How can you enforce employee policies without creating resentment?

Enforcing employee policies while minimizing resentment requires a thoughtful and transparent approach. Most importantly ,Involve employees in the policy-making process when possible. Solicit their input and feedback, making them feel like their opinions matter.

Enforcing employee policies without creating resentment requires a delicate balance between clear communication, fairness, consistency, and empathy. When employees perceive policies as reasonable, fairly enforced, and designed with their well-being in mind, it reduces the likelihood of resentment and promotes a positive workplace culture. We need to remember that enforcing policies is not about control but about creating a safe, fair, and productive work environment.

Workforce policies must be applied consistently across the wider workforce including at executive level. Zero tolerance should not be a virtue signal. Employee resentment will occur where there are perceived unfair deviations and exemptions from policy compliance or the policy is applied to some but not others.

The purpose of a policy is fair treatment for all, and it should be in place only if needed. While drafting a policy keep in mind that it must be aligned with local laws and company vision. Now, you will be in better position to make people feel that this is for your benefit. Arrange a town hall to explain to stakeholders and be well prepared for the questions.

From my experience I normally attend respective Operations tool box meeting, I make awareness based on any trending disciplinary matters, refresh on HR support services and advocate of maintaining OHS practices. One agenda at a time, I normally have employees signed the attendance list to confirm that they have attended accordingly and is or has been made aware of the consequences if there is non-compliance.

Informing leaders and supervisors of policy change and impacts of implementation in advance is critical. Allowing questions and equipping this group with information will aid in organizational implementation of new policy. There may also be some leaders who are willing to pilot policy implementation in their groups and provide feedback prior to organization-wide implementation. This will allow for minor edits and broader communication.

Policies should never be treated as one-sided arrangements. Employee feedback is invaluable, as they often have a close connection to the day-to-day workings of the business. Their insights offer a fresh perspective and reveal angles overlooked by the business. While surveys, focus groups, and committees are effective, they may strain resources for many SMEs. Instead SMEs can promote inclusivity by directly seeking input from employees. One practical approach is to share draft or existing policies with all employees via a memo and invite suggestions for improvement. This method encourages active participation and also taps into the collective wisdom of the workforce, creating a more collaborative and well-informed policy framework.

Taking a page from DEI best practices - Involve employees from diverse backgrounds and roles in policy-making. Suppose you're developing a diversity and inclusion policy. Instead of crafting it in isolation, engage your employees. Form a diversity and inclusion committee (or ERG) made up of representatives from various backgrounds and roles. Hold regular meetings to gather input, ideas, and concerns. By actively involving them in shaping the policy, you benefit from their insights and create a sense of ownership and inclusion. This approach aligns with DEI principles, fostering a more inclusive workplace.

An effective tool would be to coordinate Consultative Team Meetings. The meeting is only subjected to Shop Floor employees only. Any Team Leaders to Management staff are excluded, as I find that shop floor employees can and will better express their opinions more effectively.

Transparent Policy Implementation Successful policy enforcement is grounded in trust. Leaders should: Promote Open Dialogue: Make leadership approachable and ready to clarify policy details. Facilitate Feedback: Use digital boxes or sessions for anonymity and inclusivity. Act & Communicate: Address feedback, clarify policy changes, and explain their purpose. Show Real Impact: Use actual examples to underline policy importance. Acknowledge & Adapt: If a policy falters, rectify and evolve. Transparent communication and inclusion foster respect, ensuring smoother policy adherence.

Resentment often comes from a lack of clearly communicated expectations - and in this case, lack of clearly communicated policies. When a policy is violated, it should not be the first time the employee has been made aware of such policy. By communicating it clearly upfront, explaining why it’s in place and how it aligns with the company’s mission and values, helps to avoid feelings of resentment when it comes time to enforce the policy. The conversation can move from a punitive feeling to one of collaboration and understanding.

First, there must be a very detailed plan for implementation and change management (if that applies). Second, first draft must be reviewed by key stakeholders and #influencers of the organisation. Third, if the values of organisation are clear and candid, it must link up to those so that employees can directly see linkages with company's vision and rationale behind it. Fourth, have faith and trust in your employees. In my career, I have observed multiple instances where the implementation went smoother than we expected because of #trust. Fifth, always be transparent and clear, solve queries, to build a culture of trust.

Kimberly Beckstedt, I completely agree. Creating policies should not be a way to police your employee and a new policy should never be created with our proper communication.

The need to communicate clearly and consistently is critical in servant leadership. Servant leaders prioritize effective communication to serve the needs of their team and foster an inclusive culture. Servant leaders communicate policies transparently using emails, newsletters, meetings, etc. This commitment to serving the people through clear communication enriches the employee experience at every stage, aligning with the principles of servant leadership.

The application of policy must be consistently applied and practice from the top management to shop floor. The inconsistencies can lead to trust and integrity issues from shop floor employees .

Ensure that you have supervisor/leadership buy-in and understanding of the policies you are implementing. It helps to release the policies to supervisors/leadership first and let them ask any questions they may have and make any small tweaks to the policy that align with the organization’s overall mission, vision, and values. After all, supervisors/leadership, ultimately will be the ones enforcing the policies, you want them to feel involved and engaged in the process as much as possible.

Using DEI and anti-discrimination practices is crucial for ensuring the fair application of policies and equitable treatment of everyone. Applying policies fairly and uniformly, regardless of position or seniority, aligns with DEI principles. When you do this, you promote a sense of fairness while complying with relevant laws, ensuring policies do not infringe upon employee rights. In cases of exceptions or disputes, handling them with care and discretion while maintaining proper documentation is essential. This approach fosters an environment where everyone is treated equitably, promoting diversity and inclusion within the organization.

We made an attempt to give our colleagues the chance to ask any questions to the leadership team by conducting an “ask me anything” session. This activity will give employees the opportunity to ask questions they wouldn’t usually have the chance to ask. If you are a leader in a larger company this type of an initiative can be particularly crucial as employees maybe have never had the chance to meet you, let alone ask you something that needs to be resolved.

To effectively enforce policies while maintaining employee satisfaction, align performance expectations with the company's mission, business objectives, and overall performance management process. Rewarding compliance and addressing violations becomes more meaningful when tied to the organization's goals. For employees who have difficulties with compliance, offer constructive feedback and coaching to help them align with company expectations. When disciplinary action is required, carry it out with respect, timeliness, and proportionality while following due process and connecting your efforts with performance expectations established for advancing business objectives.

It is important to also create visibility of how violations are handled without sharing any personal details. The sense of perceived justice in managing policy compliance and their violation is equally important for their successful adoption.

My observation is that most of the time resentment stems from an unbalanced application of the rules or policies. Employees are always aware of the times they have been disciplined for something that someone else "got away with." As long as rules are fairly and evenly applied, and expectations are completely explained, most of the legitimate concerns about fairness have been mitigated.

Conduct leadership training to equip leaders and managers with skills to enforce policies in a compassionate and understanding manner. Offer conflict resolution training or resources, so that if issues arise, they can be addressed in a constructive manner.