When you think about workplace etiquette, do you imagine greeting colleagues as you arrive in the morning or holding the door open when spotting your boss toting a heavy load? Such politeness is part of the concept.
But workplace etiquette goes even deeper. Think of it as the customary code for your place of employment. It is what people expect from a professional in a given work environment.
Why proper workplace etiquette matters
Following etiquette rules contributes to creating a positive workplace culture. An atmosphere in which staff members are courteous and respectful makes for a more pleasant daily experience.
Teamwork improves when people like being around each other. Productivity and innovation may increase as employees work together to achieve goals and solve problems.
Understanding norms enhances communication and reduces problems. For instance, employees who know to give teammates a heads-up when running late demonstrate consideration for others’ time. This courtesy allows colleagues to adjust accordingly and keeps them from getting angry.
Following business etiquette is reflected well in the company. Clients and vendors like to deal with organizations that come off as polished and competent. Brand reputation benefits.
Individuals well-versed in etiquette enhance their professional image. This perception can lead to better assignments, greater chances of promotion, and more respect from colleagues.
Comprehension of workplace etiquette can even help save your job. According to a recent Fortune article, employers rapidly fire many young workers after just a few months. Among the struggles these Gen Z new hires exhibited is a need for more professional behavior, such as being late to work and meetings, not following the dress code, and using inappropriate language for the work environment.
Basic workplace etiquette
Many of the behaviors considered proper etiquette are universal. For instance, making eye contact when speaking to customers is a good practice at any business.
Let’s take a closer look at some etiquette rules to master regardless of where one works:
Communicate courteously
Say “please” and “thank you.” Keep your voice at an appropriate level that does not bother others. Avoid swearing and using derogatory language. Also, refrain from interrupting the person who is speaking.
Stay office appropriate
Follow the dress code. Avoid controversial subjects such as politics and religion. Realize that too many details about your personal life can make colleagues uncomfortable. Likewise, refrain from prying into the private lives of others.
Behave like an adult
Don’t gossip or spread rumors. Avoid tirades and pity parties. Don’t take things that aren’t yours (including someone’s yogurt in the fridge), and ask before borrowing items.
Remember that your mama is not around to clean up after you, so do it yourself. Act mature at company gatherings, including watching how much you drink.
Realize others are trying to work
Help your colleagues perform their best by making the environment conducive to productivity. Hold conversations (including phone calls) away from where they might bother people. Try not to interrupt someone who you can see is trying to concentrate.
Do your best to keep noise levels down. And think twice before microwaving smelly leftovers that carry a bothersome stench down the hallway.
Conflict resolution etiquette
Now that we have reviewed general office etiquette, we can discuss proper conduct in various instances.
People in the workplace only sometimes see eye to eye. That’s simply a fact of life. However, professionals “fight fair.” They remember that they are all on the same team and strive for peaceful outcomes.
Start by committing to respectfully disagreeing. This mindset acknowledges that individuals possess their own opinions and outlooks. While the ideas may not align with yours, you realize others are entitled to hold them.
As you talk with one another to work on a resolution, keep the following in mind:
Avoid immature actions such as name-calling, swearing, provoking, and dramatics.
Physical contact, violence, and threats are never acceptable.
Hold discussions in private. Refrain from arguing with customers. Seeing others fight makes people (including colleagues) uncomfortable.
Refrain from passive-aggressive behavior. Talking behind someone’s back or sneakily sabotaging a foe’s work will not improve matters. Workplace etiquette demands dealing with problems directly and tactfully.
Meeting etiquette
Whether you are a leader conducting a meeting or a participant in it, certain behaviors are standard. Here are a few universal tips:
Make every effort to be on time. Leaving others to wait is rude.
Do not hog the floor. Give others in attendance a chance to share their thoughts.
Silence your cell phone. Do not scroll through texts or social media once the meeting gets underway.
Honor psychological safety. Everyone should feel free to be authentic and able to express themselves without fear of being belittled or shut down.
Do your part to keep the gathering to the allotted time, as people schedule commitments afterward. Actions might include a boss shelving specific issues until another time or a participant deciding to email a colleague later rather than take up everybody’s time on a non-urgent question.
When participating in a virtual meeting, choose a quiet setting that allows you and others to hear well. Provide your complete focus (e.g., unloading the dishwasher while you talk is a no-no). Do what you can to prevent interruptions, such as settling children beforehand so they won’t pound on your door.
Email etiquette
Since so much of modern business communication takes place via email, it pays to grasp the etiquette expectations for this medium.
Twelve important tips include:
Decide if email is the correct method. An in-person or Zoom discussion is better if the subject requires much back-and-forth or is potentially emotional. These routes allow reading body language.
Junior high school girls use pink text, ornate fonts, and emojis. Office professionals use black text in a very readable size and style.
Do not leave the subject line blank. A brief description of the message’s contents can be time-saving.
Don’t write in all capital letters. The reader could interpret it as yelling.
Work email etiquette dictates using a friendly salutation (such as “Dear Mr. Smith”) when writing to someone you do not know well. Likewise, immediately self-identify for the reader’s convenience. (“This is John Barter. We met at the Rotary Club luncheon last week.”) Be sure to include contact information at the message’s end.
During a vacation or other absence, set up an automated message letting senders know when you will be back and who to contact until then.
When your email doesn’t necessitate an answer, include “No need to respond” at the end.
Think before hitting “reply all.” Direct your email only to those who need to see it.
Similarly, avoid blindly hitting CC or BCC on your outgoing messages. Pause for a second to determine who truly needs a copy.
Learn your individual office’s tolerance for passing along jokes, recipes, interesting articles, and the like. Many colleagues detest their inboxes getting cluttered with non-work-related material.
Answer emails in a timely fashion. If you need clarification on your workplace’s turnaround norm, ask.
Respect personal life. Try to send messages during work hours so that people do not feel pressured to respond on time.
Respecting boundaries
All people deserve to feel physically, mentally, and emotionally comfortable at work. Setting boundaries contributes to feelings of wellness, and etiquette rules dictate honoring them.
Giving people their personal space contributes to feelings of safety and comfort. Maintain a proper distance when conversing to avoid “getting in someone’s face.”
Likewise, allow some room between your chair and those around you. Wishing someone a happy birthday? Think twice about giving a hug unless you are absolutely sure the person is comfortable with it.
Treat the offices and cubicles of others as their territory. You would not just walk into your neighbor’s house. Knock before entering a workspace, do not just go on in if the occupant is away, and do not touch items.
Look, too, for indications that a person wants privacy. Honor “do not disturb” signs and closed doors. Understand that a person wearing headphones in an office usually does so to tell others she wants to be left alone to work.
General considerations regarding workplace etiquette
Etiquette can be both an easy and a tricky subject. Sometimes, knowing what to do comes rather naturally. You see a teammate drop a stack of papers, and helping him gather them back seems like the right move.
Other instances bring more uncertainty, such as the classic “Should I tell Sheila she has spinach stuck to her front teeth?”
No perfect system exists for mastering every situation’s best course of action. However, the following can help in making etiquette decisions:
Default to the Golden Rule
Treat others the way you’d like them to treat you. Think about how you would want fellow team members to respond if you were in the same situation, and let those thoughts guide your actions.
For instance, Sheila likely will be grateful to hear news of her green teeth from you rather than embarrass herself in front of a client. It’s hard to go wrong when you practice empathy.
Reflect beyond yourself
Ask yourself, “How will my actions affect the overall picture?” Anything that hurts, embarrasses, or purposely inconveniences others is likely the incorrect etiquette decision.
Being late with your part of an assignment without giving teammates a heads-up, for example, hinders their ability to do their job and puts them on the spot in front of managers and clients.
Err on the side of caution
Is that joke you heard on TV last night appropriate for the office? You can skip repeating it around the water cooler. Why risk offending others or damaging your reputation?
Read your audience
Much of workplace etiquette involves team members feeling comfortable being around each other. Pay attention to other people’s body language when interacting. If facial expressions reveal discomfort with questions about his personal life, avoid asking them to Todd. Remember to leave extra physical space between you if Mary seems to back away during conversations.
Ask
If you have questions about workplace etiquette rules, consult your supervisor or human resources. They are usually happy to offer answers or suggestions and make an effort to find outcasts in a positive light.
Check the book
Employee handbooks typically provide good guidance about what an employer expects regarding proper behavior. Learn the policies.
A final note to employers: Consider offering workplace etiquette training. Make it part of the onboarding process to help new hires (especially young ones) understand expectations.
But don’t stop there. Continue to present the subject to the entire staff regularly. Doing so aids everyone in developing greater professionalism and sends a clear message that the company values proper business etiquette.
More Resources:
Help employees dust off their business etiquette skills
Virtual meeting etiquette in today’s workplace
Email etiquette for business — a comprehensive guide
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