The proliferation of technology throughout the office has created a work force that needs some brushing up on its P’s and Q’s.
Pamela Eyring, president of the
Protocol School of Washington, said data shows that today’s employees
are more committed to their gadgets than they are to each other. Recent
research found that mobile device etiquette breaches at work are up by
51 percent from three years ago, while nearly 70 per cent of Americans
say they witness poor cellphone etiquette at least once every day.
It’s people, not iPads, that workers need to get along with to succeed in business, Eyring said.
“Our industry is in a growth mode
because people realise the best investment of time and money is in
people — not machines,” she said. “Machines are necessary and valuable,
but we have to be smart about how we use them.”
Here are tips for improving business etiquette around the office:
Be all in: Employees should pay
attention in business settings and not place their smartphone or tablet
on the table. In addition, the phone should be turned off before going
into a meeting, dining room or networking event. For those expecting an
important call, make sure the phone is on vibrate, alert people
beforehand and then excuse yourself when you get the call.
Don’t text and talk: Texting while
talking to someone says you’re not interested in the other person and
that can be a deal-breaker, resulting in the loss of a potential client
or valued vendor. If texting is a must, excuse yourself and find an
isolated spot to work.
Email etiquette: Busy people get upward
of 200 work emails a day and need time to respond. Allow 24 to 48 hours
for a reply and give people the benefit of the doubt. If they don’t
respond, perhaps the email inadvertently went to the person’s junk mail
box. It’s also time-consuming to open and read unnecessary emails.
Don’t hit “reply all” unless it’s absolutely necessary everyone listed
needs to read the reply.
Keep voice messages short: Good
communicators get to the point quickly. Aim for a voice mail message
that is no longer than 30 seconds. It is important to state your name
clearly and confirm the phone number you prefer they call.
Choose the right communication: E-mail
is the preferred method of communication because it’s easily accessible,
but don’t be afraid to ask someone if they prefer texting. Of course, a
difficult conversation requires picking up the phone or, better yet,
talking in person.
Keep private conversations private:
Don’t talk on the phone while in the restroom or hallway — you never
know who may overhear you. Additionally, since you never know who may
be within earshot, don’t talk about sensitive work issues when eating
out with friends or family.
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