Rules, Guidelines, Practices, Procedures: most organizations have so many. They are why onboarding is so complex and lengthy. They are a source of consistency and predictability and yet they are a significant hindrance to many employees doing their jobs. But not all rules are created the same. So a great reframe of the who rule debate is the idea of red rule and blue rules
Are non negotiable and must be followed. Examples of red rules include
National or local laws (Anti Harassment, Industry regulation, Environmental protections etc.)
Operating procedures (Health and Safety guidelines)
Ethical standards (financial reporting, data privacy etc.)
On the other hand offer some flexibility and choice for employees and managers alike. There are many examples
Which days people can work in the office or remotely
Lunch and break schedules (usually there is a range of times from late morning to mid afternoon for lunch etc.)
Personalization of desk or cubicle
How work is performed with in a process (the hand off points tend to be red rules)
One thing to watch for:
These are blue rules that have been around so long, people think they are red rules. They look red, but dig deeper and you find they are blue! These can be highlighted by new hires who "don't know the rules". Examples are
Lunch is only between 12 and 2pm
You have to submit your expenses in on a given day of the month
All meetings start at the top or bottom of the hour
What are the purple rules in your organization?
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