All I can offer is sympathy! In my previous job in the supposedly bureaucratic civil service, I could set up a policy and have it adopted in 24 hours if needs must. Generally, I had the support of my agency CEO and the union. In my current role in Higher Education anything that smells of policy has to be drafted, passed onto my line manager and then onto their line manager and then onto the unions (there are 3 of them, which might be a reason for this system) and then sent to the HSW committee for approval.  I have just posted a new set of safety signs and I am being told that they “contravene the policy” and need to be discussed with the unions and everybody must be consulted before I can put them up.  The policy was agreed in December, apparently by everyone but obviously some people haven’t read it and they want more consultation.

Only been in work for an hour: I want to go home!

New communication strategy - or knee jerk reaction to something that's not gone how it was intended.

Sometimes rather than pushing against something we don't agree with, the exact opposite can achieve greater results. So, this is what I would do. Divert all phones and email to my line manager. Ask permission to respond to either from line manager. Line manager asks me to attend meeting - ask line manager if ok to communicate reply, then send reply. Basically snow them under. At some point they will say your being silly, over-zealous, etc. your not, your following process, and until you get it in writing you will continue to do so.

As a sarcastic point, also state that if you see a fire, you will now come and tell your line manager, as setting off the alarm is a form of communication to others on site, without going through the correct process.

Unbelievable - all the best - and have some fun with it, rather than getting you down.

James

Know where you are coming from Andrew!

I got pulled last year (not that pulled!) by HR and told I should not have sent an email around staff looking to see if anyone needed their safe pass renewed as I had a training session booked. When I asked why I could not do this as I regularly send important safety emails to staff (you all know the sort) I was told that it did not comply with the new internal communications policy. When I advised that I was not aware of the new policy I was informed....now wait for it....that the policy was only just approved by senior management but the internal comms advising staff of the policy had not been sent....I kid you not....now I just play the game and dont get myself annoyed!

roll on 2019.....

Aha! I knew you were going to post that reply....given I can read minds.

I imagine the elusive HR may require a particle accelerator or a hubble telescope to see them allowing for a micro or macro existence...mmmmm...

Funny I dont know what I was about to do there, if only I could read my own mind....

Looking at comms policies, particularly internal comms policy it seems to me that most are intended to limit the flow of information and ideas around an organisation. There might be a variety of reasons for this but often it looks more like trying to create a culture of divide and rule, which might make “running” the organisation easier: only one message , one approach to issues etc but of course that leads to a ” yes man” culture and silo thinking, and harms the organisation in the long run.  

I can sympathise with the situation. I was on a placement with a company some years ago, and discovered an issue that I needed to inform all staff about, as there was a real potential of harm. I found an all-staff option on the intranet, and sent around the information. Shortly afterwards, the corporate communications manager appeared and told me off. I just nodded, and eventually he went. At the end of the day, I had got my message around, something I think the IOSH Code of Conduct would support. If he wanted to make an issue of it to justify his existence, so be it, but then I was only on placement so could walk away from it after a few months.