Corporate Social Grace

1. Etiquette - Meaning, its Need and Types of

Etiquettes
What Makes Human Beings Different from Animals?
Answer - It is the way they carry themselves in the society. Here comes the importance
of manners and etiquette.

It is essential for an individual to behave in a responsible manner acceptable to the

society. People around us must not feel embarrassed by our behavior. One should not
behave irrationally or illogically in public.

What is Etiquette ?
Etiquette in simpler words is defined as good behavior which distinguishes human beings from animals.

Human Being is a social animal and it is really important for him to behave in an appropriate way.
Etiquette refers to behaving in a socially responsible way.

Etiquette refers to guidelines which control the way a responsible individual should behave in the
society.

Need for Etiquette

 Etiquette makes you a cultured individual who leaves his mark wherever he
goes.
 Etiquette teaches you the way to talk, walk and most importantly behave in the
society.
 Etiquette is essential for an everlasting first impression. The way you interact with
your superiors, parents, fellow workers, friends speak a lot about your personality
and up- bringing.
 Etiquette enables the individuals to earn respect and appreciation in the society.
No one would feel like talking to a person who does not know how to speak or
behave in the society. Etiquette inculcates a feeling of trust and loyalty in the
individuals. One becomes more responsible and mature. Etiquette helps individuals
to value relationships.

Types of Etiquette

1.Social Etiquette- Social etiquette is important for an individual as it teaches him

how to behave in the society.
2.Bathroom Etiquette- Bathroom etiquette refers to the set of rules which an
individual needs to follow while using public restrooms or office toilets. Make sure
you leave the restroom clean and tidy for the other person.
3.Corporate Etiquette- Corporate Etiquette refers to how an individual should behave
while he is at work. Each one needs to maintain the decorum of the organization.
Don’t loiter around unnecessary or peep into other’s cubicles.
4.Wedding Etiquette- Wedding is a special event in every one’s life. Individuals
should ensure they behave sensibly at weddings. Never be late to weddings or
drink uncontrollably.
5.Meeting Etiquette- Meeting Etiquette refers to styles one need to adopt when he is
attending any meeting, seminar, presentation and so on. Listen to what the other
person has to say. Never enter meeting room without a notepad and pen. It is
important to jot down important points for future reference.
6.Telephone Etiquette- It is essential to learn how one should interact with the other
person over the phone. Telephone etiquette refers to the way an individual should
speak on the phone. Never put the other person on long holds. Make sure you
greet the other person. Take care of your pitch and tone.
 7.Eating Etiquette- Individuals must follow certain decorum while eating in public.
Don’t make noise while eating. One should not leave the table unless and until
everyone has finished eating.
8.Business Etiquette- Business Etiquette includes ways to conduct a certain
business. Don’t ever cheat customers. It is simply unethical.

To conclude, etiquette transforms a man into a gentleman

 Authorship/Referencing - About the Author(s)

The article is Written By “Prachi Juneja” and Reviewed

By Management Study Guide Content Team. MSG Content Team comprises experienced Faculty
Member, Professionals and Subject Matter Experts. We are a ISO 2001:2015 Certified Education
Provider. To Know more, click on About Us. The use of this material is free for learning and education
purpose. Please reference authorship of content used, including link(s) to ManagementStudyGuide.com
and the content page url.

Corporate Etiquette - Do’s and Dont’s

It is essential for every individual to behave in a socially acceptable way.

Etiquette refers to good manners which help an individual leave his mark in the society.

An individual must know how to behave at the workplace. There is a huge difference
between college and professional life. One needs to be disciplined at the workplace.

Corporate Etiquette refers to set of rules an individual must follow while he is at

work. One must respect his organization and maintain the decorum of the place.

Corporate Etiquette refers to behaving sensibly and appropriately at the workplace to

create an everlasting impression. No one would take you seriously if you do not behave
well at the workplace. Remember we can’t behave the same way at work place as we
behave at our homes. One needs to be professional and organized.

It is important to behave well at the workplace to earn respect and appreciation.

Let us go through some Do’s and Don’ts at workplace:

 Never adopt a casual attitude at work. Your office pays you for your hard work
and not for loitering around.
 Don’t peep into other’s cubicles and workstations. Knock before entering
anyone’s cabin. Respect each other’s privacy.
 Put your hand phone in the silent or vibrating mode at the workplace. Loud
ring tones are totally unprofessional and also disturb other people.
 Don’t open anyone else’s notepads registers or files without his
permission.
 It is bad manners to sneeze or cough in public without covering your
mouth. Use a handkerchief or tissue for the same.
 Popping chewing gums in front of co workers is simply not expected out of a
professional.
 Stay away from nasty politics at the workplace. Avoid playing blame games.
 Keep your workstation clean and tidy. Throw unwanted paper in dustbin and
keep files in their respective drawers. Put a label on top of each file to avoid
unnecessary searching.
  Never criticize or make fun of any of your colleagues. Remember fighting
leads to no solution. There are several other ways to express displeasure. Sit with
your colleagues, discuss issues face to face and decide on something which is
mutually acceptable.
 Take care of your pitch and tone at the workplace. Never shout on anyone or
use foul words. It is unprofessional to lash out at others under pressure. Stay calm
and think rationally.
 Never attend meetings or seminars without a notepad and pen. It is little
tough to remember each and everything discussed in the meeting. Jot down the
important points for future reference. Wait for your turn to speak.
 Pass on information to all related recipients in the desired form.
Communicate through written modes of communication preferably through emails.
Keep your reporting boss in the loop. Make sure your email signatures are correct.
 Reach office on time. One must adhere to the guidelines and policies of the
organization. Discipline must be maintained at the workplace.
 No organization likes to have a shabbily dressed employee. Shave daily and
do not use strong perfumes.
 Never wear revealing clothes to work. Body piercing and tattoo are a strict no
no at the workplace. Females should avoid wearing heavy jewelry to work.
 Don’t pass lewd comments to any of your fellow workers.
 While having lunch together, do not start till the others have received their
food. Make sure your spoon and fork do not make a clattering sound. Eat slowly to
avoid burping in public.
 Respect your fellow workers and help them whenever required.
 It is unethical to share confidential data with external parties and any other
individual who is not related to the organization. Data in any form must not be
passed to anyone outside the organization.
 Office Stationery is meant to be used only at work. Taking any office property
back home is equivalent to stealing.
 Make sure you turn off the monitor while you go out for lunch or tea
breaks. Switch off the fans, lights, printer, fax machine, scanner before you leave
for the day.
 Don’t bring your personal work to office. Avoid taking kids to office unless and
until there is an emergency.
 Park your car at the space allocated to you. Don’t park your vehicle at the
entrance as it might obstruct someone’s way.
 Never ever drink while you are at work. Smoke only at the smoking zones.
 Do not leave the restroom with taps on.
 Female Employees should stick to minimal make up.

2. Clothing Etiquette / Dress Code

Etiquette helps human beings to behave in a socially responsible way. Etiquette helps
you gain respect, trust and appreciation from others.

There is a huge difference between an individual’s college and professional life. One
needs to follow a proper dress code at the workplace for the desired impact.

It is essential to dress appropriately at the workplace for an everlasting impression.

Individuals who dress shabbily are never taken seriously at work.

One must dress as per the occasion. Avoid wearing jeans, capris, shorts, T -
Shirts or sleeveless dresses to work. Follow a professional dress code. Make sure
you feel comfortable in whatever you wear. It is not always necessary to wear
expensive clothes rather wear something which looks good on you.

Choose professional colours like black, blue, brown, grey for official attire. Bright
colors look out of place in corporates. Light and subtle colors exude elegance and
professionalism and look best in offices.

Make sure your clothes are clean and ironed. One should never go shabbily dressed to
work. Prefer wrinkle free clothes.
Hair should be neatly combed and kept short. Spikes hairstyle looks good only in parties
and informal get together. Females should tie their hair. It gives a neat look.

Male Employees

 Male employees ideally should combine a simple shirt with trousers. Make sure
the colors are well coordinated. Prefer a light color shirt with a dark trouser and
vice a versa. Do not wear designer shirts to work. Prefer plain cotton or linen
wrinkle free shirts in neutral colors. Go for brands like Zodiac, Arrow, Colorplus,
Louis Philippe, Allensolly etc. These brands offer good collection of formal office
shirts.
 The shirt should be properly tucked into the trouser for the professional look.
Prefer full sleeves shirts at workplace. Never roll up your sleeves.
 Silk ties look best on professionals. Don’t go for designer ties. The tie should
neither be too short nor too long. The tip of the tie ideally should touch the bottom
of the belt buckle. Slim ties are not meant for offices.
 Wear leather belts to work preferably in black or brown shades. Do not wear
belts with flashy and broad buckles.
 Socks must be well coordinated with the outfit.
 Don’t wear shoes that make noise while walking. Prefer soft leather shoes in
black or brown color. Make sure your shoes are polished and laces properly tied.
Never wear sports shoes or sneakers to work.
 Shave daily. Use a good after shave lotion and make sure your skin does not
look dry and flaky.
 Body odor is a big turn off. One must always smell good in public. Use a mild
perfume or deodorant.

Female Employees

 Females should not wear revealing clothes to work. Avoid wearing outfits
which expose much of your body parts. Wear clothes which fit you best. Don’t
wear too tight or loose clothes.
 Understand the basic difference between a party wear and office attire. Never
wear low neck blouses to work. Blouses with deep back or noodle straps are a
strict no no at the workplace. Avoid transparent saris.
 Females who prefer westerns can opt for light colored shirts with dark well fitted
trousers. A scarf makes you look elegant.
 Never wear heavy jewelry to work. Avoid being a makeup box. Nude make up
does wonders. Nails should be trimmed and prefer natural shades for nail paint.
 Avoid wearing sharp pointed heels to work.
 The color of the handbag must coordinate with the outfit.
 Eyebrow, naval, lip piercing must be avoided at the workplace.

3. Interacting with Co-Workers

It is essential for an individual to behave in a socially acceptable way. Etiquette helps an
individual to be different and stand apart from the crowd.

One needs to be serious and a little sensible at the workplace. An individual can’t
behave the same way at office as he behaves at home. People who lack etiquette are
never taken seriously by their fellow workers.

An individual all alone finds it difficult to survive at the workplace. One needs to be a
good team player to make his mark at the workplace. He needs to interact with his
fellow workers and share ideas to reach to better solutions. Employees must work in
unison for faster and effective results. It is essential to maintain healthy relationships
with fellow workers as an individual spends his maximum time at the workplace.

Respect your fellow workers. Misbehaving with colleagues spoils the ambience and
leads to negativity all around. Treat all co-workers as one irrespective of their race,
caste, nationality, designation etc.
Spreading baseless rumors about fellow workers is something which is not at all
expected out of a professional. Spotting any of your colleagues with his girlfriend has
nothing to do with office and thus must not be discussed at the workplace. Avoid playing
blame games in organization. An individual should have enough guts to accept his/her
mistakes. If you do not like someone, it is better to ignore the other person rather than
fighting with him. Remember conflicts lead to no solution.

Be cordial to all. Greet everyone with a smile. It is bad manners to make faces at
others. Learn to be a little more adjusting. Things don’t always go your way. Do not take
things to heart.

Help your colleagues in whatever way you can. Never give them any wrong
suggestions. You will like your job more if you have a friend at the workplace.

Be polite to your fellow workers. If someone shouts on you, never shout back on him.
Don’t do what others do. You will not become small if you say “sorry”.

Too much of friendship at the workplace is bad. Being emotional at work is harmful.
The other person might take undue advantage of your generous attitude.

Never overreact. It pays to be calm and composed at the workplace.

Avoid taking sides at the workplace. Don’t ask for personal favors from any of your
fellow workers. Never ask anyone to do grocery shopping on your behalf or pick your
son from school. It is unprofessional.

Avoid being rude to anyone. You never know when you might need any of your fellow
workers. Never lash out at others under pressure.

Never interfere in your colleague’s work. It is bad manners to open anyone else’s
envelopes or check fellow worker’s emails. Respect your colleague’s privacy. Do not
peep into anyone else’s cubicles. Knock before entering your boss’s cabin.

Never make fun of any one at the workplace.

It is bad manners to overhear anyone else’s conversation.

Avoid criticizing others. One needs to be flexible at the workplace. Being rigid spoils
relationships.

4. Telephone Etiquettes to Improve Communication

What are Telephone Etiquettes?
Telephone is an important device with the help of which people separated by distance
can easily interact and exchange their ideas. Got a brilliant idea and want to convey it to
your friend staying out of the country, use the telephone. Telephone is one of the
easiest and cheapest modes of communication.

Telephone etiquettes - An individual need to follow a set of rules and regulations

while interacting with the other person over the phone. These are often called as
telephone etiquettes. It is important to follow the basic telephone etiquettes as our voice
plays a very important role in creating an impression of our personality, education,
family background as well as the nature of job we are engaged in. The person giving the
information is called the sender and the second party is the recipient.

Let us now study the various telephone etiquettes. Please find below the various
telephone etiquettes.

 Always remember your voice has to be very pleasant while interacting with the

other person over the phone. Don’t just start speaking, before starting the
conversation use warm greetings like “good morning”, “good evening” or “good
noon” depending on the time.
 Never call any person at odd hours like early morning or late nights as the
person will definitely be sleeping and will not be interested in talking to you.
  In any official call, don’t use words like” Any guess who I am? “as the
person on the other side might be occupied with something and can get
disturbed. Always say “Is it Ted?”, and do ask him, “Is it the good time to talk to
you?” and then start communicating. If the person sounds busy always wait for
the appropriate time.
 Make sure your content is crisp and relevant. Don’t play with words, come to
the point directly and convey the information in a convincing manner. First
prepare your content thoroughly and then only pick up the receiver to start
interacting.
 After dialing, always reconfirm whether the person on the other side is the
desired person whom you want to interact with. Always ask “Am I speaking to
Mike?” or “Is this Jenny?” before starting the conversation.
 Always carefully dial the numbers, never be in a rush or dial the numbers in dark
as it would lead to a wrong call. If by mistake you have dialed a wrong number,
don’t just hang up, do say sorry and then keep the phone courteously.
 Never put the second party on a very long holds. Always keep the information
handy and don’t run for things in between any call as the listener is bound to get
irritated.
 While interacting over the phone, don’t chew anything or eat your food. First
finish your food and then only dial the number. If you are reading, please leave
the book aside, first concentrate what the other person wishes to convey and
then continue with the book.
 After completing the conversation, don’t just hang up. Reconfirm with the receiver
whether he has downloaded the correct information or not and do end your
conversation with pleasant words like “Take care”, “nice speaking with you” and a
warm bye. Never say Goodbye.
 Always speak each and every word clearly. The person on the other hand can’t
see your expressions so remember your tone should be apt to express your
feelings in the correct form.
 Don’t take too long to pick up any call. If you miss the call, make sure you
give a call back as the other person might have an important message to convey.
Avoid giving missed calls at work places as it irritates the other person.
 In professional talks, never keep the conversation too long as the other person
might be busy. Always keep the content crisp and relevant and do come to the
point after formal greetings.
 If you are not the correct person and the speaker needs to speak to your fellow
worker always say “one moment, please- I will call him in a minute”. If the
colleague is not in the office premises, always take a message on his behalf and
don’t forget to convey him when he is back.
 Decrease the volume of the television or turn off the speakers while speaking
over the phone as noise acts as a hindrance to effective communication
 If there is any disturbance in the network, don’t just keep speaking for the sake of
it; try to call after sometime with a better line.

Remember all the above telephone etiquettes must be practiced for an effective and
healthy telephonic discussion and smooth flow of information.

5.Interview Etiquette - Codes of Conduct for

Interviews
Etiquette refers to good manners which help transform a man into a gentleman. An
individual must behave well in public to gain respect and appreciation from others. It is
essential to behave in a socially acceptable way.

Interview is nothing but an interaction between the employer and potential employee
where the employer tries to judge the individual on various parameters for prospective
employment in organization.

An individual must do well in interviews to be a part of his dream job.

Interview Etiquette
Interview etiquette refers to codes of conduct an individual must follow while
appearing for interviews.

Let us go through some interview etiquette:

 While appearing for telephonic interviews, make sure you have your resume in
front of you. Move to a quiet place and keep a pen and paper handy to jot down
address or other necessary details.
 An individual must be present at the interview venue before time. Start from
your home a little early and allow a margin for traffic congestions, car problems,
route diversions and other unavoidable circumstances. Check the route well in
advance to avoid last minute confusions.
 If you do not have own conveyance, book a cab or ask your friend or family
member to drop you right outside the venue. Avoid going by public transport that
day.
 Be very particular about your appearance. Follow the professional dress code
for an everlasting first impression. Wear something which looks good on you.
Coordinate a light color shirt with a dark color well fitted trouser. Make sure your
shoes are polished and do not make noise. Hair should be neatly combed and do
apply a mild perfume. It is essential to smell good.
 Enter the interviewer’s cabin with confidence. Greet him with a warm smile. A
firm handshake says that an individual is confident, aggressive and willing to take
challenges. Do not offer to shake hands if the interviewer is a female. Do not sit
unless you have been told to so.
 Make an eye contact with the interviewer. Avoid looking here and there.
 Be honest with the interviewer. Remember a single lie leads to several other lies.
Avoid fake stories. It might land you in trouble later.
 Take care of your pitch and tone. Be polite but firm.
 Stay calm. Avoid being nervous during interviews. Remember no one will hang
you till death if you do not clear the interview. There is always a second chance.
 One must sit straight for the desired impact. Avoid fiddling with pen and paper. It
is important to have the right attitude as it helps you stand apart from the crowd.
 Keep your cell phone in the silent mode while attending interviews. Cell phone
ringing during interviews is an offence.
 Chewing gum during interview is childish.
 Do not fold your resume; instead keep it in a proper folder. Carry all other
relevant documents which you might need during interview. Keep a passport size
photograph handy.
 Slangs and one-liners must not be used in interviews.
 Avoid cracking jokes with the interviewer.
 Once you are done with the interview, do not forget to thank

6.Tips for Conducting Interviews

Whether it is a job interview or a follow-up interview with selected respondents who
filled a survey questionnaire, it is essential that right questions are asked. However,
asking a right question is just not it... There is more to conducting effective interviews.

Read on to know how an interview conversation can be made effective...

1. Avoid distraction in the meeting area: Make sure that there is no or minimal

distraction where the interview is being conducted. A phone ringing all the time in
the background can distract the interviewer and interviewee
2. Make the candidate comfortable: The candidates are usually nervous
especially if it is their first interview. Ask them some ice breaker questions to make
them comfortable.
3. Racial / Sexual Bias - A BIG NO: Do not discriminate between the potential
candidates on basis of race, color, religion, gender. The only basis for selection
should be merit + required qualification. Be fair.
 4. Invite questions: make sure the candidate asks / clarifies the questions he has.
When selected a candidate should not feel he was not told about a certain aspect
of the job.
5. Make Notes: A candidate's resume might not cover all the details and there
could be a lot of other details which could come up while conducting an interview.
Make sure notes are taken during the interview.
6. Interview Approach: The interview could be a mix of formal and informal and
could have a blend of open and close ended questions. An extreme of either formal
or informal could be disastrous.
7. Interview Questions: Few areas to ask questions on could be behaviors,
values, knowledge, background or demographics.
8. Company Policy & Procedures: Brief the candidate about company’s values,
policies, and required procedures. A candidate if selected should not have problem
in imbibing the culture.

Finally, make sure the candidate is involved in the interview and it is not just
one way.

Good luck for hiring a right candidate!

7. Meeting Etiquette - Codes of Conduct while

attending Meetings
Etiquette refers to good manners required by an individual to find a place in the society.
It is important for an individual to behave appropriately in public to earn respect and
appreciation.

One must learn to maintain the decorum of the work place. It is important to respect
one’s organization to expect the same in return. No one would ever take you seriously if
do not behave well at the workplace.

Meetings are an important part of corporates where employees sit together on a

common platform, exchange their views and opinions and reach to a solution benefitting
the organization and mutually acceptable to all.

Meeting Etiquette refers to codes of behavior an individual ought to follow while

attending meetings and discussions at the workplace.

Let us go through some meeting etiquette in detail:

 Try to find out what the meeting is all about. Understand the importance of
the meeting. Never go blank. Employees should do all the ground work before
attending meetings to ensure maximum participation from their end. Prepare
notes in advance.
 Never attend meetings without a notepad and pen. It is practically not
possible for an individual to remember each and every thing discussed at the
time of meeting. A notepad helps in jotting down the important points for future
reference.
 Always keep your cell phone on the silent or vibrator mode. Cell phones
ringing in the middle of meetings and seminars are considered rude and
unprofessional. This might insult others sitting in the same room as well as break
the pace of the meeting.
 Do not attend phone calls during meetings unless it is an emergency. It is
bad manners to do the same.
 Superiors must create an agenda before every meeting. The agenda must be
circulated among all employees for them to prepare in advance. Meetings should
not be conducted just for the sake of it. It is important to have well defined plans.
Make a list of issues to be discussed at the time of meeting. Make sure you do
not deviate from the key points. Keep the meetings short.
 Never be late for meetings. Going late for a meeting is something which is not
expected out of a professional.
  Chewing gum during meetings is childish and must be avoided.
 Be a good listener. Listen to what others have to say. Wait for your turn to
speak.
 Sit wherever you find a place. Do not run here and there.
 Do not enter the meeting room once the meeting has already begun It disturbs
others.
 Avoid taking your cups of coffee or tea to meeting rooms unless and until advised
by superiors.
 Fiddling with pen or notepad is one of the major distractions in meetings.
One must concentrate and stay alert. Be an attentive listener. Do not yawn even
if you find the meeting boring.
 The one chairing the meeting must speak loud and clear. It is essential to
take care of the pitch and tone.
 Meetings ought to be interactive and allow employees to come up with their
suggestions and valuable feedback. A question answer round must be kept at
the end for employees to clear their doubts.
 Once the meeting is over, minutes of the meeting must be prepared and
circulated across all departments for them to take necessary action
 Use Whiteboards, projectors, graphs, pointers, slides for better clarity.
 Do not convert the meeting room into a battle ground. Speak politely and do
respect your colleagues.
 Never attend meetings in casuals. Follow a professional dress code.

8.Employer Etiquette - Codes of Conduct necessary

for an Employer
Etiquette refers to good manners essential for individuals to earn respect and
appreciation in the society. An individual who lacks etiquette is never taken seriously by
fellow workers at work.

Employer Etiquette
Employer Etiquette refers to codes of conduct necessary for an employer to
follow in order to set an example for employees. Employers must behave in an
appropriate way for the employees to respect them and look up to them.

Let us go through some employer etiquette:

 Respect your employees. Never misbehave with them.

 Avoid being partial towards anyone. Treat all your employees as one
irrespective of their level in the hierarchy, educational qualification, caste, race or
family background. Do not give special treatment to an employee just because
he is your family friend. Personal relationships must not be mixed with
professional commitments.
 Do not ask for special favours from any of your employees. Do not ask any
of your staff members to book your movie tickets or drop your son to school.
 Help your employees whenever required. Employees must be able to fall back
on their employer at the times of crisis.
 Never encourage nasty politics at the workplace. Take strict action against
employees indulged in unproductive tasks.
 Motivate your employees. Appreciate those who perform exceptionally well.
Give them a pat on their backs for their good work. Encourage them to work in
teams to extract the best out of each of them.
 Give the employees their due credit. Reward them with incentives and
certificates. Get their names displayed on notice boards. Appreciate them
whenever they perform well.
 It is essential to be transparent with the employees. Never hide anything from
them.
 Be realistic. Give them proper feedback and show them the real picture.
 Treat the employees well for them to feel indispensable for the organization.
 Salaries must be credited to their salary account on time.
  Employers must lend a sympathetic ear to the employees’ grievances. Try
your level best to resolve them immediately. Any problem left unattended in the
beginning can become a major concern later on.
 Promote necessary training programs to upgrade the existing skills of the
employees.
 Make yourself available to your employees. An employer’s role is not only to
sit in closed cabins but to interact with his employees and find out what they are
up to.
 Monitor their performances but do not interfere in their work. Give them deadlines
and let them work in their own way. Do not be after their life to get the work done.
 Be friendly with your employees. The Hitler approach does not work now a
day. Have your lunch with them once in a week and try to enquire about their
family, married life, children and so on. Such informal interactions bring
employees closer to their employers.
 An employer does enjoy some liberty but one should try his level best to adhere
to the company’s guidelines and policies. Try to reach work on time. Be an idol
for your employees.
 Never indulge in loose talks at workplace. Respect your female employees and
don’t ask them to stay at the office till late hours.
 If any of your employees has confided in you, keep it to yourself only. Do not
share it with others.
 Remember respect is always earned and never demanded. Speak politely and
dress smartly. Set trends for others to follow.

9.Employee Etiquette - Codes of Conduct necessary

for an Individual at Work
Etiquette refers to good manners required by an individual to find a place in the society
and gain respect and appreciation from others.

Individuals working in organizations to earn a living for themselves are called

employees. It pays to be a little mature and sensible at the workplace. Avoid being too
casual.

Employee Etiquette
Employee etiquette refers to codes of conduct an individual should follow while
at work.

Let us go through some employee etiquette:

 Respect your organization to expect the same in return. Don’t treat your
organization as a mere source of earning money. Remember your organization is
paying you for your hard work and not for gossiping and loitering around.
 Reach office on time. If your office timing is 9 AM, make sure you are there at
8.50 AM. It is essential to be disciplined at the workplace.
 Leave all your personal problems out the moment you step in the office. It is
unprofessional to mix personal and professional life. Keep them separate.
 Greet your fellow workers with a smile.
 Follow the professional dress code. Never wear anything which shows much
of your skin. Avoid wearing jeans, capris, T shirts, shorts etc. to work. Female
employees should not wear revealing dresses or deep neck blouses to work.
 Never ever enter office under the influence of alcohol. It is an offence.
 As a responsible employee you have no rights to share confidential information
with any of the external parties under any circumstances. Data in any form must
not be leaked to anyone who bears no relation with the organization.
 Keep your cell phones in the silent mode to avoid disturbing others sitting
around you. Loud ring tones at the workplace are a strict no no. Avoid long
personal calls during office hours. Wearing ear buds at the workplace is
unacceptable.
 Keep your workstation free of unwanted documents and files. Avoid having lunch
at your desk. It creates mess.
  Learn to own your mistakes. Stick to your statements. Stay away from blame
games and nasty politics at the workplace. Remember conflicts and
misunderstandings lead you nowhere. It is always better to discuss issues face to
face and reach to a mutually acceptable solution.
 While communicating through emails, make sure your boss is in the loop. It is
foolish to hide things from him. Master the art of writing emails. Emails must be
self-explanatory and a clear reflection of one’s thoughts.
 Respect your fellow workers. Help them whenever required. Never give them
wrong suggestions.
 Treat all your fellow workers as one irrespective of their education and
designation in the organization. Female employees must be treated with respect
and dignity.
 Never take undue advantage of your position. Do not ask for personal favours
from your subordinates. Too much of friendship at the workplace is bad.
 Respect each other’s privacy. Do not open envelopes not meant for you. It is
bad manners to read your colleague’s email or check his messages.
 Stay away from controversies. Do not spread rumors around. It is strictly
unprofessional.

10.Desk Etiquette - Codes of Conduct required at the

Workstation
Etiquette refers to certain rules and regulations necessary for an individual to follow to
find a place in the society. One must be courteous enough for others to draw inspiration
and look up to him. An individual without good manners is often lost in the crowd and
fails to make his mark.

Keep personal life separate from your professional life. One needs to be a little more
mature and behave sensibly at the workplace. No matter what, you just can’t afford to
adopt a casual attitude at work. One needs to be careful about what he wears, what he
speaks, how he interacts with his fellow workers and so on for an everlasting
impression.

An individual spends his maximum time at the workplace and thus it is essential for him
to feel comfortable there. Every employee should be assigned a separate workstation
for him to concentrate on his work and contribute to his level best. A separate
workstation also ensures employees do not interfere in each other’s work.

Let us go through some Desk Etiquette:

 Keep your workstation clean and organized.

 Make sure you don’t throw paper and wrappings here and there. Throw them in
dustbin.
 Throw all unwanted pens, pencils, highlighters, erasers, markers and so on.
Keep all your stationery items at their proper places. Throw away what all you
don’t need.
 Avoid keeping stacks of files at your desk. It gives a cluttered look to your
workstation. Keep them at their respective drawers with a label on top of each file
to avoid unnecessary searching.
 Avoid bringing soft toys, photo frames, candle stands to work.
 The official phone should be used only for official purposes. Avoid long calls as
your Boss might need you urgently.
 Don’t put posters of your favorite celebrities on the walls at the workplace. It is
completely unprofessional and childish.
 Keep a notepad and pen handy to jot down important contact numbers. Avoid
writing on walls or loose paper.
 Eating at the workstation attracts cockroaches and insects. Go to the
cafeteria for lunch. Not only it will keep your desk clean but also allow you to
relax and spend quality time with your colleagues. If you have the habit of eating
 chocolates or wafers, make sure you throw the wrappers in dustbin. Ask the
housekeeping staff to clean up the leftovers.
 Never peep into other’s workstation. Knock before entering into boss’s cabin.
 Take care of your tone and pitch while speaking. Remember there are other
employees sitting around you as well.
 If you need to talk to any of your colleagues, use the extension phone. Never
shout from your desk. It is bad manners and disturbs others. If you do not have
access to the extension phone, get up and walk to the other person’s desk.
 Keep your car keys, Bluetooth, earphones and other personal belongings at one
place. Female employees should not keep their bags on the desk. Male
employees can also keep their wallets in their desk drawer but do remember to
take it back home.
 Develop the habit of using a table top calendar. Mark important tasks against
the deadlines to avoid forgetting them.
 Ask the attendant to clean your drawer once in week. Staple important
documents together and keep them in their respective files.
 Avoid giving unnecessary printouts.
 Turn off your printer, scanner, computer, light when you leave for the day.
 Do not bring newspaper from home and pile on your desk.
 Smoking at the workstation is an offence.

11.Office Lunch Etiquette

Etiquette refers to behaving in a socially responsible way. Etiquette teaches individuals
to be civilized and create an everlasting impression on others.

Etiquette is a code of behavior expected out of a professional to help him stand apart
from the crowd.

It is essential to behave in an appropriate way at the workplace to gain respect and

appreciation from others. Be a little more responsible and sensible. Do not behave as if
you are at home.

Office Lunch Etiquette

There are certain rules one must follow while taking lunch at the workplace.

Office Lunch Etiquette refers to the skill sets required during lunch time at the
workplace.

Let us go through some office lunch etiquette:

 Take lunch only during the assigned hours. Be on time for lunch. Do not keep
others waiting.
 Individuals should avoid having their lunch at their workstations. Not only it
makes your desk dirty but also makes you lethargic and dull. Human being is not
a machine who can work at a stretch. One needs time to relax and unwind.
Sitting at the workstation continuously for six to seven hours becomes
monotonous. Prefer having lunch at the cafeteria with your fellow team members.
Invite your boss as well. Having lunch together strengthens the bond among the
employees.
 Never discuss work at the lunch table.
 It is absolutely okay if someone whom you do not like much joins you for
lunch. Do not make faces at him. Try your level best to make him feel
comfortable.
 Do not start eating unless everyone else on the table has received food.
 Choose the right table for lunch. Sit where you feel comfortable.
 Always keep a sanitizer handy. Wash your hands before eating to avoid
transmission of germs.
 Place a napkin on your lap while having lunch.
  Avoid bringing smelly food to work. Employees should not bring fish, chicken or
eggs to work. Vegetables any day are a better option for lunch at workplace.
 Make sure your lunch is properly packed. Bring your lunch in airtight containers
and aluminum foil.
 Never eat with hands in public. It is important to eat without making a mess at the
workplace. Use forks and spoons.
 It is good manners to share your food amongst your fellow workers.
 Employees should not carry rotten fruits to work.
 Do not make noise while eating. It irritates the individual sitting next to you. Make
sure you chew properly.
 Talking or laughing with one’s mouth full is considered unprofessional.
 Eat slowly to avoid burping in public.
 Do not pick anyone else’s food with your hand. The other person might not like it.
Use a spoon.
 Don’t stare at someone else’s plate.
 Finish your food properly. Do not leave anything on your plate.
 Once you are done, keep the utensils at the proper place.
 Do not get up from the table until everyone has finished eating.
 Never put fingers in your mouth while eating around other people.
 Avoid attending phone calls during lunch hours unless it is an emergency.
 Never pick your nose while eating. It is simply disgusting.

12. Office Party Etiquette

Etiquette is all about behaving in a socially acceptable way.

An individual should behave in a certain way at the workplace to leave his mark. One needs to
be little more mature and responsible at the workplace.

Etiquette refers to skill sets required by an individual to find a place in the society. No one likes
to talk to a person who lacks etiquette.

An individual can’t afford to behave in the same way in office as he behaves at his home. There
is a huge difference between one’s college and professional life.

Parties and get-togethers are an important feature incorporates where employees get to know
each other better. Office parties also strengthen the bond among the employees.

Office Party Etiquette

Office Party Etiquette teaches an individual how to behave at office parties,
dinners and get together. It is essential for an individual to behave sensibly at office
parties.

 Try to reach on time. Being late to parties might annoy your boss. Be present at
the venue a little early and check whether all necessary arrangements have been
made or not?
 Be careful about what you wear. Party at the office does not mean one has the
liberty to wear revealing clothes. Wear something which looks good on you.
Avoid wearing heavy jewelry to office parties. Remember simplicity is the best
way to create an everlasting impression. Do not wear skimpy dresses or
something which shows much of your skin.
 Do not bring your kid, spouse or any other family member at office parties unless
invited by your superiors. You would be busy attending your family members only
and eventually ignore others.
 Maintain the decorum of the place. Remember your superiors are keeping an
eye on you every moment. Don’t do anything which questions your education,
family background and upbringing.
 Office parties are a good way to win over your boss. Check whether he needs
something or not? Whenever you get an opportunity, do tell him how good you
have performed this month. This will help you later.
  Introduce yourselves to others. Greet all with a smile and exchange pleasantries.
Never make a face at any of your colleagues even if you do not like him. Office
parties are a good way to know your fellow workers. Socialize with others, rather
than standing at one corner.
 Try not to include alcohol in the menu. Drinking excessively at office parties is
foolish. One tends to indulge in unwanted activities after drinking which might
cost him his job.
 In buffets, wait for your turn in line. Do not push each other.
 Do not load up your plate with food. Eat in moderate quantities. Do not start
eating unless everyone sitting around you has received food. Eat slowly to avoid
burping or farting in public. Once you have finished eating, keep the utensils at
proper places.
 Do not crack silly jokes or pass lewd comments.
 Avoid vulgar dance moves at office parties.

13. Office Toilet Etiquette - Rules to follow while using

the Restroom
It is our etiquette which distinguishes us from animals. Etiquette helps us to stand apart
from the crowd and leave an everlasting impression. Etiquette of an individual speaks a
lot about his family background and upbringing.

It is essential for an individual to behave in a socially responsible way.

An individual must behave in an appropriate manner to find a place in the society. There
are certain manners which are expected out of a professional. One needs to be mature
and sensible enough for others to respect him. No one ever likes to speak to an
individual who does not know how to behave sensibly.

Office Toilet Etiquette

Remember you are not the only person using the restroom at the workplace. There are
other employees as well.

Office Toilet Etiquette refers to set of rules an individual need to follow while
using the office restroom. It is essential to keep toilets clean and hygienic to avoid
transmission of germs and infections. A dirty and unhygienic toilet is the breeding
ground of several diseases.

Let us go through some office toilet etiquette necessary for an individual to follow:

 Never leave the restroom dirty. Smelly toilets are big turn offs.
 Lock the door carefully when you are inside.
 If someone is inside, don’t peep under the doors or knock endlessly. Wait for
the other person to come out.
 Female employees should avoid carrying their handbags inside the washroom.
Do not carry expensive items to the restroom.
 Make sure you do not wet the toilet seat. Do not throw water on the floor as
someone might slip and get hurt.
 Females should always sit on the toilet seat while peeing. Male employees
should always stand a little close to the toilet seat to avoid dripping.
 Never forget to use flush once you are done. Check the toilet seat for
unwanted stains or substance. Do not hesitate to call the toilet attendant if the
flush is not working.
 Make it a point to wash your hand with an antiseptic soap or sanitizer every time
you use the restroom. Use a tissue paper to wipe off hands.
 Do not spit on walls. It is absolutely childish to write names or make designs on
toilet walls.
 Don’t take much time inside the restroom. One should avoid taking hand
phones inside the washroom.
  Make sure you do not throw anything in the commode. Tissue paper must be
thrown inside the dustbin and not anywhere else. Sanitary napkins must be
wrapped in polybags and disposed in dustbins.
 Do not leave the restroom with taps on. It is important to conserve water.
 One should not smoke inside the office toilet. It leads to suffocation.
 Make sure you turn on the exhaust fan once you are inside the toilet. Do not
forget to switch off the lights and exhaust fan when you leave the restroom.
 Do not throw unwanted hair or soap wrappers in the washbasin. Keep the
soap inside the soap case.
 Ask the attendant to clean the toilet whenever it is dirty.

14. Visiting Card Etiquette - Must Have Qualities in a

Visiting Card
Good manners come into play in every walk of life. It is essential for an individual to
behave sensibly for him to find his place in the society.

There is a huge difference between one’s college and professional life. An individual
need to behave decently at the workplace. Avoid being casual at work. Remember your
office pays you for your hard work and not for loitering and gossiping around.

Visiting Card
Visiting card is nothing but a small document which bears the name, designation of the
individual concerned as well as the organization’s name and other necessary contact
details.

A Visiting card must include:

 Name of the individual concerned.

 His/her designation.
 Organization’s name/Logo.
 Website of the organization.
 Address of the organization.
 Contact number (Hand phone and fixed line) and email id.

Let us go through some visiting card etiquette:

 The name, designation and contact details of the individual concerned ought to
be correct in the visiting card. Never go for fake designations. It is an offence.
 Do not choose stylish fonts for visiting cards. A visiting card should not have
flashy designs or bright colors. The font style however to some extent also
depends on the nature of the job.
 Visiting cards should be handled with care. Do not fold your business cards.
They must be kept properly and should not have pen marks.
 Remember visiting cards are not meant to be kept at home. An individual must
carry his/her visiting cards for all official meetings. Visiting cards play a
pivotal role in introducing an individual to others. Make sure you have plenty of
them when you go out to meet your clients or external parties.
 One must exchange his/her business card either in the beginning of the meeting
or once the meeting is over. Do not stand up in the middle of a meeting to
exchange your card. Wait for the right time. Place your card right in front of you
on the table when you sit for meetings and conferences.
 Never exchange your visiting cards with left hand. It is a sign of disrespect to
your card. Remember your visiting card is a reflection of your professional
achievements.
 Keep your card at a place where it can be found easily. Prefer keeping them in a
card holder. Searching your visiting card in front of your client looks
unprofessional and childish. It shows how irresponsible and careless you are.
 Organizations must use top quality paper for visiting card of employees.
The quality of the visiting card talks about your brand.
  Whenever you exchange your visiting card with someone, ask for his card as
well.
 Remember visiting card plays an important role in networking. Keep the
other person’s card in a visiting card album / folder to avoid misplacing them. You
never know when you might need them. Never keep visiting cards in shirt or
trousers pockets.

15. Mobile Phone Etiquettes (Mobiquette)

Etiquette refers to good manners which help an individual find his place in the
society. It is essential for an individual to behave in a certain way for others to respect
and appreciate him.

Etiquette refers to a set of rules individuals need to follow to be accepted in the society.
One must understand the difference between college and professional life. Never adopt
a casual attitude at work. It is important to be serious and a little responsible at the
workplace.

Remember you are not the only person in organization; there are other people as well.
You need to respect each other’s privacy and can’t afford to disturb others.

Cell phone is a boon in today’s world but can be a disturbing element if not used
in the appropriate way. It tends to distract the person using it as well as others who
are around.

Mobiquette (Mobile Etiquette)

Mobiquette refers to certain guidelines that individuals need to adhere to while
using the hand phone at the workplace.

Things are quite different at home or a friend’s place, but one needs to be careful at the
workplace.

 Always keep your cell phone in the silent or vibration mode at the work
place. Loud ring tone disturbs employees who are around.
 Remember office phone is only for official purposes. Don’t circulate your
official number amongst all your friends and relatives. Keep a separate
phone for personal use. Making personal calls from official phone is simply not
expected out of a sensible professional.
 Don’t activate film songs or jokes as caller tunes for mobiles meant for official
use. It leaves a bad impression on clients or external parties who might call you.
 Never shout on the phone. Always be soft and polite. Avoid using abusive or
foul language.
 Be careful with your phone. Never leave it at other’s workstations. It would waste
yours as well as your colleague’s time. Try not to carry cell phone to restrooms.
 Greet the other party well. Start your conversation with a warm “Hello”. The
way you talk matters a lot in verbal communication. The other party can’t see
you; it’s your tone which makes the difference.
 Speak clearly. Never chew anything while speaking over the phone. It is
important to concentrate while attending an important official call.
 Be clear about what you intend to communicate. It is advisable to keep related
documents handy. Don’t make the other person wait. Always keep a notepad and
pen with you to jot down important points.
 Make sure your mobile calls do not hamper your productivity. Don’t go for
long personal calls at workplace. Be crisp and precise.
 It is bad manners to pick calls when someone is sitting with you unless and until
it is an emergency.
 Extension fixed phones are meant to be used by everyone at the workplace.
Don’t treat it as your personal property.
 Avoid calling any of your clients or colleagues before 8 in the morning and
after 8 in the evening. The other person might be busy with his family or friends
and definitely would not pay attention to your conversation.
  Switch off your mobiles while attending important meetings, presentations or
seminars. In case of an emergency, move out of the place to attend the call.

16. Internet and Email Etiquettes - Netiquette

Etiquette helps individuals behave in a socially responsible way. In simpler words,
etiquette transforms a man into a gentle man.

Remember employees need to behave sensibly and appropriately to make their position
secure at the workplace. No organization likes to have someone who lacks etiquette.
Respect the place where you earn a living for yourself.

Communication plays a pivotal role in getting things done in the right way.
Employees should pass on information in its desired form across all related
departments. Playing with information is considered strictly unethical. Prefer written
modes of communication over verbal communication.

Email is considered a reliable mode of communication as there is written record of

transaction for future reference.

What is Netiquette (Network + Etiquette) ?

Netiquette also called Internet Etiquette refers to a set of rules an individual need
to follow while communicating through mails, writing blogs, sharing views on
online portals or any other online forum.

Let us go through some Internet Etiquette:

 Make sure emails are self-explanatory. The other person should understand
your views and ideas.
 Don’t use capital letters in emails unless and until it is the first alphabet of a word.
Turn off the CAPS lock key. Emails written in all capitals are considered rude and
loud.
 Be crisp. Lengthy emails are seldom read. Never ever deviate from the actual
topic.
 The subject line ought to be meaningful and relevant. Through subject line
employees can quickly know what is written in the email.
 Start your mail with formal greetings.
 Format your emails correctly. Justify your text. Break the complete message
into short paragraphs with equal spaces in between. Use bullets -points wherever
required.
 Keep all related members in loop. Do mark a blind copy to your reporting boss for
him to know what you are up to?
 All official emails must have signatures at the bottom. Your signature should
include your name, your company’s name, your designation and contact details.
Make sure your signatures do not have incorrect information.
 Avoid writing offensive emails to anyone. It worsens the situation. It is always
better to sit with the other person and discuss issues face to face.
 Take care of your font style and size. Official emails should ideally be written in
Arial style with a font size of twelve. Emails written in various colors and designer
styles are considered unprofessional and childish.
 Make sure you reply to all your mails. Don’t add members just for the sake of it.
Don’t send mails to individuals who have nothing to do with your information. It is
a sheer waste of yours as well as their time.
 Don’t write anything in your mail which might fall back on you. Read your mail
twice before hitting the send button.
 Employees should not open illegal or porn sites at workplace. Read
carefully the terms and conditions before opening any website. Do not open any
site which might harm your office computer.
 Take care of spelling errors, punctuation marks and grammar. Wrong spellings
irritate the readers. Be polite and soft in your communication.
 Avoid using short forms or abbreviations in official mails.
  It is important to respect other’s privacy. Don’t check anyone’s mails in his
absence.
 The mail meant for a particular individual should be marked only to him. Do not
mark anyone else in bcc. Communicate with him in private.
 Use words like “regards”, “thanks”, “yours sincerely” to close your mails.
 Avoid attaching heavy files to your mail.
 Do not upload objectionable photographs in any networking site.
 Respect the other person’s views while sharing information on various online
forums.

10 Golden Rules for

Workplace Professionalism

Scene 1: First day in Office

You are bursting with enthusiasm on the first day of your new job. Spruced and
ready, you reach office well before time, looking forward to showing your
commitment and dedication. You are eager to learn from seniors and hope for a
great innings with the company. Bonding with your co-recruits and other staff,
you are soon discussing everything under the sun with them. “This is a great
place”, you think, and “I have made some excellent friends”. You plan to put in
your best efforts to impress the boss, win over people, and achieve results.

Scene 2: Three months later

You are way behind your targets, and the boss is after your scalp. He has hinted
several times that your probation might be extended. Your co-worker has back-
stabbed you by filling the boss’ ears with some things you had cribbed about.
Colleagues from other departments, who seemed so friendly at first, are now
putting in conflicting and unreasonable demands. And no one is ready to allow for
any slack or delay in getting their work done. You are disillusioned and exhausted, and
suddenly, this company does not seem a good choice any more.
So what happened?

Simple. You have been thrown into the fiercely competitive world of corporate
one-upmanship, and nobody told you the rules of the game. You have to learn on
your own to survive here. And you have learnt the hard way, that personal
friendships and back-slapping does not take you very far in the world out there.

So what are the rules to survive in this game?

Two words

Workplace professionalism
The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines professionalism as:
Professionalism (N) :   The skill, good judgment, and polite behavior that is
expected from a person who is trained to do a job well.  The conduct, aims, or
qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person.
From the above definition, it can be safely deduced that professionalism entails the following
characteristics:

Professional attitude and behavior, displayed at the corporate workplace, is referred to

as Workplace Professionalism.
It is the golden mantra for sustained success in the corporate world. In B-school you were
taught organizational behavior and ethics, but workplace professionalism combines
these two disciplines with good sense, maturity, and self-discipline.
If you observe the behavior and conduct of successful leaders the world over, you will note that
they have mastered all the golden rules of workplace professionalism.

So what are the golden rules?

Do’s:

1. Be punctual and regular at work

2. Try to stick to work deadlines
3. Focus on doing your job well
4. Maintain cordial relations with your colleagues
5. Take responsibility for your actions

Don’ts:

6. Cover up mistakes or give wrong data for reports or presentations

7. Make tall claims or oversell to customers
8. Tell tales about your colleagues to superiors
9. Spend time on social media or browsing the internet for personal
work, or gossip or chit chat with colleagues
10. Spend all your waking hours in office

These rules may seem quite obvious at face value, but in the daily struggle of
corporate living, they are frequently overlooked. So while in the first few days of
joining an organization, you are on your best behavior – maintaining punctuality
and discipline, showing eagerness in completing job assignments – as time goes
by, a certain casualness takes over.

So let’s revise each rule of workplace professionalism one by one.

1. Do be punctual and regular at work:

Yes, yes, you knew that already. It was the first lesson we all learnt at
kindergarten. But to tell the truth, weren’t you slacking off a bit these days? Time
keeping wasn’t your best habit any day. After all what are a few minutes here and
there, so long as you are putting in the required efforts at work?

But unfortunately, in most corporate set-ups these issues do matter. There are
people who live by the clock, and who will report to your boss your habit of late-
coming. This will become an issue later if your performance is not up to the mark.
And if you are unable to deliver results on time, all fingers will point to your late-
coming. You can be sure this fact will seal your fate in the organization.

So don’t give them an opportunity. Ditch the late nights, get up early, take the
earlier train or bus, do whatever, but reach office on time. Once you log in, you
can take a breather, relax and spend a few minutes organizing your thoughts and
planning the day.

Trust me, those few minutes of extra sleep grabbed in the morning are just not
worth it. They do cost you later.

Being regular would also mean not taking leaves with alarming frequency, and
not playing truant during office hours. Yes, your school pals are meeting after a
long time, and you so badly want to catch the movie or the soccer match with
them, but office hours are meant for office work. You are bound to be caught one
day or the other, and then you will have hell to pay for.

If you want to display workplace professionalism, follow your office schedule

and keep personal slack away.
 2. Do try to stick to work deadlines:

Treat work deadlines, particularly those issued by the boss or other seniors, as
sacrosanct. Your position, in the company you work for, may be something similar
to the figure given below:

You are literally being pulled on all sides by varying demands and
expectations. And everyone wants you to deliver on time, as per schedule. B-
school has taught you about role conflict and role ambiguity, now you know what
these mean.

A tiny fact of life: You will find that when you are sitting idle, no one
gives you any assignments, but when you are already in the thick of
things, another one or a couple of overlapping deadlines are forced on
you. Suddenly all work starts pouring in.

Well, that is life! And workplace professionalism means dealing with all work

demands gracefully.
Juggle all of these, multi-task, though not at the cost of doing a shoddy job, and
somehow make it to the finishing line. And in the middle of it, do not crib or
complain, at least not within hearing distance of your superiors.

Workplace professionalism means all this and more. Respecting that the work
needs to be completed in time, putting in your all to meet commitments, being
uncompromising in quality, these traits will firmly establish your standing in the
organization.

3. Do focus on doing your job well:

Just meeting deadlines is not enough, in today’s dog- eat-dog world, your focus
on quality of output matters very much. So you need to watch your work
for errors, loopholes or carelessness. Even if these do get overlooked by chance
once or twice, you need to ensure your work generally meets the expected
standards of quality.

Workplace professionalism entails self-checking, monitoring, and revising, to

eliminate errors and do a good job.

4. Do maintain cordial relations with your

colleagues:

The key word here is “cordial”, and not over-friendly or back-slapping. There is an
old adage that office co-workers can never be real friends.
Sadly, that is true to a great extent. Though outwardly friendly and compatible,
colleagues will always have the undercurrent of competition running through
their support. Resist the urge to pour your heart out, or badmouth your company
policies or boss before colleagues, however friendly they may seem. Sharing job-
related problems over coffee or lighthearted banter is okay, but don’t go
overboard. Reserve unburdening of problems or bitching about office
politics for your out-of-office friends or spouse.

Be friendly with your co-workers, offer support, lend a sympathetic year to their
troubles, but draw a line on personal discussions during office hours.
Gently remind the colleague that you have work to do, and ease out of
controversial discussions. Workplace professionalism may cost you a couple
of office friendships, but then, you gain some, you lose some, isn’t it?

5. Do take responsibility for your actions:

Ah, the mother of all issues! Taking responsibility for decisions gone wrong, ideas
that failed, and actions that cost the organization dear, is extremely tough. But
the road to workplace professionalism is paved with responsible behavior.

Own up when your decisions turn out bad. Don’t pass the buck to your
subordinates or team members. It takes courage to admit that you were
wrong, but your superiors will admire you for that. Just don’t make it a habit to
take bad decisions every now and then, and say sorry after that! Usually taking
responsibility is accompanied by a resolve not to repeat the mistake in future.

What I have listed above is, I am sure, not that tough to follow, if you wish to
imbibe workplace professionalism.

What follows now, is a bit tougher, and requires a good amount of self-discipline
and maturity.

6. Don’t cover up mistakes or give wrong data for

reports or presentations:

This follows the above point on taking responsibility. While you have access to all
kinds of data and numbers to camouflage your botched-up actions, resist the urge
to use them. At weekly or monthly review meetings, you need not flaunt your
failures, but don’t bluff about your (non-existent) success either. Yes, this bluffing
may seem harmless, but is against the grain of workplace professionalism.

7. Don’t make tall claims or oversell to customers:

While making sales or marketing presentations to customers make sure you are
not overselling your product or services by making tall claims or boasting inflated
figures. Your words will come back to haunt you the day your company can’t
deliver on your promises.

One of the cardinal rules of workplace professionalism involves ethical

behavior. You need to make the deal, right, but not by messing up with facts and
figures.

8. Don’t tell tales about your colleagues to

superiors:

Your colleague has behaved abominably, yes. He/she has given you wrong
information, held back resources, and has generally refused to cooperate. But you
are not a child to go crying to your boss. As a mature individual you need to
straighten things directly with your colleague.

Use logic or pressure to make your point. If only all else fails, present your side of
the story to your boss, as unemotionally as you can. Be careful, not to launch
personal attacks on anyone. Stick to professional behavior.

9. Don’t spend time on social media

The lure of social media, online chatting sites, picture-sharing and networking
sites is too strong these days to avoid altogether. Set aside a time when you will
check out your WhatsApp, Instagram, or Facebook accounts, and your personal e-
mail.

 Keep your notifications off during office hours. Resist the urge to log
in and have a quick peek. It is never quick, and you will soon get sucked into
mindless discussions and chats that will interfere with your precarious office
schedules.

Right. So you have decided to log off social media, and take a stroll around to the
water cooler or coffee vending machine. You find a couple of co-workers
discussing some juicy gossip that’s just too hard to ignore. You join in, and soon
are in full steam exchanging tidbits.

The boss or some other senior has decided to pick just this moment to take a
coffee break. And there you are, chattering away to your heart’s content, when
the senior/boss passes you by. Caught on the wrong foot? You bet!  

Workplace professionalism involves keeping personal gossip out of your

professional life.

10. Don’t spend all your waking hours in office:

You want to show your commitment and dedication, yes. You want to complete
work on time, yes. You like your office environment, yes. But spending inordinate
time hanging around in office? NO!

You may think you will be perceived as a zealous professional, but what you are
actually conveying is that you are poor at time management, and have zero social
life. Both of which are not good images to have.
Hanging around late in office on a regular basis, attending office on weekends
even when there is no pressing need, missing out on social appointments citing
work, all this will not earn you any brownie points.

 On the contrary, you will come across as someone with no sense of
work-life balance, the essence of professionalism in today’s world.

Take time to lead your social life and pursue hobbies, advise life coaches, as these
will support you in leading a well-balanced life.

 Corporate culture prefers well-balanced individuals, not over-worked,

stressed-out workaholics.

I hope I have managed to convey the rules of workplace professionalism to

you. You can always learn new company-specific rules on your corporate journey.
Keep your eyes and ears open, and model your workplace behavior on that of
those who are held in high esteem in your organization.

Workplace professionalism, practiced with earnestness, builds you a rock-

solid reputation, and earns you respect and regard in the organization.

And in today’s corporate world of close networking and fragile

reputations, that is what ultimately matters.