As a new employee coming in to a new job you strive to be and do the best you can everyday. Along with all the new responsibility you also need to learn the ends and outs of your new found home of work. The rules are the easy ones to figure out only because most of the time they will be written out or told to you the moment you get told “You got the job/position!” Now the tricky ones are the norms or “unwritten rules.” Some of the ones that might stick out are casual dressing, certain coffee cups, when and where not to bother certain people , etc… For instantance a lot of companies have an open door rule with the boss. Then again everyone knows that if there is a sign on the door saying “Do not Disturb!” then the employees know to wait until the sign is removed. A lot of companies will have the veterans and new kids on the block employees, and the employees that have established a name in the company can make some of the norms. As a new employee comes in they usually learn things through error when in comes to norms only because the veterans let them know what is acceptable. Since the status of the veteran employee is higher and he/she is more known they are able to get away with things because of the time that they have been in the business. Status has a huge role in the levels that employees are thought of higher to lower, and can effect multiple parts of an organization. Now what I’m trying to figure out is, What are the rules and norms of your businesses? Also, Is it right that the status of a person can dictate the norms of a business?
Richmond, McCroskey, Powell, Organizational Communication for Survival. Pearson Education. 2013
Organizational Communication Throughout Businesses 