There isn't a work place that wasn’t changed by “The Pandemic”, with the biggest growth being in people working from home. But did all this working from home destroy our workplace manners? Have we forgotten the basic office etiquette skills?
First Impressions
I always told my children, while growing up, that people shouldn’t judge - but they will. So you want to make sure your first work impression is a good one.
If you still have an office keep it clean and organised (at least the front and public areas) and dress according to the office “vibe”. Working from home I prefer the fluffy slippers or weird socks under the desk but I do own and wear work boots for a few of my onsite work places and also some key corporate dresses reserved for those first client meetings or excursions to accountants offices in the CBD.
But it's not just for the office and onsite visits, keep in mind what can be seen behind you when you're in a zoom meeting. People will judge and pry, so use a Zoom background or at the very least select the background to be “blurred”.
Language
I am a little old fashioned and feel that my clients (even if some are workshops and building sites) are not paying for a “potty mouth”. While I there may be the occasional slip it is very rare that I swear in front of my clients.
Respect is my most important value so “please” and “thankyou” are constants, in person, on the phone and in emails.
And listening is more than just respectful, it will help you understand. I do a lot more listening than talking with my clients and if you interrupt during a conversation ... well its a long way back from there... It might sound like I try extra hard to please my clients but I do this because the time spent at work isn’t always optional. I just want to be that person who makes your day a little easier - a little better.
Communication
Right of the bat, I can be accused of overcommunicating in the work place - especially when working remotely. When presenting, interweb gremlins can cut your sound or your slide show so explain a few times, and always follow up with an email.
Never assume your message got through, so if you need a response and don't receive it - follow up. Also provide a timeline of when you do need that response, as we all have 10,000 messages per day to wade through.
On that same thought, turn your own notifications off from time to time to give yourself time to focus. Back when studying I had a family member paint the picture that she was the busiest person in the world, but she also sent me at least 5 “cute” emails a day (pre social media). And each time my email "bing'd" I looked…
Boundaries
Open plan offices have been around for decades, so we should all know how to talk in our “inside voice”. Likewise - as an employer, don’t be afraid to create separate spaces for talking away from desks or simply step away for those long phone calls.
For the open plan office during a zoom meeting, take the meeting into a separate room soas not to be distracted and also to avoid distracting the other employees.
Even in the “home office” I am very mindful of using the door on to block out the kids, dog, partner and even the random delivery driver. I've even been known to put a sign on the door.
Diversity
It's so refreshing that we have many genders, cultures and ages in modern workplaces but with diversity comes an extra layer of sensitivity and empathy.
Be mindful not to put workmates off by oversharing particular points of view, cultural norms or holidays. For instance Friday BBQ’s may need some food and drink alternatives to make everyone feel like they can be part of the celebrations.
Also if you are choosing to commemorate various cultural celebrations, first liaise with the relevant staff members about the appropriateness. They may not feel it relevant for everyone to celebrate.
It comes back to communication as well as being prepared to listen to what is important to people you work with, we all know why we don’t assume by now.
