Rule 89. Know All the Unspoken Rules of Office Life

There are a whole heap of unwritten Rules in any workplace. These might be as simple as who is “allowed” to use which elevator/break room/restroom/corridor/outside smoking area, or as complex as who holds the keys to the petty cash/photocopier/stationery cupboard/vacation schedule. I have often known the strangest people doing duties that no one has ever given them. I once worked in an office where a Swiss translator was in charge of the vacation schedule. Why, for heaven’s sake?

You had to get your vacation approved by her, logged by her, and permitted by her. But why her? Whenever I asked, I was told it was historical that the translators did the vacations. It was bizarre, stupid, really off the wall. My supervisor should have done them, but I guess he was quite pleased that the translators had taken this “burden” off his shoulders. Weird.