How Do You Spell WORK-TO-RULE?

Pronunciation: [wˈɜːktəɹˈuːl] (IPA)

"Work-to-rule" is spelled with the IPA phonetic transcription of /wɜːk tə ruːl/. It refers to an industrial action where employees deliberately follow every rule and regulation to the letter, thus slowing down their work output. The hyphenated spelling of the word indicates the two separate actions being taken – "work" and "rule" – while the "to" serves as a grammatical connector. This spelling of the word is standard and widely recognized in the English language, and its correct pronunciation can be found in most dictionaries.

WORK-TO-RULE Meaning and Definition

  1. Work-to-rule is a form of industrial action where employees strictly adhere to the terms of their employment contract and labor regulations, performing no additional tasks or going beyond the bare minimum requirements. It entails putting an extra emphasis on following the letter of the law, workplace rules, and job descriptions to the fullest extent. This work slowdown tactic aims at demonstrating employees' dissatisfaction and negatively impacting the productivity and efficiency of their work.

    Under a work-to-rule strategy, employees act meticulously in adhering to their specific job duties and meticulously follow guidelines, regulations, and protocols. This includes precisely working their contracted hours, strictly adhering to break times, refusing to work overtime, and refraining from volunteering or going beyond their basic responsibilities. By adhering only to their strict contractual obligations, employees engage in a subtle protest against unsatisfactory working conditions, inadequate pay, or any other grievances they may have.

    A work-to-rule approach is typically a passive form of industrial action that allows employees to demonstrate their discontent without violating legal restrictions, such as those relating to strikes. Although it does not disrupt regular operations to the same extent as a strike, it can still have a significant impact on overall productivity and performance. Organizations experiencing work-to-rule measures may face delays, reduced output, and increased strain on operational processes, as employees strictly comply with their contracts and do not engage in any voluntary or additional work.

    In summary, work-to-rule is an industrial action strategy where employees meticulously abide by the terms of their employment contracts and labor regulations, performing only the minimum requirements while adhering strictly to workplace rules and job descriptions.

Etymology of WORK-TO-RULE

The term "work-to-rule" originated in the labor movement and is used to describe a form of industrial action or job action. The etymology of this phrase is as follows:

- "Work": The word "work" derives from the Old English word "weorc" which meant "something done" or "result of an action". It has its roots in the Proto-Germanic language.

- "To": The word "to" is a preposition that is derived from the Old English word "to" meaning "in the direction of" or "at".

- "Rule": The word "rule" comes from the Old English word "rēol" which means "a principle or regulation". It comes from the Old Norse word "regl" which has the same meaning.

Conjugate verb Work-to-rule

CONDITIONAL

I would work-to-rule
you would work-to-rule
he/she/it would work-to-rule
we would work-to-rule
they would work-to-rule

CONDITIONAL CONTINUOUS

I would be work-to-ruling
you would be work-to-ruling
he/she/it would be work-to-ruling
we would be work-to-ruling
they would be work-to-ruling

CONDITIONAL PERFECT

I would have work-to-rule
you would have work-to-rule
he/she/it would have work-to-rule
we would have work-to-rule
they would have work-to-rule

CONDITIONAL PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I would have been work-to-ruling
you would have been work-to-ruling
he/she/it would have been work-to-ruling
we would have been work-to-ruling
they would have been work-to-ruling

FUTURE

I will work-to-rule
you will work-to-rule
he/she/it will work-to-rule
we will work-to-rule
they will work-to-rule

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

I will be work-to-ruling
you will be work-to-ruling
he/she/it will be work-to-ruling
we will be work-to-ruling
they will be work-to-ruling

FUTURE PERFECT

I will have work-to-ruled
you will have work-to-ruled
he/she/it will have work-to-ruled
we will have work-to-ruled
they will have work-to-ruled

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I will have been work-to-ruling
you will have been work-to-ruling
he/she/it will have been work-to-ruling
we will have been work-to-ruling
they will have been work-to-ruling

IMPERATIVE

you work-to-rule
we let´s work-to-rule

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

to work-to-rule

PAST

I work-to-ruled
you work-to-ruled
he/she/it work-to-ruled
we work-to-ruled
they work-to-ruled

PAST CONTINUOUS

I was work-to-ruling
you were work-to-ruling
he/she/it was work-to-ruling
we were work-to-ruling
they were work-to-ruling

PAST PARTICIPLE

work-to-ruled

PAST PERFECT

I had work-to-ruled
you had work-to-ruled
he/she/it had work-to-ruled
we had work-to-ruled
they had work-to-ruled

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I had been work-to-ruling
you had been work-to-ruling
he/she/it had been work-to-ruling
we had been work-to-ruling
they had been work-to-ruling

PRESENT

I work-to-rule
you work-to-rule
he/she/it work-to-rules
we work-to-rule
they work-to-rule

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

I am work-to-ruling
you are work-to-ruling
he/she/it is work-to-ruling
we are work-to-ruling
they are work-to-ruling

PRESENT PARTICIPLE

work-to-ruling

PRESENT PERFECT

I have work-to-ruled
you have work-to-ruled
he/she/it has work-to-ruled
we have work-to-ruled
they have work-to-ruled

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I have been work-to-ruling
you have been work-to-ruling
he/she/it has been work-to-ruling
we have been work-to-ruling
they have been work-to-ruling