Understanding Workplace Etiquette

Succeeding at work is about doing your job while getting along with others who are doing theirs. Workplace etiquette boils down to a single word: respect.

Workplace Etiquette

Respect your . . .

organization or company, understanding its mission, its current goals, and how you can help.
supervisor, following her or his directions.
coworkers, treating them well, communicating clearly, and collaborating effectively.
customers, providing them with the best products and services possible.
self, dressing appropriately and conducting yourself professionally.
job, following the schedule, arriving on time, and working hard.
career, providing your expertise and taking on new challenges.

Your Turn Think about a job that you currently hold, or consider school as your current workplace. Do you routinely show respect in all the ways discussed above? What changes can you make to become more respectful?

Resolving Conflicts

If you develop the gracious, helpful habits outlined above, you will probably face few conflicts with others. Sometimes, though, conflicts do arise. If you have a disagreement with someone, try the following listening exercise:

Position 1 Statement: The first person gets one to two minutes to calmly explain his or her point of view and to list the reasons why his or her suggested course of action would be best.
Restatement of Position 1: The second person then paraphrases the first person’s thoughts aloud, starting with “I hear you saying . . .” and ending with “Am I understanding you correctly?”
Clarification of Position 1: If the answer is “no,” the first person receives another 30 seconds to a minute to clarify his or her position.
Position 2 Statement, Restatement, and Clarification: Once the first person’s position is clear, the second person takes one to two minutes to calmly explain his or her point of view, and the process starts over.
Cooperation and Compromise: Once both sides have been heard, both people should seek ways to cooperate and compromise on the matter.
Mediation: If the conflict still has not been resolved, it’s time to get another person involved to mediate.

Your Turn Think about a conflict that you have had with another employee or with a person at school. How did you resolve the conflict? With a classmate, roleplay resolving the conflict with the process outlined above.

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Receiving and Giving Instructions

When you are a new employee, you’ll receive instructions for doing your job. After you’re experienced, you’ll occasionally need to give instructions to other workers. Follow these tips for both situations:

Receiving Instructions

Listen carefully from start to finish to make sure you understand everything.
Understand the purpose of the instructions.
Note the materials and steps, mentally running through the process.
Repeat the instructions aloud to make sure you understand them.
Ask questions when you are unsure about something.

Giving Instructions

Provide an overview of the process.
Explain the purpose of the procedure.
List the materials needed, the steps involved, and any safety issues. (Use visuals if appropriate.)
Review the instructions clearly and completely.
Ask if there are any questions and answer them.

Your Turn Think of a procedure that includes at least three steps. Give instructions to a partner concerning this process. Then switch roles, listening as you receive instructions for a different procedure from your partner. Use the tips above.

Receiving and Giving Criticism

When your performance on the job is unsatisfactory, you may receive constructive criticism to help you improve. Learning to take criticism well is a key life skill. As you become more experienced, you may be the one providing constructive criticism to others. Follow these tips for both situations:

Receiving Criticism

Show a willingness to learn and improve performance.
Listen calmly and try not to take the criticism personally.
Think about the person’s ideas, including the suggested solution.
Offer any additional ideas that occur to you.

Giving Criticism

Use a positive tone so that the person knows you are trying to help.
Focus comments on the problem rather than on the person.
Suggest a solution that the listener can try.
Invite input from the listener.

Your Turn Imagine that you are a grocery store owner. Ask a partner to imagine being a cashier. Role-play giving criticism while your partner receives it. Then switch roles for a different owner-worker situation. Afterward, review the tips above and discuss which ones you used and which ones you wish you had used.

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Innovating on the Job

As a new employee, your job is to follow instructions and learn the correct way to do the tasks required in your position. After you’ve done this and gained the trust of your coworkers and superiors, you can further contribute by looking for ways to solve problems that exist or occur on the job.

Don’t be the problem person. Be the solution person. Often workers make the mistake of bringing problem after problem to their supervisors. Instead, bring solution after solution. Your supervisor will appreciate your initiative and will start to rely on you. Here’s how to be the solution person:

Guidelines for Solving Workplace Problems

Look for “pain points”—situations that slow work, cause frustration, decrease productivity, cause conflict, reduce quality, or otherwise negatively impact the work that you do. Think about your company’s mission and how your ideas can help accomplish the mission.
Thoroughly examine the problem to understand its causes and consequences.
Brainstorm solutions that eliminate the causes of the problem or reduce its negative effects.
Consider the solutions and choose the best one in terms of its cost and how well it will fix the problem and eliminate the negative consequences.
Adjust the solution until you are confident that it will work.
Present the idea to your supervisor, identifying the problem and suggesting your solution. Be humble. Make it clear that you are just trying to help.
Do what your supervisor decides you should. He or she may approve your idea, or decide against it. Either way, your supervisor will likely appreciate that you are aware and trying to make improvements in the workplace.
If your solution is approved, put it into action according to your supervisor’s instructions.
Monitor your solution’s implementation to make sure that it solves the original problem without causing others.
Watch for other “pain points” that require solutions. Carefully devise and suggest your ideas to be of service to your employer. Problem solvers are highly valued in the workplace.

Your Turn Think about problems you’ve noticed in your workplace or at school. Choose one and follow the guidelines above to devise a solution to the problem.