Strict workplace protocols can clash with established norms, especially around senior leadership.

One front desk employee dutifully enforced a bold new visitor policy, requiring every guest to sign in and wait for clearance. But when she kept even the CEO waiting, she forced her superiors to reconsider their rigidity.

Read on for the full story!

They said all guests must sign in, so I made the CEO wait in the lobby until security approved him

We got a new visitor policy last week.

The email was bolded, underlined, and said: “ALL GUESTS MUST SIGN IN AND WAIT FOR SECURITY CLEARANCE BEFORE ENTERING. NO EXCEPTIONS.”

I work front desk.

Normally, executives just walk through. But hey, the email said what it said.

Then someone important walked through the door.

So when the CEO came in early for a board meeting, smiled, and started heading for the elevator, I handed him the clipboard and said, “Sorry sir, I’ll need you to sign in and wait while I call it in.”

He looked confused, maybe a little amused, but sat down.

Security took their time—ten full minutes.

It didn’t take long for the policy to be adjusted after this.

The next morning, we got a new email: “Use discretion for executive level visitors.”

Go figure.

Sounds like this policy should have been workshopped a little further.

What did Reddit think?

This commenter is also a fan of malicious compliance.

On the other hand, maybe CEOs deserve to wait every once in a while.

A similar situation happened to this commenter’s family member.

Companies sure do make a big deal about badges.

Even in the world of security, you have to balance practicality.

If you liked that story, check out this post about an oblivious CEO who tells a web developer to “act his wage”… and it results in 30% of the workforce being laid off.