Workplace Etiquette: Mind Your Manners Please
We all know that the essence of good manners and etiquette is to be respectful and courteous to all – all the time. But what about in the workplace, what’s expected of us? When it comes to workplace etiquette, there are written and unwritten rules. The written rules are often found in policy manuals and guidebooks. But not so for the unwritten rules, which may take some figuring out. We can observe the behaviours of senior level managers for clues, but oftentimes, the unwritten rules for workplace etiquette boils down to commonsense.
Mind
Your Manners Please:
Take
responsibility:
If you make a mistake on a critical project, immediately take responsibility,
do not blame others, or make excuses. If you realize that you are in the wrong,
apologize and move on.
Respect
other people’s space and property: Because people may work in cubicles
doesn’t mean that they do not have the right to privacy. Do not enter another
person’s space unless invited to do so, or use their properties without express
permission.
Monitor
the level of your conversations: Privacy is sometimes very difficult to
find in today’s workplace, so check the level of your conversations to ensure
you are not disturbing other coworkers.
Minimize
personal communications: Keep personal emails and telephone conversations to a
minimum on work time.
Dress
appropriately:
Tank tops, leggings and flip flops aren’t appropriate in a corporate setting,
even on casual Fridays. Dress
professionally,
and dress for the position that you are aspiring for. Make sure your clothing
is comfortable and the proper fit. If you can afford to do so, hire an image
consultant to help to coordinate your wardrobe and choose the colors that are
appropriate for your skin tone.
Listen
first, respond second: When someone is speaking, listen to what they have to say
then respond. If you are not clear about what they have said, ask for
clarification.
Customers
are gold:
When speaking to customers (or anyone for that matter) on the telephone, give
them your undivided attention. Do not multitask, they will sense it. If a
customer pops into the office, do not view them as an interruption, treat them
with respect and demonstrate that you value their business.
Manners
extend to the kitchen: If you didn’t place it in the fridge, then do not eat it.
If you place something in the fridge, eat it or throw it out, unless you
brought it in to share. In that case, let others know that.
If
corporations wrote policy handbooks to include every possible rule in the
workplace, no one would be able to lift that handbook much less read it
through. Always think commonsense when it comes to workplace etiquette and
remember to say, “please,” “thank you!” and “you’re welcome!”
No comments:
Post a Comment