8 Basic Workplace Etiquette Rules You Must Follow

5 min read |

Last Updated on 16 July 2024

Work etiquette is a standard that controls social behavior expectations in the workplace. It covers a wide range of aspects among employees. Some of these include body language, behavior, technology use, and communication.

Basically, it is about how you conduct yourself around coworkers, potential business partners, and customers. It boils down to treating others with respect, to be aware of everyone present and to be polite overall.

Etiquette makes your work easier with and more pleasant for your fellow colleagues. When someone interrupts you while talking, arrives late for a meeting, or snatches your food from the fridge in the standard room, you begin to wonder how an individual could be so disrespectful. All of this stuff is nothing but workplace etiquette violations.

There is no universal agreement to standard workplace etiquette. It all depends on the office personality. However, specific proper workplace etiquette rules apply to almost every business.

And if you want to promote a professional and civilized environment for yourself and your coworkers, it is essential to adopt the etiquette rules as early as possible. Here are the top 8 workplace etiquette tips that everyone should follow for a better company culture.

Top 8 Workplace Etiquette Rules Everyone Should Follow.

1. Be Respectful To Your Coworkers

All of your colleagues deserve respect, even though they are not always respectful towards you. It's essential to learn to acknowledge other people's religious views, political opinions, and sexual preference. You don't have to agree with them all the time, but maintaining respect is proper etiquette.

Sharing work space with others means you'll inevitably engage in conversations. It is more common in open office structures. Please take it in turns, talking without having to interrupt. Encourage each person to complete a thought and engage in discussion.

Also, as workplaces generally keep busy, so you must honor the schedules of your colleagues. Before starting a conversation, make sure that they have the time or want to talk at that moment.

Again, when you've been requested a meeting, make sure you reach on time or better, arrive early. Also, resisting your personal calls during a meeting is a smart idea. It shows you care for them, and that they can count on you.

Do not indulge in rumors about other staff or the business in the office. Keep a safe distance between the professional and personal life of yourself and others too. When you're on personal time, hanging out with colleagues, talk of something light and positive rather than office gossip.

Also read: Master the art of respect in the workplace with these 8 tips

2. Maintain Virtual Office Etiquette

Virtual meetings have become a part of our daily work routine. It is a whole another story compared to in-person meetings. Here are six simple things that you need to follow to maintain the perfect virtual workplace etiquette.

Take a few minutes to get appropriately dressed and brush your hair before starting your day. That's the first step to be productive while working remotely.
When you join a virtual team meeting, speak up when you are asked to. Do not keep silent, but make sure not to interrupt when someone else is talking.
Use attentive body language if you're using your webcam. Sit up straight, don't make weird gestures, and don't let your eyes wander too far.
Mute your microphone when you are not talking as it will help avoid noises.
Make sure your work setup is professional. A messy room
a background, a screaming child or a barking dog can be distracting.
Consider having a snack before or after a virtual meeting.
Make proper eye contact in the camera.

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3. Stay Accountable

Workers should hold responsibility for their feelings, words, and behavior, especially when they have made a mistake. This personal accountability is closely related to honesty and integrity and is a vital element in workplace etiquette. Accountability speaks about your character, keeps your reputation high, and builds better workplace relationships.

4. Know What To Wear To Work

In modern workplaces, appearance is often combined with performance, and it plays a crucial role in business success.

Your professional image has exceptional value in the corporate setting. Not only does a professional outfit give you more confidence, but it also helps boost your growth and instills brand loyalty.
Having a dress code demonstrates employee equality. However, many companies do not have it, but you should still try to get smartly dressed.

If you're unsure what dress code will suit you, the best choice will be to pick a traditional business dress with colors like black, blue, grey, or white. Your clothes should clean, ironed, and fit you perfectly. Avoid wearing fancy or too many accessories. If you follow a casual Fridays, do not go too casual because remember, it's just another workday.

5. Understand Teamwork

Proper business etiquette is essential to building and sustaining a team of employees who trust, love, and value each other. It is not a good practice not to hand in your part of a project or take a personal phone call during a team brainstorming session.

If one person does not do his portion of the job, the other members of the team are compelled to take the stress. And it may create resentment among coworkers and productivity losses, which will ultimately cost the company.

6. Make Friendlier Employee Onboarding

The warm and gracious welcoming of new members of your team would help you stand out. Shake hands, introduce yourself to the newcomer, organize a team lunch, or share a cake just as a welcome treat. Offer to answer any questions or queries and get the conversation going for at least the few initial weeks. It will help them to adjust quickly and give your professional reputation a boost.

7. Know When It's Your Treat

Lunch meetings help you to get to know a colleague or team better. The rule of thumb is that if you are inviting others for a business lunch, it is your treat. That is, the person offering the invitation should be footing the bill. Make no fuss about it.

8. Filter Your Speech

For obvious reasons, a workplace is a challenging, stressful environment. Each worker has different aspirations, attitudes, and personalities. However, they together towards one common goal with different working styles, and thus, clashes will happen.

One easy way that you can maintain a friendly and productive workplace is by measuring your words. Think before you speak. Respect others' perspectives, don't be offensive with hitting replies, and never make arguments personal. Don't forget to apologize in words, whenever required.

This article is written by Susmita Sarma, a digital marketer at Vantage Circle. She was involved with media relations before shifting her interest in research and creative writing. Apart from being a classical music buff, she keeps a keen interest in anchoring and cooking. For any related queries, contact editor@vantagecircle.com