As employees, we spend most of the better part of the day at the office. Even if you work from home, most of the interactions you will have will revolve around the office matters. Being a good employee does not only encompass what you do at work but also what you shouldn’t do.
As Letitia Baldrige says, Good manners are cost effective. They not only increase the quality of life in the workplace, they contribute to employee morale, embellish the company image, and play a major role in generating profit.
Your workplace is a formal place that should be treated with respect and ethics. It is your sanctuary because, without it, you would have no way of earning a living. As such, a certain level of decorum should be upheld. Even if your workplace has a more casual feel, there are rules that you must adhere if you want to be taken seriously.
Passing responsibility
There are times that you may be asked to do something that is not in your job description. You have two choices. Either do it or pass it over to a colleague. One thing that makes an organization succeed is the team effort. Being a team player should be programmed in your DNA. Also, employers tend to consider proactive employees for a feature endeavor.
Shouting at employees
This applies especially supervisors. There is nothing more embarrassing like being shouted at or insulted in front of an entire office. Being frustrated with one’s work is understandable especially if your employee is not at par with your standards. But even so, try not to lose your temper and let your anger take over you. If you must reprimand, do it in the safety of your office where no one else can hear you. It not only shows that you can reign it in but also the fact that you are respectful to your subordinates.
Complaining about your work
No one loves someone who complains about their job. If you think you would rather be doing another job, quit and look for something that suits you. Otherwise, stop whining and so what you were hired to do.
Wasting time on non-work-related errands
It is okay to catch a break on designated times and catch up on the latest celebrity gossip and politics. It is allowed, but only in your free times. During your work hours, focus on the job that has been assigned to you. Spending your time doing useless things at the office is a career killer, not something that should be taken lightly.
Being a non-co-operative person
Cooperation in the office is what drives a team. There is no ‘I ‘in teamwork is a phrase that has been there since we can remember. When you work in an office, you must be a team because you are working towards the goal. Be that one person that everyone can count on to do what is needed to be done.
Dressing Improperly
The way you dress goes a long way in judging how people view you. As such, you should ensure that you dress appropriately. Only then will you be taken seriously. Even if you worked in a more relaxed workplace, try not to exaggerate. Wear something decent and not too revealing. Tight clothes should also not be worn in the workplace. In exercising your right to express yourself through your dressing, ensure that you also respect other people’s rights by trying not to make them too uncomfortable.
Cracking insulting or improper jokes
A laugh a day keeps the doctor away. After a long and tiring day, a good laugh is exactly what you need. But keep dirty jokes, innuendos and puns, sexist jokes, racial slurs and inappropriate banter to yourself. Bad jokes will cause your co-workers to feel alienated and may create a hostile working environment. Plus, you may be fired for it.
Always the pessimist
You are always the downer and depressing and you wonder why no one at the workplace wants to hang out with you. Constantly having a low morale affects the quality of your work and that of others as well. If you display no morale for your work, your co-workers and employers will think that you are slacking and have no appreciation for the job.
Engaging in conflict
Everyone in the office is entitled to their own opinion. And it is okay to have yours. But avoid constantly butting heads with people because of the difference in opinions. Instead of focusing on the conflict, drive to a solution preferably a long-term one to prevent the same situation from happening again.
Gossiping and rumor mongering
The office is not a place to engage in gossip with your colleagues. It is a respected place of work. You are there to do one thing. And that is your job, efficiently. Avoid colleagues who all they do is yap all day about others and concentrate on what you should be doing.
Always aspire to be professional.
Once you realize that you’re in something that you’ve always wanted and you don’t want to lose it, you behave differently. And that means the integrity, the professionalism, and knowing what’s right from wrong and still making choices that you probably wouldn’t have made. – Paul Anka