Zero tolerance is a bad idea

Ever had the idea to put a “zero tolerance” policy in place on some issue at your workplace? It’s a bad idea.

“We now have a zero tolerance policy on swearing in this department,” might be a response to a string of embarrassing situations where staff said the wrong thing at the wrong time.

The next week one of your best and most loyal staff has their fingertip crushed in a door and utters a bad word that she quickly cuts off with embarrassment. Same day, another staff, one that you had in mind when the zero tolerance policy was put in place, openly calls one of her co-workers a very inappropriate and offensive name. Both these incidents are witnessed by other staff and reported back to you.

Your zero tolerance policy now demands that you treat them both the same.

Zero tolerance policies imply:

We really mean it.
We accept no excuses.
The punishment is the same regardless of the severity or the circumstances.

We usually put a zero tolerance policy in place for the 1st reason: “We really mean it,” and that is fine. It is the second two implications that cause trouble. If there are no legitimate excuses allowed and everyone gets the same punishment, you are undermining the authority of the leaders involved to deal with each situation on its own merit.

“Zero tolerance” is not a good idea.

Thanks to Linton Sellen for inspiring this post.

IBEX Payroll extends our profound respect and immeasurable gratitude to all the ancestors and keepers of the land on whose traditional territories our work takes place. We acknowledge that we are on Treaty 1 territory, the traditional gathering place of the Anishinaabe, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota and Dene people and the traditional homeland of the Métis people. This land is sacred, historical, and significant.

Every time we acknowledge this truth, we have an invitation and an opportunity to reflect on the wrongs of the past, what we do in the present, and what we can do to continually honour the people whose lands and water we benefit from today.

This statement only acts as a first step in honouring the land we reside on and its peoples, and must be paired with education, understanding and informed action.