It’s enforcing the little rules that spells the difference between a professional office and one that is not so professional.
The seemingly minor rules are what create a culture that attracts and keeps top staff.
What are they? They are the guidelines for behavior elements such as personal phone calls, dress, attitude and adhering to working hours.
Violations won’t cause the office to collapse. But all rules exist for a reason or they would not be there, and what the little ones do is ensure respect for the firm, its clients and its people, which in turn creates a culture and environment of success.
Little transgression, big effect
Don’t let those rules go unhonored. Either enforce them or get rid of them.
To ignore even the smallest requirement opens the door to staff asking, “Which rules is it okay to break here?”
It also says the administrator doesn’t care about standards.
And down the line, it carries a harmful ripple effect. It is not the end of the world if So-and-So dresses like a slob, but any client seeing So-and-So gets an immediate impression that the firm is just as sloppy.
Neither is it the end of the world if staffer A comes in a little late every day. Yet tardiness ripples out to become office-wide trouble. The other staff see it and think, “We don’t have to be on time either.”
Stand up and talk about them
The key to enforcement is to have those rules in writing and well communicated.
Look first at the employee handbook and make sure they are there. If not, put them in.
Then get up in a staff meeting and talk about the importance of them. Explain what they are and point out that the firm expects them to be followed.
If there is a firm-wide challenge to them, do some more communicating whether by memo or in another meeting.
Explain both the “what” and the “why” of each new rule that is added and each that goes ignored, for example. Here is how we define business casual. You are required to wear X and Y. And here is why we do this, because we are competing with other firms and we want our clients to know that they are getting the highest professional representation.
Don’t allow for exceptions
What about the otherwise good staffer who ignores a rule? Address the problem head on. It is unfair to do otherwise, because in the back of the administrator’s mind that downfall, no matter how small, is impacting the staffer’s job review. Employees have a right to know what the expectations are and how well they are meeting them.
Open the conversation with a demonstration of support. I want to communicate this information to you because I want you to be successful and there is something that is getting in the way of that. Then describe the offence, but it put it in terms of a question. “I’ve noticed you are consistently coming in 20 to 30 minutes late. Is there some reason why you can’t be here at 9 a.m.?
Explain the impact the behavior is having on that person’s career, perhaps, “Your tardiness gives people the impression that you don’t have your life in control and that you are not someone we can count on That assumption will hurt you in your next review.”
Or tell how it affects the firm. “Our clients see you coming in late, and it gives them the impression that we are not professional.”
Or tell how the other staff see it: “It’s evident to them that you do not take the rules seriously.”
Be open to accommodations for honest problems. If the staffer rides a bus that is invariably late, it may be possible to adjust that person’s hours. But whatever the situation, create a plan for improvement.”
At that point, it is not a disciplinary meeting. It is just an opportunity to lay out the issue and figure out a way to correct it. The conversation alone may be enough to correct the situation because often the staffer is not aware that anything is amiss. However, if the situation does not improve the second conversation needs to be the beginning of disciplinary action.
For the timid administrator
For the administrator who loathes conflict, it helps to write down what is going to be said.
Even practice it out loud. Doing that helps the administrator find the right language to use and creates confidence in using that language.
The key to the wording is to be gentle but firm. The message to convey is that the administrator cares about the staffer and wants to help that person succeed, but at the same time the rules must be observed.