Nearly every person in your organization deals with customers and other staff members. There are very few people who would not advantage from taking business etiquette training. Mutually beneficial for staff and the organization involved, team members are mainly likely to benefit:
-
Your sales team and sales support staff
-
Any staff members who are in contact with customers or potential customers
-
All managers
-
Any of your organization’s brand ambassadors
-
Teams with diverse backgrounds
-
Staff who interact with international customers and suppliers
-
Your executive staff including assistants and account execs
Corporate etiquette training is a type of behavior that team members are expected to follow to uphold the company image and admire each other. While business culture has become more casual, it is still critical to practice common courtesy.
Business etiquette is at times understood, but more often than not, team members will agree upon the basic rules so everyone presents a united image. When team members follow business etiquette, it builds effective communication in the place of work.
The basics of business etiquette vary from culture to culture, and it can be especially intimidating to know business etiquette if you are working for a company with a culture different from the one you grew up in.
-
Identify your team
Acknowledging others is appropriate business etiquette for both casual and formal work environments. When someone walks in the room at a business dinner or meeting, greet them and wish them appropriately—whether by shaking hands or following some other cultural custom. The same rule applies if you work from home and attend Zoom meetings daily. You may not be needed to get on camera in every business meeting, but speaking up and taking the time to recognize your team members can allow everyone know you are listening and make others feel noticed.
-
Be on time
Whether you are attending an interview or daily standup meeting, being on time in a work environment shows that you respect everyone’s time. If punctuality is not something you have prioritized in the past, brush up on some time management tips to keep yourself organized and aware of your to-do list.
There are nuances to being on time—some cultures function on a system of being slightly late to everything. But when in doubt, show up on time and adjust from there if needed.
-
Dress appropriately
Dressing suitably is subjective and will rely on whether you work in an office or from home. Some companies that work in the office daily will expect everyone to dress in business casual attire because much of the work involves face time with stakeholders or clients. Other companies who work in a hybrid environment may persuade team members to dress casually to promote comfort and productivity.
If you are unsure about appropriate business attire, ask your manager or supervisor for tips. It is particularly common to feel unsure if you just started a new job, but do not be afraid to send a quick email before your first day to get a feel of the office policy. Alternatively, think back to your interview and try to keep in mind what everyone was wearing so you can dress consequently.
-
Build emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability to regulate, recognize, and understand emotions in yourself and in others. Effective emotional intelligence skills can help you understand with team members and overcome challenges. While emotional intelligence is not a direct rule of business etiquette, it will help you in the workplace, no matter what conflicts come up
For example, social etiquette classes helps you connect with other people. It shows you how to respect others. Even if you work remotely, you may go into the office on occasion or share virtual spaces with your team members. Office spaces may share with team members include a bathroom, kitchen, printer and copy room, and lounge area. Virtual spaces you may share include project management software and Google Drive folders.
The way you treat shared spaces is vital, so it is important that you label things properly, stay organized, and respect others who also use these spaces. Business etiquette applies to shared spaces whether you are cleaning up after yourself physically or following company processes online. The objective of business etiquette is to present an image, foster mutual respect for team members, and improve communication in the place of work. When teams communicate effectively, they do better work.
About Author
