He breaks the rules, she breaks the
rules, but the day I do anything close, I get in trouble. Management is cruel;
this is an injustice, just plan unfair! So, there is a coworker that doesn’t
stay in dress code. According to the guidelines set forth by the powers of HR, the
work outfits they routinely wear are against the rules. You and everyone else see
it and ponder: How does management not see this? What is being done? Then, one
day, you walk into work with leggings you thought could pass for pants. Management
sees you, your supervisor pulls you aside, and you’re told those leggings are
not acceptable. You are enraged.
You walk back to your cubicle and fizzle in momentous anger.
In your head, you rerun the mantra
“this is unfair”. Yet, you don't come to the conclusion that despite what anyone else is or isn’t doing, you did
break a rule.
It is unfair that the actions of management suggest
selective discipline. It is unfair that a coworker breaks guidelines or doesn’t
put in the same amount of work but is still blissfully working beside you. The
reality is when management makes their move against you and you are actually
breaking a rule, they were within their right to do so. You or anyone else in
such scenario can’t huff, puff, and blow all the angry winds towards management
because management isn’t doing anything wrong by telling you when you do wrong.
The best way to handle selective discipline is own up to
your rule breaking; then ask management if they are aware of other continual
rule breaking – you can’t assume management is aware of everything. This is not
to be asked defensively or spitefully. Fix your face, hide all that pout, put
on the concerned serious face of a dedicated employee, and pick a better time
to ask management if others are being corrected also. It may sound like an out
of place question; however, if you pick a good way to ask and you ask using
that office bible called the handbook as your back up, management should have no
choice but to answer. If you have a manager that doesn’t care then you have to
abandon action or go above their head. If you are lucky to have a human
resources department (not one person who does HR work), then you should
probably go to them.
The moral of this story: when you’re wrong, you’re wrong.
Two wrongs don’t make a right, most times. Your wrong may not be as big as
someone else’s wrong but if you are caught, own up to it. Pouty faces and silly
angry thoughts won’t help you. Knowing how to approach management and doing so
seriously with respect is the best course of action. However, if you can’t fix
your face, let it go.
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