New Manager Is Stricter And Introducing Changes.

[maninanoffice]

I work for an engineering company and I am office based. We have a new manager in our department, she is a young manager and is very enthusiastic, though it looks like she will be much stricter than our last manager. We all got on well with our previous manager, he was really easy going but probably too easy going. There had been issues where most of us felt he really should have taken some members of staff to task on but I don’t recall him ever doing so.

Our new manager has made it clear to us that she will do just that. In a recent department meeting she stated things like dress code must now be strictly adhered to at all times, she stated some examples such as a collared shirt and a tie must always be worn which applies to most of us as like myself we are mostly male. She also stated that permitted break times must not exceed the allocated 10 minutes. I’ll guess that she stated both of these issues as she will have observed them. Wearing a collared shirt and a tie is part of the dress code but quite a few don’t bother wearing a tie and most of us tend to exceed the allocated break times. She then stated that she will formally discipline any member of staff if they are seen not complying.

This has not gone down well with most though a few take the view that this is exactly what is needed. I’m taking the view that in two different managers, we seem to be going from one extreme to another. I’ll admit that things do need to be tightened up from the way our previous manager ran the department but it’s just that these are what I call small issues that we have got used to and taken for granted for years, yet we get told that not only will we not be able to do things like this, we will now be disciplined for not complying.

Do you think she is managing the department in a good way, is it right to discipline for minor breaches or is this over the top?

[Zacs-Master]

Sounds like her boss/es have given her a mandate for reform. Sounds like you were all slacking a bit under the old manager, to me.

[jackthehat]

Woman wants men to deserve their salary? Quite correct, I'd say.
And wanting them to adhere to the company dress code? Yup.

[pixie374]

It sounds like she is starting as she means to go on, which is probably the best way.

[davebro]

She obviously wants to stamp her authority. I think you should comply. Once you get to know her & if things are running OK I guess she will ease up a bit. Disciplinary action seems a bit heavy-handed for the things you mention unless there are repeated instances.

[zebo]

So there have always been these rules, you, as a group, have chosen to push the limits and you've got away with it for years! There is now a new manager who wants to make her mark, one way is to apply rules strictly, this is usually the case with a new manager. It's easier to do so than to allow the laissez faire attitude to continue. Once she has established her authority in the role she will probably be confidant to ease off.

[woofgang]

1. yes
2.yes
3. no

get used to it get over it

[diddlydo]

If you're not in a role which requires you to be face to face with clients, the rule about the tie is ridiculous in this day and age. Why not initiate a constructive discussion regarding "smart casual" dress?

[rowanwitch]

You can go in hard and soften later
But you can't go in soft and expect to be taken seriously if you want to come down hard later on. It might be worth asking if the dress code could be formally reviewed at some point in the future, especially if it is a mixed office as it is easier for women to move the goalposts as even our suits can be quite unstructured and comfortable.

[jno]

nothing wrong with enforcing rules if you have them, though you might reasonably ask for them to be reviewed (if you're not dealing with the public it's hard to say ties are going to make you work better).

More to the point perhaps would be to consider how much you like the manager herself. You can enforce rules and still be helpful and approachable, or you can be officious and lack the human touch in managing staff. I had both in my career, and had no trouble with the former; the latter were a pain in the bum.

[maninanoffice]

Zacs-Master, you could well be right that she has been given a mandate from higher management to tighten things up, because things definitely were on the slack side as the previous manager had allowed it.

I'm not at all against some tightening up, but I just thought it was over the top for her to say that she is going to discipline any one who is seen not complying with what I think of as minor issues. However as others have commented, she may just want to stamp her authority on the situation.

[maninanoffice]

davebro, yes I'll make every effort to comply. Quite a few who have replied have said that the best way is for her stamp her authority to start with to tighten everything up. I just feel that disciplining staff for this is a bit too strict, maybe she will only do this if they become repeated as you suggest.

[Maydup]

But ..... collar and tie? Really? In 2021?

What is the dress code for the women? American Tan tights?!

[woofgang]

Avatar Image maninanoffice Question Author Zacs-Master, "you could well be right that she has been given a mandate from higher management to tighten things up, because things definitely were on the slack side as the previous manager had allowed it.

I'm not at all against some tightening up, but I just thought it was over the top for her to say that she is going to discipline any one who is seen not complying with what I think of as minor issues. "
What else is she going to do? She has told staff to do something....should she do nothing if they ignore what she has said?

[davebro]

We didn't have a dress code at work (as far as I know) but I always wore a shirt & tie. Some managers though insisted I wore trouser too!

[maninanoffice]

maydup, I was told that the collar and tie has been in the dress code from when it was first drawn up many many years ago and it has never been taken out! Most of us including myself have never bothered with wearing a tie especially as we are not client/public facing. I'm guessing it may be something that has been noted by old-school higher management.

rowanwitch suggested that women can move the goal posts more easily with dress codes and I agree. It might be something that we can ask to be reviewed, I don't think anyone has previously bothered to ask about it because it was never strictly enforced until now.

[Maydup]

I was lucky enough to work in an environment where ties were not considered appropriate at work, unless attending a funeral on behalf of the company.

[jno]

Maydup, I imagine if ankle-length dresses are required (to protect the sensibilities of male workers), you wouldn't need the tights.

[roopower]

Sounds fair enough to me.

[TonyV]

Manintheoffice, disciplining staff can mean anything from initially a quite word in the ear, then a verbal warning and then finally a written warning. If you all comply with company policies as they stand there should be no problems. However, these can be ammended with both sides agreement, ask and see if you can have an informal meeting, using one of your teabrakes, to show some giving. Is a union active in your place of work?

[jno]

maninanoffice, try suggesting they go for smart casual - it's a proper dress code, not a free for all, so it ought to be acceptable if you're not seeing the public.