Communication01
You’ve sent an email but haven’t heard back yet. What do you do?
Talk it through
Think about urgency, a helpful follow-up and the best way to check in.
Real conversations. Stronger workplaces.
Small conversations. Big differences.
This 90-card deck explores the unwritten rules of work and the things people need to know at work, but are rarely told.
For organisations: enquire about a pilotBuilt for real life at work
When the unwritten isn’t clear, people are left guessing.
90
cards for practical conversations
9
everyday areas of work
Real
situations, not corporate jargon
Clearer
expectations for everyone
A look inside
Start with a situation. Make room for a better answer.
Every card gives people a way to talk about work without pretending there is one perfect culture.
Time02
Your manager gives you a task, but the deadline is not clear.
Talk it through
What do you say, do or check before you start?
Boundaries03
A colleague asks you to finish something outside your shift.
Talk it through
How do you respond while keeping the relationship respectful?
Real sample cards
Take a closer look at the cards.
These examples raise questions, not universal rules. The most useful response can depend on the people and workplace.
The cards, in conversation
How it works
Pick a card. Think it through. Start a conversation.
Work. Unwritten. is simple to use. You don't need a rulebook, a facilitator or any special training.
Choose a card
Pick a card at random or choose a topic you'd like to explore.
Each card presents a realistic workplace situation or question, the kind of thing people encounter at work but aren't always sure how to handle.
Consider your response
Before turning the card over, think about what you would say or do.
If you're playing with someone else, compare your answers. You may discover that you see the situation quite differently.
Turn it over
The reverse of the card offers considerations, suggestions or different ways of approaching the situation.
Use these to explore your response and consider other possibilities.
Keep the conversation going
Talk about what might work, what could go wrong and how expectations might differ between workplaces.
Set aside any cards you'd like to revisit.
Your deck. Your way.
- On your own
- Explore situations at your own pace and build confidence in navigating everyday workplace expectations.
- With another person
- Compare perspectives, practise conversations and explore different approaches.
- In a group
- Use the cards to encourage discussion, share experiences and make workplace expectations easier to understand.
There isn't always one right answer.
Workplaces and people are different. Work. Unwritten. isn't about teaching everyone to behave the same way. It's about understanding expectations, recognising choices and making the unwritten easier to discuss.
Cards in conversation
A card can open up a conversation.
Explore a situation by yourself, with someone else or around a table. People and workplaces differ, so the cards leave room to compare perspectives rather than prescribe one right answer.
Different people. Different workplaces. Shared understanding.
Who is Work. Unwritten. for?
The cards offer a practical starting point for people entering work, teaching work skills, or helping workplaces make expectations clearer. They invite discussion; they don't prescribe one right response.
For employment providers
Use realistic scenarios to help people explore expectations that may not be written down, including communication, teamwork, time and boundaries. Discuss possible responses, practise asking for clarification, and identify where someone may want extra information or support.
For educators and trainers
Bring workplace situations into employment preparation and vocational learning. Use short scenarios to spark discussion, role-play and reflection, and show that context can mean more than one reasonable response.
For employees
Starting a job or joining an unfamiliar team can involve guesswork. Use the cards to think through situations, consider different responses, and prepare questions for a manager or colleague. Use them on your own, with someone you trust, or in a workplace conversation.
For disability support organisations
Explore expectations that may rely on unwritten conventions or indirect communication. Use the scenarios at a suitable pace to support discussion, self-advocacy and clearer communication, without treating one way of behaving as right for everyone.
Want to explore the deck or a team conversation?
For organisations
Make the unwritten discussable.
For employers, educators and employment providers who want people to know what good work looks like before they are expected to do it.
- 01Available to pilot
Pilot team sessions
Guided conversations using realistic scenarios, shaped for your people and context.
- 02Planned
Facilitator kit
Activities and clear guidance for the people running workplace conversations.
- 03Planned
Workplace review
A practical written guide that brings hidden expectations out into the open.
First edition
Be first to know when the deck is ready.
Tell us how many decks you may need. It helps us make a first edition that works for people and organisations alike.
Pilot a session
Bring the real questions into the room.
Planning a team session, class or employment program? Tell us what you are working on and we will get back to you.