Etiquette at Work

Etiquette refers to certain rules and regulations necessary for an individual to follow to find a place in the society. One must be courteous enough for others to draw inspiration and look up to him/her. An individual without good manners is often lost in the crowd and fails to make his/her mark. Keep personal life separate from your professional life. One needs to be a little more mature and behave sensibly at the workplace. No matter what, you just can’t afford to adopt a casual attitude at work. One needs to be careful about what to wear, what to speak, how to interact with the fellow workers and so on for an everlasting impression. An individual spends his/her maximum time at the workplace and thus it is essential for him/her to feel comfortable there. Every employee should be assigned a separate workstation for him/her to concentrate on work and contribute to the level best. A separate workstation also ensures employees do not interfere in each other’s work. Etiquette at work will be employee etiquette, dress etiquette, desk etiquette, office lunch etiquette etc,. Now we will see one by one;      Employee Etiquette : Employee etiquette refers to codes of conduct an individual should follow while at work. Respect your organization to expect the same in return. Don’t treat your organization as a mere source of earning money. Remember your organization is paying you for your hard work and not for gossiping and loitering around.            Reach office on time. If your office timing is 9 AM, make sure you are there at 8.50 AM. It is essential to be disciplined at the workplace. Leave all your personal problems out the moment you step in the office. It is unprofessional to mix personal and professional life. Keep them separate. Greet your fellow workers with a smile. Follow the professional dress code. Never wear anything which shows much of your skin. Avoid wearing jeans, capris, T shirts, shorts etc to work. Female employees should not wear revealing dresses or deep neck blouses to work.                                                                    Never ever enter office under the influence of alcohol. It is an offence. As a responsible employee you have no rights to share confidential information with any of the external parties under any circumstances. Data in any form must not be leaked to anyone who bears no relation with the organization. Keep your cell phones in the silent mode to avoid disturbing others sitting around you. Loud ring tones at the workplace are a strict no no!!. Avoid long personal calls during office hours. Wearing ear buds at the workplace is unacceptable.               Keep your workstation free of unwanted documents and files. Avoid having lunch at your desk. It creates mess. Learn to own your mistakes. Stick to your statements. Stay away from blame games and nasty politics at the workplace. Remember conflicts and misunderstandings lead you nowhere. It is always better to discuss issues face to face and reach to a mutually acceptable solution. While communicating through emails, make sure your boss is in the loop. It is foolish to hide things from him. Master the art of writing emails. Emails must be self explanatory and a clear reflection of one’s thoughts. Respect your fellow workers. Help them whenever required. Never give them wrong suggestions.   Treat all your fellow workers as one irrespective of their education and designation in the organization. Female employees must be treated with respect and dignity. Never take undue advantage of your position. Do not ask for personal favours from your subordinates. Too much of friendship at the workplace is bad. Never enter financial transactions with your fellow colleagues and any financial dealings too, which disturbs office environment and effects your job. Respect each other’s privacy. Do not open envelopes not meant for you. It is bad manners to read your colleague’s email or check his messages. Stay away from controversies. Do not spread rumours around. It is strictly unprofessional.  Desk Etiquette:

• Keep your workstation clean and organized.

• Make sure you don’t throw paper and wrappings here and there. Throw them in dustbin.
• Throw all unwanted pens, pencils, highlighters, erasers, markers and so on. Keep all your stationery items at their proper places. Throw away what all you don’t need.
• Avoid keeping stacks of files at your desk. It gives a cluttered look to your workstation. Keep them at their respective drawers with a label on top of each file to avoid unnecessary searching.                                              
• Avoid bringing soft toys, photo frames, candle stands to work.
• The official phone should be used only for official purposes. Avoid long calls as your Boss might need you urgently.

                            

• Don’t put posters of your favourite celebrities on the walls at the workplace. It is completely unprofessional and childish.
• Keep a notepad and pen handy to jot down important contact numbers. Avoid writing on walls or loose paper.
• Eating at the workstation attracts cockroaches and insects. Go to the cafeteria for lunch. Not only it will keep your desk clean but also allow you to relax and spend quality time with your colleagues. If you have the habit of eating chocolates or wafers, make sure you throw the wrappers in dustbin. Ask the housekeeping staff to clean up the leftovers.

                                                 

• Never peep into other’s workstation. Knock before entering into boss’s cabin.                                                                      
• Take care of your tone and pitch while speaking. Remember there are other employees sitting around you as well.

                                                                                  

• If you need to talk to any of your colleagues, use the extension phone. Never shout from your desk. It is bad manners and disturbs others. If you do not have access to the extension phone, get up and walk to the other person’s desk.
• Keep your car keys, Bluetooth, earphones and other personal belongings at one place. Female employees should not keep their bags on the desk. Male employees can also keep their wallets in their desk drawer but do remember to take it back home.
• Develop the habit of using a table top calendar. Mark important tasks against the deadlines to avoid forgetting them.
• Ask the attendant to clean your drawer once in week. Staple important documents together and keep them in their respective files.
• Avoid giving unnecessary printouts.
• Turn off your printer, scanner, computer, light when you leave for the day.
• Do not bring newspaper from home and pile on your desk.
• Smoking at the workstation is an offence.

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Office Lunch Etiquette

• Take lunch only during the assigned hours. Be on time for lunch. Do not keep others waiting.
• Individuals should avoid having their lunch at their workstations. Not only it makes your desk dirty but also makes you lethargic and dull. Human being is not a machine who can work at a stretch. One needs time to relax and unwind. Sitting at the workstation continuously for six to seven hours becomes monotonous. Prefer having lunch at the cafeteria with your fellow team members. Invite your boss as well. Having lunch together strengthens the bond among the employees.
• Never discuss work at the lunch table.
• It is absolutely okay if someone whom you do not like much joins you for lunch. Do not make faces at him. Try your level best to make him feel comfortable.
• Do not start eating unless everyone else on the table has received food.
• Choose the right table for lunch. Sit where you feel comfortable.
• Always keep a sanitizer handy. Wash your hands before eating to avoid transmission of germs.
• Place a napkin on your lap while having lunch.
• Avoid bringing smelly food to work. Employees should not bring fish, chicken or eggs to work. Vegetables any day are a better option for lunch at workplace.

                                               

• Make sure your lunch is properly packed. Bring your lunch in airtight containers and aluminum foil.
• Never eat with hands in public. It is important to eat without making a mess at the workplace. Use forks and spoons.
• It is good manners to share your food amongst your fellow workers.
• Employees should not carry rotten fruits to work.
• Do not make noise while eating. It irritates the individual sitting next to you. Make sure you chew properly.
• Talking or laughing with one’s mouth full is considered unprofessional.
• Eat slowly to avoid burping in public.
• Do not pick anyone else’s food with your hand. The other person might not like it. Use a spoon.
• Don’t stare at someone else’s plate.
• Finish your food properly. Do not leave anything on your plate.
• Once you are done, keep the utensils at the proper place.
• Do not get up from the table until everyone has finished eating.
• Never put fingers in your mouth while eating around other people.
• Avoid attending phone calls during lunch hours unless it is an emergency.

                                     

• Never pick your nose while eating. It is simply disgusting.

Good Etiquette leads to Good Management and betterment in the life of an individual.  

                                             

                                           Thank You

Concept and content by : Santu

Edited by : Satya