Workplace Etiquette Your “Ticket” to get anything and anyplace you want

What is workplace etiquette?

Etiquette – Definition Rules governing socially acceptable behavior.

Etiquette… The word “Etiquette” is derived from French which means “Ticket”. Your ticket to get anything and anyplace you want.

Objectives To define workplace etiquette To understand our role and responsibility in creating a work environment conducive to positive interaction among employees To identify behaviors considered important for maintaining workplace etiquette

What behaviors does Workplace Etiquette include? The way you relate to your co-workers The way you relate to customers Your behavior while at work What you wear How you speak & communicate to / with people

Let’s think about Workplace Etiquette… Write down one issue or question concerning workplace etiquette that you would like to discuss … be specific.

Let’s take test to determine your Workplace Etiquette score……

How Do You Score? 1.I say “good morning” to students / co-workers when I enter the school / office each morning. 2.I clean up after I use the kitchen, cafeteria or snack area. 3.I say “thank you” when someone does something nice for me. 4.I arrive on time for classes / meetings. 5.I keep my anger under control.

Page 2 – How Do You Score? 6. I stay away from telling jokes about race or sex. 7. I leave my cell phone at my desk or keep it flipped over during meetings / class. 8. If I send an message, I make sure that it is relevant, appropriate, clear, and checked for spelling and grammatical errors. 9. I am respectful of co-workers’ workspace, e.g., not using their desks or computer, separating my belongs from theirs. 10. I only make promises to others that I am able to keep.

Scoring ……….1 point for true and 0 for false 0-5Uh oh, it’s time for charm school. Seriously, you seem to be committing a number of etiquette faux pas. Hasn’t anyone said anything to you about your behavior? If you keep it up, your career is probably going nowhere (and you may not have a job). 6-8Not bad. You seem to have your office manners mostly in control. But don’t stop here—take a look at areas you can improve upon and you should see your career rolling forward. 9-10Congratulations! You are probably one of those people described as “a pleasure to work with.” Your mannerly behavior and sensitivity to others should move you far along on the road to success.

Review 43 behaviors that may not be perceived as following Workplace Etiquette guidelines………..

Sanity Check ….. Do you or others? Have questionable personal hygiene Leave old and/or spoiled food in the refrigerator Forget to clean up after using the office kitchen, sink, restroom or appliances Leave trash or personal belongings in other people’s work spaces Forget to follow through when you say you will do something Use language that is overly familiar, e.g., calling others “honey” or “dear” Wear clothing that is dirty, too casual, too tight, too seductive or distracting in some other way Flirt with coworkers, vendors or customers Wear too much perfume or after-shave

Sanity Check ….. Do you or others? Drop in on others while they are working and don’t ask if it’s okay to interrupt Habitually arrive late at meetings Have outbursts of anger or yell and curse Gossip or say negative things about other employees behind their backs Talk too much about your personal life Speak too loudly on the telephone Eat food at your desks that has a strong smell Eat food at non “lunch & learn” type meetings

Sanity Check ….. Do you or others? Tell jokes that involve race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity or national origin Act too “touchy feely” Send sloppy messages Borrow things but forget to return them Play music in your cubicle that others can hear Forget to say “thank you” Forget to return phone calls Spend time talking on your cell phone during work hours Check s / text messages during meetings

Sanity Check ….. Do you or others? Keep asking others the same questions even though they have given the answers previously Start meetings late and/or don’t end them on time Forget to pick up completed copies from the copy room or pick up pages others have sent to the printer Carry on loud conversations outside of your office or cubicle Borrow money and forget to return it Frequently complain and/or criticize others Block walkways or doorways when carrying on conversations Neglect to pay attention to others when they are speaking to you Keep others waiting

Sanity Check ….. Do you or others? Leave voice mail messages that are difficult to understand (example, saying your phone number so quickly others have to listen three times to get them right) Use emoticons (those little faces that express an emotion) in office Leave the coffee pot empty Make others feel like they are interrupting you – inconveniencing you Make time off requests at the last minute leaving your teammates scrambling to cover for you Take your time and have no sense or urgency in completing projects

What are some of the benefits of having a culture that believes and follows generally accepted workplace etiquette?

Benefits of having Workplace Etiquette Increases employee job satisfaction Avoids misunderstandings Increases productivity Makes the workplace a happy / stress free place Increases likelihood of your success

Let’s review the issue or question you wrote at the beginning of the session …. Was your concern addressed? If not, let’s talk …..

Index Card – Your “Ticket” Something I learned a long time ago… you cannot change others … you can only change yourself! Write down one good workplace behavior that you will work on or try. This is for you to keep …. And review periodically.

Conclusion ….. The workplace is a gaming ground with written and unwritten rules Etiquette (or unwritten rules) are often more powerful Etiquette shows your mastery of cultural nuances and expectations Understanding etiquette is one of your most powerful keys to professional success

Thank you…. Questions?