e-tip no. 82 – the unwritten contract

You know, you start a job, you sign a contract outlining your duties and what the employer will give you in return (hours, pay, benefits etc) and then you start work.

And then there’s another contract, but this one is neither negotiated nor signed.  This is the social contract, and it covers everything over and above the written contract.  It covers things like, putting in a few extra hours, visits to the dentists and doctors during working hours, dress codes, behaviour, dropping the mail off on the way home, having to go to the school to pick up a sick child, leaving at 5am to go to a meeting 200miles away, getting back from a business trip at midnight and expected to be at your desk by 8am the following day, and such like.

And as they’re not explicitly negotiated, they happen by default, and if there’s given and take on both sides then the employer and employee are happy.

And sometimes the social contract occurs by attrition and drip feeding.  For example, a friend of mine put in few extra hours here and there and within a few years was working 80hours every week – essentially working half price!  And at this stage as he was doing an extra job it was a little dificult to negotiate back to his contracted 40 hours.

Today’s experiment

• Do a stock check of your social contract – the things you do or are ‘expected’ to do at work over and above your written contract , and ask yourself am I happy with this?  And if not how would I prefer it to be?
• You might then want to discuss with your manager or employer some of these and be upfront about it.  Your manager or employer might even appreciate this as it makes the relationship on both sides clearer and less fuzzy and easier for both of you to negotiate should the situation arise.
• And if you’re a manager or employer, you might want to do the same exercise to make it clearer what you expect from your staff to make your negotations and relationships easier and simpler.
• And always be mindful of your successful negotiating options

And if you want some specific strategies, drop me a line at anthony@adavis.me.uk and I’ll make some suggestions.

Until next time…

Anthony

©Anthony Davis 2007. All rights reserved.