A reader submitted another rule - although this is one of those "unwritten" rules that will never appear in the smiling faces, high gloss, traditional HR manual. She wrote, "If you are going to work overtime, come in early so upper management can see you putting in extra time." Not a flattering testimony to upper management of which I have been a lifelong member.
As a leader I always try to do everything I can to discourage people from doing things for "show" and this rule falls right under that classification. Workers have enough to worry about in their daily lives without worrying about doing things for the effect of how it will look to others. "Show" rules are a complete waste of time and energy and create distrust between the workers and upper management.
If overtime work is needed, leaders should do everything to encourage their work force to do the extra work in the most pleasant conditions possible. If you can complete the overtime work at home, or if you can go to the park and sit under a shade tree, more power to you, although not practical for all jobs.
Are there workers who would abuse that kind of freedom? Absolutely. The trick is not to hire them in the first place so as the leader you are able to do bold and daring things like give your work force your complete trust to work how they choose and not worry about how it looks to the dreaded upper management types. If you allow people on your staff who would abuse your complete trust, you will be forever managing to the lowest common denominator and I can't think of a worse way to manage. It is all rather simple if you hire the best and trust them. They will perform beyond your wildest expectations. And they won't need to do anything just for the sake of "show."
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