234 Finance: Restoring Workplace Courtesy

Working with colleagues in the same company over a long period can be fun and fosters a level of ease and cordiality but it also has its downsides. Sometimes, over-familiarity kicks in and simple courtesies are unconsciously thrown out the window. A simple ‘hello’ becomes a burden amongst colleagues and the wrong vibes are sent and misinterpreted. Over time, there is a decline of mutual respect.

It is important to maintain some level of civil behavior in the workplace. Aside from the benefits of a friendly working atmosphere which can impact positively on overall productivity, professionalism should still be kept intact. You should not get too used to someone to disrespect them.

One good way is to always exchange greetings and pleasantries. There is nothing wrong with wrapping professionalism with a friendly tone and a smile. Also, simple words, like ‘Please’, ‘Thanks’ and ‘I’m Sorry’ go a long way to keep the air clear of tension and strife.

Another way to keep it civil and respond to your colleagues’ official e-mails promptly. Sometimes, you get too familiar to respond urgently to messages or e-mails from your colleague because he or she has become a close friend. This can be frustrating especially if the person in question is working with you on a project with a deadline. Prompt correspondences between you and your colleague show that you value the person’s time and it saves the person the stress of worrying whether you received the e-mail or not.

Keep gossip, unruly mannerisms and expensive jokes far from the work place; these are highly unprofessional. Also, be kind enough to offer assistance to colleagues on the job when necessary or requested for. Helping each other is a good way to maintain cordiality whilst being courteous.

Furthermore, maintaining good hygiene around the work place is another way to show that you respect the welfare of others. Simple things like washing your dish after eating rather than leaving it in the sink, flushing immediately after using the toilet, using ear phones instead of blasting loud music as well as taking your personal calls in a low tone are good habits to develop when cultivating courteousness in the office.

Over time, with these sustained, courtesy will begat courtesy and a healthy office culture would be built around it.

Photo Credit: Hongqi Zhang (aka Michael Zhang) | Dreamstime.com