Close to one-third (31%) of employees don’t feel that they operate in a respectful environment where manners are valued, according to new research from Monster, which polled over 1,000 U.S. workers in August.
Though workplace etiquette may look different than it has in the past, employees still place a high value on it: Almost 7 in 10 workers say they would consider leaving their job if their employer didn’t have policies in place around norms such as punctuality and communication.
Here are the rudest workplace behaviors, according to Monster:
- Not cleaning up after oneself
- Gossiping
- Using inappropriate language
- Being unresponsive to messages
- Consistently being late to meetings
How to avoid common workplace etiquette mistakes
Some faux pas might seem obvious, like always showing up late to job interviews or meetings with your boss. Others are more subjective.
What one colleague considers to be “inappropriate language” could seem harmless to another, says Brandon Smith, a therapist and career coach known as The Workplace Therapist.
He recommends avoiding words that could be potentially alienating to the people you work with, including generational slang, sports analogies or references to specific movies and TV shows, unless such expressions are common within your team.
Another common workplace etiquette mistake people make is not replying to emails and calls. “In the absence of communication, people tend to assume the worst,” says Smith. “One of the quickest ways to gain trust and credibility at work is by being responsive.”
Smith recommends people follow the “golden rule” of generally getting back to people who reach out within 24 hours.
“It can be as simple as, ‘Confirming receipt, I will send a more thorough response soon,'” says Smith. “Even a simple confirmation email acknowledging you have received the message demonstrates professionalism and respect for the other person’s time.”
The through line in these missteps, as Smith sees it, is selfishness, which is an unattractive trait in any workplace.
“You don’t want to hold the attitude of, ‘I matter the most and it’s all about me,'” he says. “Instead, you want to be considerate of other people’s feelings and approach your job with a desire to help others and work together as a team. … That mindset will take you much further in your career.”
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