organisation has rules. These help to ensure that everyone stays on the same page and that people behave in a respectful, professional and productive manner. 

But what if we told you that many of the important rules that inform your operations were unwritten? For many organisations, this is the case. Even rules you expect your team to follow daily could be left out of the employee handbook. 

It’s time to change. If you want to set clear expectations and set your people up for success, you need to verbalise your organisation’s unwritten rules, clearly and from the outset. 

What are the unwritten rules?

What are the unwritten rules of your organisation? It depends. Unwritten rules can be far reaching, impacting all aspects of your organisation and its structure.

Work arrangements

For some teams, unwritten rules may relate to work arrangements. You might have expectations of the hours your people work or when they are available to start the day. If you offer remote or hybrid flexibility, you may expect specific behaviours around logging in and logging off. You may need your people to attend the office for a minimum period every week.   

Workplace behaviours

Sometimes, unwritten rules may dictate behaviour in the workplace. For example, your workplace may restrict loud music from being played in the office, or you might prefer that employees don’t eat lunch at their desk. You could even have unwritten rules about the way people use office facilities, like the coffee machine in the break room.

Communication at work

Good communication is essential in any professional environment. Even if you don’t realise it, chances are that you have some unwritten rules in place. As a leader, do you have an open-door policy for questions and concerns? Or would you prefer your employees engaged in a peer review process before approaching you? What about digital communication? If you host virtual meetings with your team, do you have any expectations on whether their microphone and camera are switched on or off?

Workplace wellness

Workplace wellness and psychological safety at work are becoming increasingly important topics. You probably already have some rules that guide this. For instance, your workplace may allow employees to take breaks and get some fresh air when they need it. You might even require your team to switch off and take time out after office hours. 

Clarity breeds confidence (and lots of other things)

When you’ve been leading your team for a long period of time, it can be easy to assume that your unwritten rules are common sense, but this isn’t always the case. 

Research shows that 50% of employees lack clarity at work. At best, this could leave your people feeling confused about expectations and anxious about meeting them. At worst, it could pose a health and safety hazard if important rules are not made clear. 

By offering clarity as part of your hiring and onboarding process, you can take some of the stress out of starting a new job. This can help you provide new employees with a strong foundation forpositive, productive work. 

When you are transparent and upfront about the unwritten rules of your organisation, you can quickly help new team members learn the ropes and fit into your workplace. This can improve the employee experience and drive better engagement outcomes, ultimately supporting greater talent retention and growth for your organisation.

Addressing unwritten rules at the interview stage

“How do things work around here?” Every candidate is wondering, even if they rarely ask. 

In order to provide the best clarity and more effectively assess talent suitability, you can incorporate your unwritten rules as part of your interview process.

Once you’ve been through your organisation’s code of conduct and have reviewed role requirements, performance indicators and other expectations, take some time to point out what isn’t written down.

Consider what a day in the life will look like for your new hire. Think about what you expect from your existing team, and give your newest employee a heads up so that they can align with the norm. 

If a candidate needs more information on your unwritten rules, be willing to accept and answer questions. Remember, you can’t blame an employee for failing to follow rules you don’t tell them about. 

When you’ve made a hire, don’t forget to address the rules again during onboarding! A brief refresh can help your new employee start off on the right foot.

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