Business and Office Etiquette - Inside the Office

Introduction

Business and office etiquette-inside the office means a code of behavior that promotes a positive impression. Positive interactions and effective working relationships are required inside the office. For managers, staff, and employees to be happy at work, to do a better job, increase productivity, and improve teamwork, they must behave in an appropriate manner. The purpose of discussing the business and office etiquette-inside the office is to learn the rules of working or in other words policies that people are expected to follow. A point to note is that managers expect employees to adhere to the acceptable standard, behave in a professional manner, and perform duties in a reasonable manner. However, it is not possible for employees to meet the expectations of an organization that does not have a written code or set of norms. This indicates that etiquette is setting the guidelines that will guide organizational members toward handling problems that raise inside the office. Organizational members should practice good etiquette to promote positive daily interaction inside the office. 

 Odgers (2005) says that rudeness at work is an issue of concern. The University of Michigan conducted research and found that 71% of workers have been treated in an impolite manner within the place of work. The research also found that workers who are treated rudely have low job satisfaction merely because they are not happy and thus they do not do a greater effort to their task (Odgers, 2005).The author points out that rudeness is associated with professional retaliation. This means that when superiors and coworkers are disrespectful toward employees, employees become vulnerable to retaliation such as demotion, salary reduction, and more. This affects employees' well-being as they suffer from depression and anxiety. Thus, it is advisable to use business and office etiquette in the work environment. Fox (2011) adds that business etiquette remains despite the fact that the way of doing business has changed. For example, running a business today is different from running a business 40 years ago. This is because, all business aspects have been impacted by the internet, and they are new marketing methods, communication methods, consumer expectations, and office culture (Fox, 2011).  Despite the difference in these areas, basic good managers have not changed. That said, the etiquette should be redefined to fit the new business environment. This is because, since the internet and computers have changed the business, organizations must also set new rules that will guide the employees on how to use cell phones, laptops, and more (Fox, 2011). Thus, in the 21set century, the workforce needs soft skills to adapt to the dramatic changes in the digital age.

Business and office etiquette 

• Cell phone etiquette

Odgers (2005) says that cell phone etiquette is an issue that is causing trouble in the workplace and specifically in business meetings. To avoid the troubles, organizational members should follow these rules;

• Answer calls promptly- do not wait until the phone rang for long. It should not rung more than three rings.
• Immediately you answer the call, introduce yourself and your business
• While on the call, avoid being distracted by external noise and listen carefully in order to provide quality services
• Transfer the call to the appropriate person for the client to receive an assistant. Ask for permission before making the transfer
• Do not put the caller on hold without explaining the reason
• Say "thank you' when ending  a  call

 

• Dining out

 

• Location- if it's inside the office, close the door to avoid disruption from customer
• Arrive at the dining table on time
• Serve the guest first
• Avoid discussing business matters

 

• Business attire

 Professionalism is not only being able to communicate and having interpersonal skills but it also entails dressing appropriately. This means that managers, staff, and employees should portray a professional image to create a positive reputation (Odgers, 2005). Note that customers look at appearance and behavior and this means that the organizational team should set personal standards that portray a positive image. The American Industry Dress Code Survey reported that senior executives in large businesses wear a suit and tie (Odgers, 2005). The companies report that dressing professionally is associated with high productivity. They also believe that attire can build or spoil the company's reputations, thus, the organizational team should portray a positive public image. To maintain a professional image, organization members should;

• Avoid wearing Pumas and T-shirt unless it is a logo business clothing
• Men should wear a collared shirt and tie or suit and women should wear skirt suits
• Wear smart casual dresses when you are not serving clients or customers especially on weekends.
• The clothes should clean and odor-free
• The administrative manager should indicate the appropriate attire for employees to wear. For example, I was working in an organization where during a business casual, the manager could inform the employees about the attire expected.

 Politeness

 Cultural biases are common in business and inside the office. They hinder members from creating professional relationships and hence they are unable to do business together (Odgers, 2005). While interacting with people from different cultures, it is important to mind your manners. Accept other people's differences and preferences and spend time to study their culture. For example, some cultures use kiss greeting while others use touch. It is important to learn about their culture and maintain their boundaries.

About this topic- Business and Office Etiquette - Inside the Office- an important lesson is that proper etiquette is vital in today's business environment. The business environment has changed dramatically and this means that organizational members must behave professionally to make a positive impression on other members (Fox, 2011). About etiquette, managers, staff, and employees should understand that good manners have enormous benefits to an individual and also to the business. First, when people exhibit good manners they create strong and successful relationships which leads to a collaborative corporate culture (Fox, 2011). For example, I was working in a certain organization where employees had negative gossip, or in other words, they could create groups and talk about personal and sensitive matters of other people. To address this issue, the organization developed etiquette rules that prohibited toxic gossip. Therefore, etiquette is vital and organizational members should behave professionally to promote business growth, enhance impression, and work together in harmony. Another thing that makes business and office etiquette useful is working with an intercultural team. This means that in the office, managers, staff, and employees must use culturally appropriate communication to effectively engage in negotiation (Fox, 2011). For example, I was working in an organization where employees were from different cultures. Employees could face many challenges by working with coworkers with different values and beliefs. To address this problem, the organization creates a cultural etiquette code of behaviors that guide employees on how to deal with workers from different cultures. Everyone was expected to have proper manners and I can attest that by being aware of other people's beliefs and practices, employees increased trust, work relationships, and improved communication. In general, professionalism is important as it the best strategy to develop interpersonal relationships and ensure that the organizations gain a long-lasting reputation. If managers, staff, and employees lack good manners inside the office, the business will collapse due to a lack of motivation and productivity (Fox, 2011). For instance, if organizational members feel disrespected, they will develop stress and poor morale. Thus, organizations should change the business climate by creating the right etiquette that will improve the members' well-being and productivity at work.

 Conclusion

            Business and office etiquette and especially inside the office mean behaving in a professional way. Professional behaviors are achieved by following a set of manners that are established by the organization. Etiquette inside the office promotes mutual respect, improves communication, and customer relationships. For organization members to achieve their goal, they should create a cohesive team, accept other people's differences, respect everyone, be tidy, dress professionally, and follow the rules of phone calls. Another important point to note is that it is the role of the managers to ensure that employees are responsible and accountable for everything they do. That said, employees need a set of behaviors that they should follow. Thus, managers should set a code of conduct so that employees can follow them to benefit the organization. Since it is not possible for every organizational member to have his or her own private office, the organization should create a positive environment where team members interact with peace and harmony.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

 

Fox, S. (2011). Business Etiquette For Dummies: 2nd Edition. US: Wiley.

 

Odgers, P. (2005). Administrative office management: Complete course. Mason, Ohio:

Thomson/South-Western.