Five professional etiquettes everyone should follow at the workplace

Civility matters, be it home or work

We are all aware of the certain rules of our workplaces like the dress codes, the office timings, the work schedule, so on and so forth. But there are certain unsaid rules which dictate our daily work lives which we need to be aware of.

These unsaid rules are not really rules in the way that they need to be enforced but gestures of civil behaviour which makes the workplace better for all.

Certain etiquettes should be a part of a professional’s character and personality. These habits matter and they hold a person in good stead when it comes to their overall value as a professional as well as an employee. The top 5 etiquettes to keep in mind, therefore, are as follows:

Discretion

We all get calls from homes, our landlords, our bank agents and a thousand other people who are not a part of our work life. These conversations are not relevant to your work. Everyone in the office need not know every time you get a call or receive an e-mail. And no one’s really interested in your private life when you speak loudly in your phone. Be discreet. Keep your devices on silent mode and if you have to receive calls, either call later or step out of the common area. Respect other people’s right to the area and quiet.

Be present

Don’t you just hate it when you are speaking to someone and they are looking elsewhere, looking distracted, or worse, yawning? Does it not feel annoying when it happens? Such is the case with meetings. When you are present at a meeting pay attention to the speaker. They are trying to explain something and would appreciate your alertness. If the meetings are dull, as they sometimes are, try requesting for a break than falling asleep on the table.

Don’t be loud

Yes, the way you dress is entirely up to you and if there’s no dress code at your office then you are at perfect liberty to be as you are. But try being elegant and subtle with your get-up. Avoid being loud, be it your dress, perfume, or anything else. Elegance speaks louder than bold and lets your personality speak of your confidence rather than letting accessories define you. And this is a gender-neutral etiquette.

Inform

People often get late to work and quite a lot of the times the work gets delayed as a result. Similarly, sometimes we fall sick and cannot come to the office which affects the team’s work. These things happen unintentionally and even after our best intentions. The point to keep in mind is that let people in the know. Inform of such events so that someone else can step in or an alternative can be found.

Food, canteen, and common areas

There are plenty of common areas in an office including the canteen, the gym, the restroom and so on. The simple principle to follow is that keep it the way you would like to use it. Respect other people’s right to that shared space and you would gain their respect. Certain food items smell, spill, or make a mess. Certain people just destroy the restroom. And certain behaviours are a strict no-no in the office gym. Just a bit of care and you would have done your part.

Being civil is not difficult and a gentle behaviour which reflects good manner would always hold you in good stead, no matter where you are.

Orginally Published on Calibr.ai