Work etiquette helps professionals to know the expectations and or limitations of social behavior in a workplace. There is no universal agreement about a standard work etiquette, but common rules of etiquette exist to draw professional lines to enable us have better relationships with co-workers, clients and bosses.
There is no shortage of competent and reliable people in the business world and manners can make the difference. Here are 10 business etiquette rules that will help you maintain a good professional image and avoid awkward situations at the workplace.
1. Use your full name when introducing yourself
The professional world is full of other women with a name similar to yours. Introducing yourself with your full name helps distinguish you from the sea of Annes and Carols they have met. Knowing your last name also makes it easier for people to find you on professional sites like LinkedIn so you can stay connected.
2. A handshake is still the professional standard
Not only does this simple gesture demonstrate that you are polite, confident and approachable, it also sets the tone for any potential future professional relationship. In a very casual work atmosphere, you might be able to get away with a nod or a hello, but it’s worth it to make the extra effort to offer your hand for a firm handshake.
3. Stop crossing and uncrossing your legs
When you have been sitting for a while, it is natural to get uncomfortable. As a lady, however, repeatedly rearranging your legs is distracting. It makes you look uncomfortable or uneasy. Instead of fidgeting, try to find one comfortable sitting position and stick to it.
4. Do not eat at your desk
When at the office, avoid taking your lunch or tea at your work desk. Imagine if a client or your boss walked in to find an office smelling of rice or pizza. Not professional, right? Always take lunch in the break room.
Some days it might be difficult to find time in your schedule to get up from your desk, but even if it is only for a few minutes, getting up to eat will be a productivity boosting break.
5. Knock before entering other people’s offices
Imagine how you feel when you are buried under work and a co-worker pops into your office. Maybe it’s just to ask a simple question, but that momentary distraction completely derails your train of thought and productivity. Do not do that to your co-workers. Even if right now is the perfect moment for you to discuss something, that doesn’t mean it is for them. Take the time to send an email to find out when both of you have a few spare minutes.
6. Keep personal items off the office/board table
With mobile phones and laptops being a basic need for professionals, avoid taking them with you to meetings, unless you are the one typing the minutes. Keep your cell phone stowed away. Having it out on the table is a sign to those you’re with that they don’t have your full attention.
7. Keep questions to a minimum in meetings
Meetings are a great time to bring up questions or concerns you might have. Having multiple people there ensures you’ll get the right answer. However, if the questions are not relevant or are eating away time at a meeting, avoid them. Limit yourself to the most important questions during the meeting and then follow up with an email if you still have more after it ends.
8. Reply to emails on time
As a professional woman who wants to be taken seriously, reply emails to clients or co-workers on time. You should not be the reason a payment or decision has been delayed.
As dangerous as the ‘reply all’ button can be, you need to be in the habit of using it when it comes to sharing important information. For example, say someone sends out a group email asking about some project details. If you respond to just the original sender with the answers, everyone else is out of the loop. Now, either people don’t have the information they need or the sender needs to waste time forwarding your email to everyone in the chain.
9. For better business etiquette, be on time.
We are all busy. Being punctual shows others that you value their time. Being late does not mean that you are busier than other people, it means that you are inconsiderate.
10. Show genuine interest.
Keep eye contact and make an effort to truly listen to what others are saying. We are so easily distracted in this climate of increasingly short attention spans; we often can’t wait for the other person to hurry up and finish so we can move on to the next thing. Resist the lure of distraction and haste. Take the time to ask questions and show an interest in the other person’s thoughts.
