Why is office etiquette important? Because bad manners at work can be bad for business by negatively
affecting employee morale and productivity.
To ensure a happy and productive work environment, every employee (not just management)
should act as a role model by demonstrating the following good manners:
- Stay at home when you’re sick.
- Always show up on time for meetings. If you’re usually running late,try scheduling meetings in 45 minute increments to allow enough time to get to your next one.
- Keep meetings to the scheduled amount of time.
- Don’t force the next group to stand in the hallway outside the conference room waiting for you and your group to finish.
- Put your cell phone on vibrate mode to prevent disturbing others.
- Pay attention during meetings and avoid multi-tasking,such as scrolling through emails on your smart phone or computer.
- Don’t hold meetings in your cubicle and distract those sitting close nearby.For meetings with three or more people, go to a conference room or a break area.
- Eat lunch in the cafeteria or break room. Avoid eating smelly food at your desk.
- Be aware of how loud you speak on the telephone if you work in a cubicle environment.
- Avoid wearing perfume or cologne at work.
- Ladies – don’t wear revealing clothing. Let others see your skills, not private body parts.
- Respect your co-worker’s property (and company property).
- Don’t take things from others without asking. Refrigerator lunch food stealers – that also means you!
- Don’t yell and scream at others. Compassion and empathy will serve you much better to earn respect.