In the USA they call trousers “pants”. In our family big boy
pants refers to the underwear that my 3 year old grand son wears as
part of his toilet training. Just another example of the
misunderstandings that can occur when we think we speak the same
language or is there more to it?
Philadelphia Mayor tells Trump to “Put big boy pants on”. So read
a headline in the days after the election. I was shocked and puzzled,
had political insults in the USA sunk to a new low. I have since found
out that in the USA this expression means behave like a mature adult.
If everyone behaved in a mature adult fashion at work we
probably wouldn’t need HR. There would be fewer grievances, less
friction in the work place, no personality conflicts, no dysfunctional
teams, no inappropriate behaviour, no sexist comments, racist remarks
or homophobic language, no unfounded rumours, no malicious gossiping
, no petty rivalries.
Every organisation should have a Big Boy Pants policy. A document
that spells out how employees should behave at work. Of course we
shouldn’t have to tell people how to behave in the work place but
experience tells us that some people can’t be trusted to be sensitive,
respectful and considerate to their colleagues. If one person wants
the office window open to let in some fresh air on a warm day and the
person who sits next to the window wants to keep it closed to prevent
a draft on the back of their neck they should be able to resolve the
situation amicably. If some team members are irritated by a team
member who never takes a turn washing up the dirty cups, if someone is
abusing the honour system for tea and coffee, if items are going
missing from the fridge shouldn’t mature adults be able to resolve
these minor issues without involving colleagues, management, HR and
the trade Union! Did I say minor issues that’s the problem the
individuals concerned don’t think it is a minor issue , there is very
quickly a loss of perspective. The very definition of immature and
childish behaviour.
Maybe your organisation already has a Big Boy Pants policy but
you call it something different like an Employee Code of Conduct. Some
re branding might raise the profile so that staff don’t think the Code
is simply about intimate relationships at work when it‘s not
acceptable and when you have to notify HR. Alternatively your
organisation may have a number of different policy statement covering
Equality and Diversity, Bullying, disciplinary action, absenteeism,
misuse of office equipment and a dress code. All of which are about
how employees are expected to behave at work and relate to colleagues.
Of course having a comprehensive code of conduct doesn’t in
itself improve the standard of behaviour in the organisation but in
the words of the Mayor of Philadelphia isn’t it time we put our big
boy pants on.
Blair Mcpherson former Director, author and blogger www.blairmcpherson.co.uk