Basic acceptable workplace behavior. Basic workplace or job expectations such as attendance, promptness, and courtesy. Examples of acceptable and unacceptable workplace behavior. Suitable for high school, college and career readiness, workplace preparation, community based instruction, entry level employment training, TBI, self-contained special education or CBI instructional lesson.

1. TRANSITION:
BASIC
WORKPLACE
BEHAVIORS

2. TRANSITION STANDARDS:
• TS.PS12.2.C Demonstrate an ability to make decisions that are informed by
personal values and beliefs (e.g., personal valuing of higher education
informing the decision to apply to college, rather than pursuing college only due
to suggestions of others).
• TS.PS11.2.C Distinguish between personal values and beliefs and those of
parents, authority figures, and others in society.
• TS.PS10.2.C Analyze the values and beliefs held by others in society and how
these compare with those of parents or authority figures, understanding that
different perspectives can be held by different people.
• TS.PS9.2.C Identify the values and beliefs held by parents or authority figures.

3. MORE STANDARDS
Standard 1: Demonstrate acceptance of personal responsibility.
TS.PS12.1.C Demonstrate acceptance of personal responsibility by fulfilling
responsibilities and/or accepting consequences of not fulfilling responsibilities.
TS.PS11.1.C Analyze the consequences associated with completing or not
completing personal responsibilities (e.g., effort put into academics affecting the
likelihood of attending college).
TS.PS10.1.C Discuss personal responsibilities and expectations of others (e.g.,
parents, administrators, or others may provide assistance but are ultimately not
responsible for success).
TS.PS9.1.C Identify personal responsibilities across settings (e.g., academic or
employment requirements, paying bills, and upkeep of living arrangements)

4. AND EVEN MORE STANDARDS.
• Standard 3: Develop socially responsible behaviors (e.g.,
social interaction, appropriate behaviors, conflict resolution
skills).
• TS.PS12.3.B Apply the identified behavioral skills in order to
achieve postsecondary outcomes and goals. TS.PS11.3.B
Explore responsible behaviors that lead to positive post-
school outcomes.
• TS.PS10.3.B Recognize responsible and irresponsible
behaviors and outcomes of behavior as it relates to personal
goals across various environments. TS.PS9.3.B Identify
responsible behaviors
• (e.g., social interactions, appropriate social behavior, and
conflict resolution skills) across various environments.

5. At a job people have a set schedule and have to work all day. That is usually
8 hours. People are paid to work their full day of work. This means come in
on time, stay there, and do not leave early. That rule applies to all forms of
work and all workplaces.

6. You have to get at least 8 hours of sleep. Make yourself get into bed on
time the night before or it will be hard to wake up.

7. We have to set our alarm clock to get up early enough. That is not
always fun, but it has to be done in order to get to work on time.
Coming to work on time is expected workplace behavior. Set your
alarm the night before. Make sure it has new batteries.

8. When you set your alarm clock allow 8 hours for sleep, and add in how
long it take you to get ready, eat and drive to work.

9. You may have to set more than one alarm clock. Get up! Allow extra time for getting
ready and driving to work. How long does it take you to get dressed? How long is
your ride to work? Allow extra time.

10. Nobody enjoys getting up early, but it has to be done. If you cannot get up to go to
work you may need a type of job with different hours, and there is nothing wrong with
that. But basic acceptable workplace behavior means you have to get up and go to
work.

11. When you get up for work, get ready and
walk out the door. Do not fall into the trap
of doing “one more thing…..OK, now one
MORE thing..” and being late. Get up
and leave and go to work. Being on time
is acceptable workplace behavior.

12. If you are often or always doing “just one more thing” before getting out the door and then finding
yourself being late for work, you are PROCRASTINATING leaving for work. That means
AVOIDING leaving for work. Other people are at your job doing your work while you are
procrastinating. That is extremely inappropriate workplace behavior.

13. Basic workplace behavior means arriving on time. It may help to lay out your clothes
the night before. Plan ahead to be on time the next day.

14. You have to plan to get up and go to work even when you are at home the
evening or night before. Why would this home behavior lead to poor workplace
behavior?

15. Is this person planning to go to work tomorrow or planning to stay out of work?
Is this a good idea if you plan to go to work?

16. At work there are plenty of people who tell us what to do. In a workplace,
that does not mean they dislike us or our mean.

17. People at work will tell you what to do. Our bosses at work have
somebody who tell them what to do. If you won’t follow directions
you will have trouble keeping a job. Following directions is a typical
acceptable workplace behavior.

18. At any workplace we have to follow directions. That means people do in fact tell us what to do.
If you cannot deal with that you are in for a big surprise, and may need to find something else to
do.

19. Be courteous at work. If “being mean” to someone is not appropriate while we
are at McDonald’s or the grocery store, why would people think it is appropriate
for the workplace?

20. It’s not part of your job to make life unbearable for your co-workers for
whatever reason. When people around you keep quitting………….

22. If you are late for work often that is inappropriate workplace behavior. Any work place. If you are out of
work often that is also inappropriate workplace behavior. There are still tasks that have to be done at your
job. You should plan ahead the night before to be at work and be on time. Do not plan ahead to
do………………………….

23. • Is this appropriate workplace
behavior? Why or why not? When you
do your job who do you think is doing it
for you? Do you think they want to do
your job and also their own?

24. There are many kinds of jobs. People who like one kind may not like a
different kind. People should care about their jobs, or find a different
kind that they like better. Below you see inappropriate workplace
behavior. Why is this inappropriate?

25. While this behavior is not hurting anybody, this
is not workplace behavior. Not for any job. Can
you explain why?

26. Whining is also not an acceptable workplace behavior. Nobody likes to hear whining anywhere. It
expresses your negative feelings about having to do your job. It makes other people have negative
feelings, either about their own job or about you. Sitting around while everybody else works is not
acceptable either. Jobs are hard. That is why you have to be paid to go to the job.

27. Would this be good workplace behavior? Why or why not?

28. This behavior is fine at home. It is not fine at
work. Can you explain some reasons why?

29. Do you barge in and make yourself at home? Stop and think: Just because it is my
break time, is it also my co-workers’ break time? If I go walking in their
office/cubicle/room while they are working, will this be seen as interrupting or
friendly? Stop and ask: do all the people in the office/cubicle/class want me there?
If not, go somewhere else for your break or visit. This is intruding.

31. If you cannot say something nice to someone
just don’t say anything. You can find something
nice to say about anybody.

32. Keep love life drama out of the workplace.
If you cannot work on your job due to
romance drama maybe you need to re-
think your romance.