How to Have Office Etiquette

When working in an office environment with many others, practicing office etiquette is the best way to be polite and avoid irritating your coworkers. Treat your coworkers in the same way you want to be treated and you'll avoid unpleasant situations.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Keep your music at a low volume or use a headset so you're the only one who can hear it. Others may not share your taste in music or radio stations.

2. Remember that most people don't care for jokes or funny stories to be forwarded to their work emails. Keep them to a minimum, especially the ones that may be considered inappropriate or off-color. This isn't only office etiquette, it may be cause for disciplinary action. Be smart and just delete them.

3. Use a minimum of perfume or cologne. Strong scents can be very disturbing to people with allergies or pregnant women who suffer from morning sickness.

4. Shower before you come to work and put on clean clothing. Body odor isn't pleasant for anyone to experience. Personal etiquette and office etiquette dictate that you arrive clean and well groomed.

5. Talk softly in order to keep your conversations private, particularly when you're on the phone with a client or a customer.

6. Be punctual when you arrive at work, and for scheduled for breaks, lunches, training or meetings. Being consistently late tells others that your time is more important than theirs. That isn't the message you want to convey to your fellow employees.

7. Pick up your phone when retrieving voice mails. Don't use your speaker phone to listen to messages or when making calls as it's very disruptive to those around you.