Based solely on tone, an employee could be forgiven for wondering if their organization considers setting fire to the office less serious than submitting a form after a deadline. Policy-writing expert and author Lewis Eisen examines this absurd reality: Many laws governing serious crimes use simple, respectful present-tense statements, yet many corporate policies are worded more harshly, complete with subtle frustration that broadcasts noncompliance and dysfunction to everyone who reads them. A shift in tone can keep your efforts at building positive relationships and fostering a cooperative workplace from being quietly undermined by outdated policy wording.
Many organizations today claim that “respect for others” is one of their core values. The intention is admirable.
Attend a compliance and ethics essentials workshop, and you’ll repeatedly hear speakers emphasize the need to focus on the human side of GRC:
- Be respectful to others at the organization.
- Capture people’s hearts as well as minds.
- Model the conduct we want to see.
- Strive to create a culture of compliance.
The list goes on.
These are excellent goals, to be sure, and yet as you read through many organizations’ handbooks, you’ll see a disconnect: The policies and directives often sound like they were written by angry parents…
