Manners at work

Good evening my readers : )

I wanted to write to you tonight but I fear I may be lacking a certain enthusiastic zeal, I seem to be fighting off a cold that I acquired at work (workplaces are HUGE germ centers)! Remember to take Vit C, wash your hands frequently and Lysol your phone and keyboard : )

Many of us lovely ladies are rising in the ranks in the workplace, we are seeking higher educational degrees and going for the gold. Nothing is holding us back...or is it? Could our personal manners at work be approved upon?

Many of us work alongside men and we may at times try to fit in by telling a joke or participating in a conversation about sports,music, travel or the recent blockbuster hit, but let us also remember we are ladies first and foremost and that crude jokes are inappropriate as well as fowl language. It is ok to be feminine and still play in the big league with an all male team. We can bat a thousand wearing skirts, stilettos, pink lip gloss all while sporting a demure demeanor as our uniform on the field.

Here is a small list of bad manners that should never be displayed in the workplace:

1. Bad Language (four letter words are a BIG no no)
2. Gossiping...this habit does not help you bond with co-workers, it makes you look bad, jealous and catty and your boss may wonder what you say about him/her or about your clients
3.Drinking on the job, this includes work lunches and work parties (drinking makes you loosen up and who knows what you may say or how you may act, stick to club soda with a lemon slice)
4.Leaving the office without telling anyone - stop by your supervisors desk, a co-workers or your boss and just say a polite goodnight, if they are out of the office or unavailable shoot them a quick email
5. Discussing your clients info outside of the office - this is a breach of trust and you are sharing personal business info that maybe be confidential
6.Taking personal calls - once in a while this is ok, but a constant stream of personal calls is not good, save a personal call for an emergency and ask first, do not abuse the privilege
7. Divulging too much personal information - the workplace does not need to know about your personal relationships, drama at home, fights with your children etc, leave it at the door

This is just a small list of things that I have encountered or experienced...this list could go on and on. It is important that we keep our personal self and our personal life outside of the workplace and when we are in the workplace it is important to carry ourselves with manners and proper workplace etiquette. We get too chummy at work and sometimes forget our place. You can be friendly and social, but keep in mind that your boss may be observing you and first impressions are not the only impressions that count.

A great resource for this information is the Ladders.com. The Ladders offers a wide array of services, job offerings, resume writing services and business tips for the executive.

Also companies should look into Corporate Civility for their employees, managers and department heads. This is a service that I can provide more information on if anyone reading this has an interest. This can be constructed as an on-site lecture or training or a manual can be written for a specific industry and department.

Be well my dear readers : )

Tara