I could really use some advice about dealing with outdated policies at work.
I work at an Inn, and for the most part, it’s an amazing job, not just with a great salary, but also the best work environment. It’s high in the mountains, and our main building is located right on the edge of a gorgeous lake, surrounded by thick forests. The rooms that don’t have a lovely view of towering forest or deep blue mountain waters have the dramatic view of the waterfall on the other side of the hotel. The waterfall pours down the obsidian cliffs behind the Inn into the thick roiling mists below. Occasionally, we even get a glimpse of the old things that swim in the mists.
Personally, I prefer lake view rooms over waterfall view rooms. But some extended stay guests absolutely rave over the stunning sights from the mists in a falls view room, especially under a full moon.
Even the lobby has a lovely view of the lake. So the location isn’t the issue.
The issue is that a guest has made things a little complicated.
Actually, it’s not even the guest’s fault, not this time. Usually when something goes wrong, you can guarantee the guests have failed to follow the simple rules. But this time, the fault lies with some of the terribly outdated policies.
I’m actually embarrassed to even admit how bad these policies are. That’s how bad it is. It’s the rules for guests. They aren’t difficult rules, every hotel has rules. But the rules for men are different compared to women. I know, I know, it’s terrible!
For example, everyone is told to be in their rooms by 3am. Everyone is told to pay attention if they hear heavy footfalls come down the hall. Everyone must get into bed if the footfalls stop near their door between 3am and dawn. No problem, easy, right? But then the men must cover their faces with a fuzzy blanket until the footfalls move on. The women must cover their eyes with the soft leather stuffed animals we provide.
Then there’s the breakfast policy. We have the most incredible complimentary breakfast buffet. Not continental. Completely international. If you crave it for breakfast, it’s there. Even that one dish you had in that one place and never had anything so good again? Yeah, it’ll be there. Just as delicious.
So everyone knows breakfast is served from 7am - 11am. Everyone knows the lovely meat sculpture shown on the buffet is for display only. Everyone knows to shoo away the greenish gnat that might occasionally try to land on their plates. But if the green gnat manages to land on one of their plates, the men are supposed to chant the first line of the childhood nursery rhyme that pops into their heads, while the women are supposed to repeat their favorite nickname of their childhood pet - or the name of their first invisible friend if they didn’t have a pet as a child, of course.
And those are just some small examples of how outdated the rules are!
I know what you’re thinking. It’s ridiculous. What business still has gendered rules for their customers?! Isn’t that illegal? If a government agency could find this place, I’m sure they’d throw the book at us. I mean, no mundane force could shut down the Inn, but they’d want to. And honestly, I feel like we’d deserve it.
Part of me feels I should quit in protest, but it really is the best job, if not for the outdated policies. I’m well paid, well treated, lots of opportunities for bonuses, and I get amazing health care, even vision and dental. Our in-house doctor takes care of my every ache and pain for free. Yes! Free! Plus, I make plenty of decisions at my own discretion and my superiors back me up every time. As long as I follow the basic rules for staff, I’m empowered as an employee, and I don’t just mean that as a buzzword.
Even the rites are usually pretty easy, and isn’t that what we all really want from our employer? Good wages, respectful supervisors, good benefits, clear policies, nice work environment, and straightforward rites. That’s all I could ever hope for. The midnight chants could be a little less droning and repetitive, but I can live with it.
Anyways, I used to think the gendered rules were fine, but now I know better. I believe strongly in personal growth, I read books, I follow proponents of a wide variety of social issues online, and I’m aware now that gendered rules just aren’t right. Gender is a complex, personal thing, and not everyone fits neatly in the typical social constructs. I mean, I don’t even know the pronouns or gender of my direct line supervisor. Actually, I’m not sure any of my superiors even have a gender, so why should the Inn care about the gender of our guests?!
These policies are horribly outdated. It’s wrong, and it needs to stop.
The problem is I need it to stop fast enough to save Tai, one of our guests.
Normally I don’t care. Sometimes guests just can’t follow the rules, they don’t make it out of the Inn, and the Inn is renewed. Circle of life and all. But this time, it really is the policies at fault, not the guest. It’s time for a major update!
And it’s not that the policies can’t be changed. There’s a process to update the policies, it can be done. But like any bureaucratic system, the process is ridiculously complicated. There’s so many forms, meetings, and review panels. I mean the red tape is awful, and I have to keep it so very, very red. It’s so hard to keep blood red long enough, you know? It turns that rust color so quickly.
In the meantime, all I can do is keep Tai in the lobby walls. I know there’s no way Tai can understand, wandering the beautifully decorated empty halls there. I know it’s not fun in there, but it’s the safest spot in the Inn. Nothing is dangerous in there. I keep hiding crystal decanters of water and covered dishes of Tai’s favorite foods in there. There’s even lovely washrooms available, so all the basics are covered. There’s bedrooms too, of course, so rest is possible. Not that Tai will ever get tired.
That’s the big problem in the lobby walls. No one gets tired or sleeps while they are in there. I know it doesn’t sound so bad, sometimes I even hang out in there when I want to read all night. But the minds of our guests need sleep.
Guests also need companionship. I’d go in there to be a companion, but any sort of fraternization with the guests is strictly forbidden. It’s just unprofessional. So all I can do is drop off the little comforts to help Tai through it. I really am doing everything I can to help.
I wish I could just open the mirror portal to the lobby, but Tai has sort of broken one of the rules. One of the stupid outdated rules. If I open the portal and Tai comes out, the Inn will claim its price.
And I really like Tai. I have to admit, I’ve never been so drawn to a guest before. Pretty, handsome, adorable, powerful, stunning, cute - somehow all those adjectives can apply to Tai. And so strong, so resilient! After 2 days in the walls, most people have already started screaming, but not Tai. I can’t help but admire that.
So I guess I have a few questions.
What methods do you use to speed up slow bureaucratic processes
Any other ideas to keep Tai sane in there while I figure this out
What’s your best trick for keeping blood red longer?
I’d welcome any suggestions! Thank you in advance!