10 stupid workplace rules that employers should eliminate

 

Jennifer Aniston in Office Space gets an earful about the rules from management | Getty Images

What’s an easy way for management to kill productivity and office morale? Have a bunch of draconian, useless, and stupid rules dictating how employees look, act, and feel every second they’re at work. If you’ve had an awful boss, then you’ve probably spent time living under a tyrannical regime with similar characteristics. Some bosses, managers, and employers simply want to run a tight ship (or make everyone miserable), and use stacks of useless rules to keep everyone in line.

Of course, if you’ve worked under one of these people, you know that the rules often don’t help productivity or professionalism, in many cases. They only foment resentment toward management.

Stupid rules, management, and productivity

There is a need for some law and order around the office, however. Every workplace — be it an office, a restaurant or kitchen, or even a remote gig — will have rules dictating what type of behavior is acceptable and what isn’t. If you’re an adult who’s spent any amount of time in the labor force, you know that most of the rules are universal and are completely reasonable.
Wear your uniform, if need be. Show up on time. Don’t take vacations without telling anyone — these are all examples of perfectly reasonable rules that workers can live with. But rules that dictate your behavior away from work, or what you can or cannot look like? Those can be a bit over the line.
Here are some stupid workplace rules that employers should explore banishing, though they won’t apply to any and every workplace or job.

1. Drug testing

Obviously, drug testing is a necessary evil at some jobs. But if you’re a desk jockey or have another job where you’re not endangering other people, what does anyone care if you use marijuana (or anything else) off the clock? In states where marijuana is legal, this is an issue that is starting to bubble up. Whether or not anything changes? We’ll have to wait and see.

2. No telecommuting

Man typing on laptop | Source: iStock

A lot of jobs require you to be on-site, when there’s really no reason for it. So, why don’t more employers allow their employees to telecommute? Most fear a loss in productivity — though some companies are starting to embrace it. If you could work from home even a couple of days per week, you could save a lot of time and money in commuting costs, and have more time to get chores or errands done.

3. Inflexible scheduling

Freeway traffic | Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images

Piggybacking off of the no-telecommuting policy that some companies stick to, inflexible scheduling is another. If you, like millions of others, are expected to be at your desk at 8 or 9 a.m., and be there until 5 or 6 p.m., you know that the commute can be absolute hell. How about allowing for staggered scheduling, in order to alleviate some of that stress and save time? Many employers are still too glued to the traditional 9-to-5 to consider switching it up.

4. No food or drinks

A man scarfs food at his desk | Source: iStock

This isn’t all that common, but there are jobs that don’t allow for you to have any food or drink in or around your workspace. In some cases, it’s understandable — if you’re in a customer service position, for example. Some employers don’t want crumbs in their keyboards, or coffee spilled on their hard drives. Understandable as well. But not allowing someone to have a drink or granola bar within arms reach, in a lot of cases, makes the work day a lot harder.

5. “Get a doctor’s note”

A man sick at work | Source: iStock

Sick policies are evolving, but the idea that you still need to bring in a doctor’s note to be excused — especially this day and age — is crazy. Especially if your employer doesn’t offer health insurance. For many workers, missing work means a smaller paycheck, and a visit to the doctor can often cost several days worth of wages. Attitudes toward this are changing, but in many workplaces, a doctor’s note is still required to excuse an absence.

6. Draconian grooming standards

A beard: proven productivity hack | BeardBrand/Pistol PR

Nothing helps a man think, be productive, and get through the workday like stroking a beard. Maybe not — but some employers like to levy rather strict rules regarding grooming. Of course, they want you to bathe and not be a distraction, but making sure everyone is clean shaven or maintains very specific measurements with facial hair? Seems rather overbearing.

7. No hats

8. Annual performance reviews

Annual performance reviews are rife with problems, but many, if not most employers use them to evaluate workers for raises and promotions. The time has come to do away with them, and some companies are instituting new ways to measure their workers’ success.

9. Dress codes

10. Scheduled breaks

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A woman takes a smoke break | Joe Raedle/Getty Images

If you’ve had a job where you go on break at X time, then you know how much of a godsend the ability to go out for a walk, a smoke, or to the bathroom whenever you damn well please can be. Basically, workdays don’t need to be quite so rigid (though again, there are exceptions). Workers will be more productive if they can take a break as needed, not when management dictates.
Source:cheatsheet,yahoo