Essential Office Etiquette 2010 Facilitated by Itukisa (Pty) Ltd

1. Essential Office Etiquette 2010 Facilitated by Itukisa (Pty) Ltd

2. AGENDA • Introduction • Session 1 • What is office etiquette • Office relationships • Professional conduct • Session 2 • Professional attire • Courtesy for individuals with a disability • Handling difficult people and personal issues • Ethical dilemmas • Personal contact etiquette

3. AGENDA (CONT.) • Session 3 • Etiquette in meetings • Appropriate use of the internet, email, telephone and cell phone • Attending business functions, social gatherings and office parties • Session 4 • Open plan office etiquette • Bathroom etiquette • Confidentiality • Unacceptable behaviour at work and common office etiquette mistakes

4. Definition of Etiquette The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines etiquette as the conventional rules of personal behaviour in a polite society

5. Office Etiquette • Personal Behaviour • Polite Society • Conventional Rules

6. Office Relationships

7. Nobody wants to spend eight hours in an office with someone who does not know how to behave

8. Office Relationships • Office behaviour • Addressing colleagues • Conversations at work • Saying Please and Thank you • Displaying affection • Sexual harassment

9. Professional Conduct • Basic Do’s And Don’ts • Show respect for management and your colleagues • Dress according to the company requirements • Avoid expressing negative attitudes as they lead to negative behaviour • Introduce people to one another • Say please and thank you • Remember names • Avoid using vulgar and inappropriate language

10. Professional Conduct (CONT.) • Be on time • Be discreet • Be courteous • Be concerned with others, not just yourself • Dress appropriately • Use proper written and spoken language

11. Professional Attire • Personal appearance • Clothes • Hair styles, colour and cleanliness • Accessories • Make-up • Posture • Skin • Nails • Perfume / colognes / after-shave • Dress code

12. Courtesy For Individuals with a Disability • Ask before you help • Wheelchair or mobility impairment etiquette • People who are blind

13. Ask Before You Help • Don’t assume they need help • People with disabilities can usually get around fine • Treat as independent people • Offer assistance only if needed • Ask how before you act • May depend on their arms for balance • Avoid patting a person / touching his wheelchair • Don’t make decisions for them • Please respect their privacy

14. Wheelchair or Mobility Impairment Etiquette • People who use wheelchairs have different disabilities. • Don’t lean over someone in a wheelchair • Or ask a wheelchair user to hold coats • Setting your drink on the desktop attached to someone’s wheelchair is a definite no-no • Don’t push or touch a person’s wheelchair; it’s part of their personal space

15. Wheelchair or Mobility Impairment Etiquette (CONT.) • If you help someone down a curb without waiting for instructions, you may dump them out of the chair • Keep the ramps and wheelchair-accessible doors to your building unlocked and unblocked • Be aware of wheelchair users’ reach limits • When talking to a wheelchair user, grab your own chair and sit at their level

16. Wheelchair or Mobility Impairment Etiquette (CONT.) • If the service counter at your place of business is too high for a wheelchair user to see over, step around it to provide service • Ensure that security guards and receptionists can answer questions about the most accessible way around the building and grounds • If the nearest public restroom is not accessible or is located on an inaccessible floor, allow the person in a wheelchair to use a private or employees’ accessible restroom

17. Wheelchair or Mobility Impairment Etiquette (CONT.) • People who use canes or crutches need their arms to balance themselves, so never grab them • They may lean on a door for support as they open it • If you offer a seat to a person who has limited mobility, keep in mind that chairs with arms or with higher seats are easier for some people to use

18. People Who Are Blind • Identify yourself before you make physical contact with a person who is blind • Introduce them to others who are in the group, so that they are not excluded • Offer them a tour of the office. • If a person who is blind needs to be guided offer your arm - don’t take his

19. Difficult People • Dealing with difficult people • Basic needs • How do your colleagues signal these needs to you? • “I need to be understood” • “I need to feel welcome” • “I need to feel important” • “I need to feel comfortable”

20. Personal Contact • Introductions • Who is first • Names in order • Handshakes • Personal body space

21. Meeting Etiquette • Arranging a meeting • Agenda and minutes • Before the meeting • Formal meetings • Duties of the chairperson • During the meeting • End of meeting

22. Internet Usage • Remember the human • Adhere to the same standards of behaviour online that you follow in real life • Know where you are in cyberspace • Respect other people's time and bandwidth • Make yourself look good online

23. Internet Usage • Share expert knowledge • Keep flame wars under control • Respect other people's privacy • Don’t abuse your power • Be forgiving of other people's mistakes

24. Office Etiquette • Email etiquette • Telephone etiquette • Cellphone etiquette

25. Business Entertaining • Entertaining local associates • Give sufficient notice • Avoid the hard sell • Choose the venue and the menu wisely • Watch budgets and tastes when you order drinks • Start business talk carefully • Never be a greedy guest • Keep the conversation going

26. Open Plan Office Etiquette • Showing consideration • Be accessible • Keep your desk tidy • Be careful when having conversations • Never shout to a colleague • Use designated aisles or walking routes in an open plan workspace

27. Open Plan Office Etiquette • Never use anything which might cause disruption to others, e.g. a speaker phone or radio unless permission is granted • Do not have loud music playing • Do not speak in a language your fellow staff do not understand • Avoid taking personal phone calls • Be wary of speaking openly about any issues of confidentiality

28. Open Plan Office Etiquette (CONT.) • Move to private enclosed space to make or take private calls • Always switch your answer machine on before leaving your desk • Don’t interrupt during the call • Pungent or bad odours are one of the most complained about aspects of working in an open plan office • Practice good hygiene- don’t go overboard with aftershave or perfume

29. Open Plan Office Etiquette(CONT.) • Choose neutral smelling foods when eating at your desk • Eat in designated areas, or outside • Do not eat in front of someone fasting • It is not polite to fight in an open plan environment • Do not use vulgar language • Keep confidential information you may accidentally over hear private • Don’t gossip

30. Open Plan Office Etiquette(CONT.) • Don’t invite yourself to an informal meeting, if you haven’t been invited • In general, it’s easy to get along well in an open plan working environment • Being accessible to people but still maintaining boundaries • Treat people how you would like to be treated

31. Bathroom Etiquette • No business in the bathroom • Wash your hands • Emails during a bathroom visit? • Don’t lie in wait • Keep down the smell • Dealing with cultural difference • Not the place to socialise • Keep it clean

32. Confidential Issues • Computers, fax machines and printers • Computer display • Telephone, internet (email) and other communications • Passwords • Storage of confidential information • Access

33. Unacceptable Behaviour • Gender neutral • Business meals are for eating and networking • Adhere to the protocol in your office when addressing superiors • On casual dress days wear business casual clothes • Avoid flirting • Do not scream and shout at your colleagues in front of others • Never treat colleagues differently, all are equal • Always wear shoes

34. Unacceptable Behaviour (CONT.) • Do not chew gum with your mouth open • Avoid funky ring tones on your cellphone • Do not give yourself or a colleague a manicure or pedicure in the office • Avoid negative behaviour • Never bad mouth your colleagues or organisation • Replace paper in the copier and fax machines • Do not steal food and drinks from the fridge • Taking office supplies home is unacceptable

35. Common Mistakes • Men opening the door or pulling out a chair for a female co-worker/ women waiting for a male co-worker to open the door or pull out a chair • Men waiting for women to exit an elevator first • Waiting for the person who called to end the conversation first • Tracking down a caller when the line was disconnected during a call

36. Common Mistakes • Hand writing all personal notes • Shaking hands across your desk • Deferring to age and/ or gender when making introductions • Exchanging business cards • Addressing your boss by his/her first name when around others

37. Summary • Introduction • Session 1 • What is office etiquette • Office relationships • Professional conduct • Session 2 • Professional attire • Courtesy for the physically challenged • Handling difficult people and personal issues • Ethical dilemmas • Personal contact etiquette

38. Summary (CONT.) • Session 3 • Etiquette in meetings • Appropriate use of the internet, email and telephone and cell phone • Attending business functions, social gatherings and office parties • Session 4 • Open plan office etiquette • Bathroom etiquette • Confidentiality • Unacceptable behaviour at work and common office etiquette mistakes

39. Thank you Fasset Call Centre 086 101 0001 www.fasset.org.za