Tribune Employee Handbook - Blunt, Engaging
The Tribune’s new employee handbook. Why? Because it reflects the company’s new culture – a culture that is led by an Executive that prides himself on being blunt and innovative. Well, there is no doubt that the employee handbook is blunt and engaging, but it is certainly not innovative. Nordstrom led the way with the one rule policy ages ago – Nordstrom’s Rule – Use good judgment in all situations. But, few other companies have been so bold. That is why we like the Tribune’s move to the one rule policy.The handbook starts by outlining the Rules.
- Rule #1 – Use your best judgment.
- Rule #2 – See Rule 1.
The handbook starts by highlightings "that yes – that’s it. That is the one hard and fast rule. Unless a serious mistake was made when you were hired, you have pretty good judgment."
We like the way this handbook is laid out. It certainly would capture an employee’s attention. And in a period when employees are overloaded with policies and procedures – this may just be the way to go. What is innovative is the Handbooks' alignment to fostering the company’s creative culture. Here is an example of some of the highlights from the Handbook:- 4.2 – Working at Tribune means that accepting that sometimes you might hear a word that you, personally, might not use. You might experience an attitude that you don’t share. You might hear a joke that you might not consider funny. That is because a loose, fun, non-linear atmosphere is important to the creative process.
- 4.4 – Harassment means that being told that a raise, promotion or other benefit is dependent on you going on a date with your boss or some other similar activity.
- 5.1 – Personal Relationships – Under Rule #1 you may want to think twice before you enter into an intimate relationship with a co-worker. When you start, it might seem like a good idea. It’s when you stop, or the wrong people find out (and they will) that you discover that perhaps it wasn’t.
- 7.1 – Drug Policy – If you use or abuse alcohol or drugs and fail to perform the duties of your job acceptably, you are likely to be terminated. See Rule 1. Coming to work drunk is bad judgment.
- 7.2 – If you do not use or abuse alcohol or drugs and fail to perform the duties required by your job acceptably, you are likely to be terminated.
These are just samples of some of the guidelines in the Handbook. What we like is that they too the point, innovative and provocative.
We wonder what the employees of the Tribune REALLY think of the new Employee Handbook…
Comments
Zell's handbook is even less innovative than just taking a cue from Nordstrom.
It's a straight dupe of "Local TV" LLC's handbook -- the low-level properties still say "Local TV" in the PDF.
Don't rely on my claim, check out Local TV's policy manual for yourself:
http://www.localtvllc.com/aboutus/
Posted by: Steven | February 6, 2008 03:37 PM