This document discusses workplace etiquette and proper behavior. It defines etiquette as rules of socially acceptable behavior. It identifies behaviors important for maintaining workplace etiquette, such as being respectful of coworkers' space and time. It also provides examples of behaviors that bother employees, such as poor hygiene, gossiping, or jokes involving protected classes. The document presents scenarios involving language use in the workplace, sharing workspaces, distracting noises, and cleaning shared spaces. It emphasizes that workplace etiquette promotes a respectful, pleasant and productive work environment.

1. 1
Workplace Etiquette

2. 2
Objectives
 To define workplace etiquette and stress the
importance of creating a work environment
conducive to positive interaction among
employees
 To identify behaviors considered important for
maintaining workplace etiquette
 To develop skills in addressing coworkers’
behaviors that are unpleasant, rude or
offensive

3. 3
Etiquette: Some Definitions
 “The practices and forms prescribed by social
convention or by authority.”
 “Rules governing socially acceptable
behavior.”

4. 4
How Do You Score?
1. I say “good morning” to co-workers when I enter the
office each morning.
2. I clean up after I use the kitchen, cafeteria or snack
area.
3. I say “thank you” when someone does something
nice for me.
4. I arrive on time for meetings.
5. I keep my anger under control.

5. 5
6. I think it’s okay to tell jokes about race or sex as long
as they are tasteful.
7. I think it’s okay to “drop in” on co-workers if I feel I
have something I want to tell or ask them.
8. If I send an email message, I make sure that it is
relevant, appropriate, clear, and checked for spelling
and grammatical errors.
9. I am respectful of co-workers’ workspace, e.g., not
using their desks or computer, separating my
belongings from theirs.
10. I make promises to others that I am unable to keep.

6. 6
Scoring
Q 1-5: 1 point for True; 0 for False
Q 6, 7: 1 point for False; 0 for True
Q 8, 9: 1 point for True; 0 for False
Q 10: 1 point for False; 0 for True

7. 7
Score Interpretation
0-5 Uh oh, it’s time for charm school. Seriously, you seem to be
committing a number of etiquette faux pas. Hasn’t anyone said
anything to you about your behavior? If you keep it up, your
career is probably going nowhere (and you may not have a
job).
6-8 Not bad. You seem to have your office manners mostly in
control. But don’t stop here—take a look at areas you can
improve upon and you should see your career rolling forward.
9-10 Congratulations! You are probably one of those people
described as “a pleasure to work with.” Your mannerly behavior
and sensitivity to others should move you far along on the road
to success.

8. 8
What Bothers You the Most?

9. 9
Employees Are Bothered by Co-workers Who:
 Have poor personal hygiene
 Leave old and/or spoiled food in the refrigerator
 Don’t clean up after using the office kitchen, sink, restroom or
appliances
 Leave trash or personal belongings in other people’s work spaces
 Don’t follow through when they say they will do something
 Don’t acknowledge you unless you speak to them directly
 Use language that is overly familiar, e.g., calling you “honey” or
“dear”
 Wear clothing that is dirty, too casual, too seductive or distracting in
some other way
 Flirt with coworkers, vendors or customers
 Wear too much perfume or after-shave

10. 10
More Examples
 Drop in on you while you are working and don’t ask if it’s okay to
interrupt
 Habitually arrive late at meetings
 Gossip
 Have outbursts of anger or yell and curse
 Say negative things about other employees behind their backs
 Brag
 Talk too much about their personal lives
 Speak too loudly on the telephone
 Eat food at their desks that has a strong smell
 Tell jokes that involve race, gender, sexual orientation. religion,
ethnicity or national origin

11. 11
And More
 Are too “touchy feely”
 Invade your personal space
 Send sloppy email messages
 Borrow things but forget to return them
 Play music in their cubicle that others can hear
 Forget to return the restroom key or put it in the wrong place
(or even take it home by mistake)
 Don’t say “thank you”
 Waste your time
 Don’t return phone calls

12. 12
And More
 Keep asking you the same questions even though you have given
them answers previously
 Start meetings late and/or don’t end them on time
 Don’t pick up their completed copies from the copy room or pick up
pages they have sent to the printer.
 Don’t check faxes or copies they have made to make sure that all
the pages are theirs
 Carry on loud conversations outside of your office or cubicle
 Borrow money and forget to return it
 Frequently complain and/or criticize others
 Block walkways or doorways when carrying on conversations
 Don’t pay attention when you are speaking to them

13. 13
And More
 Keep you waiting
 Leave you voice mail messages that are difficult to
understand (in particular, those who say their phone numbers
so quickly you have to listen three times to get them right)
 Use emoticons (those little faces that express an emotion) in
office email
 Leave the coffee pot empty
 Forward you on email everything they think is interesting
without asking you if you want to get this information

14. 14
Scenario #1
A few employees who speak a language other than English
sometimes communicate with one another in that language in
your workplace. Some employees think this is fine and none
of their business. Other employees feel uncomfortable and
left out when in the presence of these employees. What do
you think? Does workplace etiquette demand that employees
should always speak in a language that everyone can
understand?

15. 15
Scenario #2
Helen, a new employee, shares a cubicle with Dorothy, a long-time
employee of the company. Dorothy had the cubicle to
herself for quite a long time and had been using the whole space
as if it were hers. When Helen first moved in, Dorothy cleared off
the second desk area. As time passes, however, she has been
slowly taking over more and more of Helen’s space. Helen now
feels that she is working in Dorothy’s cubicle, not a shared
cubicle. Helen has made a few comments like, “Gee, it’s getting
cramped in here,” but Dorothy either doesn’t get the point or
doesn’t want to. What should Helen do now?

16. 16
Scenario #3
John’s co-worker in the next cubicle has a habit of
constantly clearing his throat, snorting and making other
unpleasant sounds. John has tried to ignore this behavior,
but finds it extremely distracting. Should John just work
harder to ignore this behavior (he wonders if perhaps the
coworker has some health problem that is causing this);
counter-attack by making equally unpleasant noises; speak
to the co-worker; or go directly to HR to complain?

17. 17
Scenario #4
Your office has provided a spacious kitchen with a large
refrigerator, a microwave and a coffee maker. Most of the
employees using this space are respectful of others—i.e.,
they clean up after themselves, remove old food from the
refrigerator and make a new pot of coffee when the pot is
empty. Unfortunately, there are a few employees who are
discourteous and careless. The behavior of this small group
has led to both resentment among their tidier coworkers and
annoyance that everyone else has to pick up after them.
What should be done to improve this situation?

18. 18
Some Final Thoughts
You don’t have to read Miss Manners to learn how to
have good manners. Workplace etiquette makes the
work environment respectful, pleasant, and
productive.