Although society is increasingly casual, formal standards of behavior enable people to work happily together.
In short, manners count. Here's how:
1 Clothing: In a survey of executives by Office Team, 80 percent said clothing affects an employee's chances of promotion. Business clothes are sometimes related to location. Washington, D.C., is more formal than Denver, CO., for example. Still, low-cut dresses, bare shoulders or miniskirts are usually inappropriate for the office.
Casual Fridays don't mean sloppy Fridays. Always try to be neat, even in jeans. No muscle shirts. Cover your tattoos and remove piercings.
2 Social media: Everyone has a private life. The Office Team survey found nearly 40 percent of managers do not respond favorably to social media friend requests from employees.
3 Cellphones: A study by Robert Half Technology found that 64 percent of surveyed CIOs said the increased use of mobile devices has led to a significant rise in breaches of workplace etiquette. In a meeting, don't read email, scroll through messages, take calls or text. Turn off the sound.
4 Empathy: Don't steal food. Don't be late for meetings. Don't yell at others. Don't talk loud on a phone. Skip the aftershave or perfume. Don't bother people trying to work. All these behaviors tell other people you don't care about them. That's a bad message. -x
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
