'Door 1/4 way open = It better be urgent and very brief': The strangest 'unwritten rules' from workplaces across the globe

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JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Sep 18, 2025 10:00 PM EDT

When starting a new job, there can be a big learning curve. You have to familiarize yourself with the nitty-gritty of the job-- the programs they use, the procedures they follow, and all the stuff that's in the employee handbook. You learn what your daily tasks are going to look like, who you're reporting to, and how you'll be evaluated on your work. There is a lot of info in the beginning, and it's on you to take it all in. But this is only half of the story. At every job, there are unwritten rules that you have to abide by, but nobody will spell them out for you. 

It might have to do with expectations around when you arrive and when you leave, or how to talk to your superiors. This is the kind of stuff you only learn when you're on the job. For example, I used to work at a coffee shop that had the unspoken rule that you could make coffee for yourself during your shift, but you shouldn't use the plastic cups, because they're the most expensive. 

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  • "If you don't put in unpaid labor, you must not really care about your job"
    via Arlington Research

  • This kind of stuff can be small but make a big difference over the course of your working life. And if you're a person who has a hard time picking up on social cues, then this might be pretty hard for you. Gathered below are a bunch of rules, from the common to the uncommon, from Redditors' workplaces. Scroll on and see what they are. 

     

  • What is the strangest unwritten rule at your workplace?

    At one job, everyone knew you couldn't leave before the boss did, even if your shift ended. It wasn't in any handbook, but breaking it made you look "lazy." What weird unspoken rules have you seen?
    via u/Illustrious-Dirt5485

  • Commenters chimed in with their responses.

    • Reaganson 1d ago If you're well liked but lazy you get better treatment than those who are just hard workers.
    via u/Reaganson
  • Reasonable-Click28... . 1d ago In a smaller company- people tend to park in the same spot daily. Don't park in someone else's spot.
    via u/Reasonable-Click2857
  • ted_anderson · 1d ago Don't expose coworkers who are benefitting from nepotism.
    via u/ted_anderson
  • un_gaslightable • 1d ago You must show up 15 minutes early, but you'll never be scheduled to reflect that.
    via u/un_gaslightable
  • Ornamental_oriental · 1d ago • I've eaten lunch outside by myself for as long as I can remember. Welp, my job I'm at now everybody eats together or takes lunch with a partner, and if you don't they say "have a great lunch" in unison when you're leaving. It's like saying f$@k you for not eating with us. So subtle but it still stings.
    via u/Ornamental_oriental
  • danvapes_ . 1d ago When I was an apprentice, you didn't get up from break or lunch until your journeyman or foreman did. As an apprentice you aren't there to outwork your journeyman, you worked at his/her pace to help facilitate the job/task.
    via u/danvapes_
  • You do not put your hard hat or tool down on a surface that people will or could be eating. from. Not strange, makes total sense. As an apprentice you'd better have a pencil/notepad, a role of tape, your Kleins, a pair of channellocks, torpedo level, and a multibit driver or #2 Phillips and 1/4 slotted driver on you at all times.
    via u/danvapes_
  • 495orange 1d ago • Never ever ever speak to senior management unless they speak to you first. Don't even say hello in the parking lot or elevator. Know your place.
    via u/495orange
  • tahxirez 1d ago If you don't put in unpaid labor, you must not really care about your job. (Teacher)
    via u/tahxirez
  • Beyou74 • 1d ago You only need to be qualified if you are a woman.
    via u/Beyou74
  • . xcptn155 1d ago We had one CEO that had a thing about sticky notes. Cannot have them. Once he retired sticky notes were in the supply closets.
    via u/xcptn155
  • readbackcorrect 1d ago i worked one place where the policy was that you got one 10 minute paid break for every 4 hours of work. But you weren't supposed to actually take the break. If you asked to, all your co-workers would be mad because that meant that someone had to cover your patients. It didn't
    via u/readbackcorrect
  • matter how carefully you timed it -"nothing to do for my patients at all unless they put on their light and since they've all had whatever pain meds were allowed/ prescribed, and they've all been offered the bed pain/ toilet, there's nothing that can't wait for 10 minutes until
    via u/readbackcorrect
  • I get back.". nope, still mad. Also, we were not to take our 30 minute unpaid lunch break either. But we weren't allowed to put it down as a no lunch, so until I wised up, I donated 30 minutes every shift to my hospital.
    via u/readbackcorrect
  • eileen404 1d ago We apparently have one that nobody takes the last serving of pastries in the break room. So it gets cut in half then someone takes half of that etc until in the afternoon there's a small bite left on the plate nobody takes
    via u/eileen404
  • . Lost Taste_8181 • 1d ago Used to have an unofficial list of words not to say in front of the CEO, basically any kind of industry jargon that we all used on daily basis, and NO ACRONYMS. He has the only "reserved" parking spot, and if someone accidentally parked there he would have their car towed. I could go on and on. Strange part is that for all of its insanity, I do generally enjoy my job.
    via u/Lost_Taste_8181
  • I_love_a_librarian • 1d ago I worked at a busy veterinary hospital. It was frowned upon to take a 5 min break in the break room for a quick bite of lunch you brought from home. It was acceptable to spend 10 min going to the convenience store or smoking a ciga tte.
    via u/I_love_a_librarian
  • ilovepadthai · 1d ago . Don't email someone higher than your boss without looping your boss in
    via u/ilovepadthai
  • EBECK_28. 1d ago Don't show your depre s on but also don't show that you're doing well.
    via u/EBECK_28
  • Hustla OfCultcha 1d ago Not at my current workplace, but a past workplace. Our boss told us on the first day that she does NOT have an open door policy. She didn't go into what this detailed, but essentially the unwritten rules were: 1. Door wide open = Come on in 2. Door 3/4 way open = Come on in, but be brief
    via u/HustlaOfCultcha
  • 3. Door 1/2 way open = Knock or e-mail first, be brief 4. Door 1/4 way open = It better be urgent and very brief 5. Door closed = Only the building on fire should you even knock the door. And the first better be on our floor.
    via u/HustlaOfCultcha
  • It was so childish. Most anti- social person I've ever worked with. One time I needed her to put her signature on a very important piece of paper. I was walking to her office and I see the door wide open. But as I'm walking to the office she
    via u/HustlaOfCultcha
  • comes around the corner, well in front of me. She gets into her office about 10 seconds before I get there and has the door only 1/4 open. I knock and she yells at me DIDN'T YOU SEE MY DOOR IS CLOSED?!?!? b . Bulls that the entire office had to play her games.
    via u/HustlaOfCultcha
  • sjwit 1d ago worked in a large law firm for 3 miserable years. The lawyers went to lunch at noon. Everyone else was "allowed" to go at 1:00. Also, no one seemed to care if you were running little bit late once in awhile, but it was ill-advised to be seen leaving early.
    via u/sjwit
  • hello_kitty365 · 1d ago . Heard that employees are not allowed to eat lunch at their desk. (A bank)
    via u/hello_kitty365
  • exlant11 23h ago I am a building maintenance supervisor with 5 mechanics under me, 24 buildings, we have an unwritten rule that you don't do plumbing repairs on a Friday. We just put what ever it is out of order until Monday.
    via u/exlant11

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rules boss antiwork workplace-stories toxic-workplace job unwritten rules bosses work coworkers working reddit story toxic-boss workplace reddit thread bad bosses Reddit toxic-work-environment
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