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?

[maninanoffice]

They probably wouldn't want to promote me Woofgang, so I didn't apply for the managers job, a few others did but not me!

[LadyCG]

She sounds like she is trying too hard to make an impression.

[maninanoffice]

LadyCG: "She sounds like she is trying too hard to make an impression" She could well be, though I think some of this could have been put on her by someone in higher management.

[237SJ]

She just sounds like the typical type of micromanager you get these days - they've done the course but have no experience of their industry or workforce. They spend a lot of their time trying to justify their existence and are looking around for something to implement so that they can put it on their CV when they move on to another job. Not that I`m cynical or anything :) but I have seen many like that. They come and they go.

[Tuvok]

Ist there a dress code for both men and women?

Is she adhering to it herself?

You could always turn up in the female dress code! :-p

[237SJ]

^ I was wondering the same.

[maninanoffice]

Tuvok, she is always very well dressed, maybe that is why she is putting a big emphasis on everyone adhering to the dress code! Being in engineering, most of us are male but some female staff as well, there is a dress code for them too but I have not really looked at it.

237SJ, I am really hoping she doesn't not turn out to be a micro manager like you point out, but only time will tell!

[Apc2604]

237SJ// She just sounds like the typical type of micromanager you get these days - they've done the course but have no experience of their industry or workforce. They spend a lot of their time trying to justify their existence and are looking around for something to implement so that they can put it on their CV when they move on to another job.//

Agreed! And also agreed that shirts and ties is a daft dress code these days. Smart casual looks better and is far more comfortable and comfortable staff make better workers!

[woofgang]

"Agreed! And also agreed that shirts and ties is a daft dress code these days. Smart casual looks better and is far more comfortable and comfortable staff make better workers!"

I agree too but that's not the issue here. If you want to change something at work, you don't just do what you want, you discuss it....and nobody is mentioning the extra break time.

[237SJ]

^ Nice idea but most companies don't work like that in 2021

[maninanoffice]

Woofgang, the outdated dress code is something we could ask to discuss and may get it amended. It hasn't really been adhered to I have worked for the company and that's been about 4 years. It's only since the new manager was appointed that she has brought this up and addressed it with us. I don't think the allocated break time will be up for any discussion, we have overstepped that as we were allowed to get away with it until now.

[maninanoffice]

I'm unsure around how severely we could be disciplined for these type of minor rule breaches, I guess we will just have to take this for now and then see if we can negotiate to have the dress code amended.

[Apc2604]

^ Nice idea but most companies don't work like that in 2021

Very true, basically because new young managers may have plenty of qualifications but lack the skills that come with experience. One of their first tasks should be to get to know the staff and talk to them individually and ask their views - Not dive in and change things in an authoritative manner.

[maninanoffice]

Apc2604, she is young (20s) so it could be that she lacks the skills that come with experience though she has been getting to know the department and taking interest in everyone. It may well also be that her superiors could have told her to take the department to task over this straight away as they are well aware that the previous manger was rather slack.

[woofgang]

"It may well also be that her superiors could have told her to take the department to task over this straight away as they are well aware that the previous manger was rather slack."
I think that is very likely and why they didn't appoint an existing employee

[maninanoffice]

I agree Woofgang, a new person coming in from outside of the company is a better choice to deal with this.

[maninanoffice]

Woofgang, in your comments on this you have been very clear that you are totally behind our new manager taking staff to task if they breach any rules such as exceeding allocated break times.

As far as I'm aware disciplinary procedures have a number of steps such as it can start with a quiet word or arranging a hearing where a warning is given. Any further breach can then result in a further hearing where a formal written warning is given and then possibly dismissal.

I recall you said she has already had a word with everyone at a meeting so there is no need for a quiet word, so hypothetically, if you were the manager how would you deal with it? Say you see someone exceeding a break time on a first occasion, would you set up a hearing and formally discipline the member of staff?

[kirstybeebee]

You may be able to negotiate a change in the dress code, but you will just have to accept other rules your manager wants to enforce.

[maninanoffice]

I think the dress code is worth trying to negotiate Kirsty, most who have commented on here consider it to very outdated. You are probably right about having to accept other rules that are enforced on us.

[Zacs-Master]

I think there’s a little promotion jealousy going on here.