Fair Play in the Workplace

Q. How do we get fair play in the workplace?
A.
By giving team members a standard way to address objectionable behavior in real time.

Q. Why does real-time matter?
A.
Because fairness works best at the point the behavior occurs, before issues build up, get buried, or become distorted in hindsight. In that sense, it is closer to a referee during a soccer match, or an Andon cord at Toyota, than a delayed HR process.

Q. How do we do that?
A.
By objecting to objectionable behavior in real-time through a standard three-step process.

Q. Why split it into three steps?
A.
Because most infringements start small, and teams need a standard way to address them early while holding people accountable proportionately. No sense in requiring a detailed apology just for a slip of the tongue.

Q. What are the steps?
A.
Level 0: Verbal Caution
Level 1: Formal Caution
Level 2: Formal Objection
Level 3: Formal Stop and Team + AI Review

Q. What do they correspond to?
A.
0. Verbal Caution: the mildest form of objection, like a referee’s verbal warning. It addresses a minor overstep before it becomes a documented issue.
– Response required: Verbal acknowledgment

1. Formal Caution: the first documented step using the SpatzChat™ app. Used at a more convenient time, it marks an initial infringement or micro-conflict, what we might call a spat. If the issue is ignored or challenged, it can escalate further.
– Response required: Acknowledgment using chat app

2. Formal Objection: a stronger formal step when the issue remains unresolved. At this point the matter has become an active dispute. If the objection is still ignored, challenged, or resisted, it can escalate to a Stop.
– Response required: Simple apology using chat app.

3. Formal Stop: the point at which fair resolution has broken down enough that the matter now requires the formal Spatz Team + AI Review. At this stage, the issue has become a conflict serious enough for structured review.
– Response required: Acceptable apology using the Slack review platform.