Do you know that there are certain basic "rules" of courteous workplace communication?
Nearly every kind of job includes interacting with other people, whether customers, co-workers, or supervisors.
Anger or frustration may, at times, tempt you to act unkindly. Other times, you may be too busy or preoccupied with your job duties to consider the people around you. Perhaps you like the sense of camaraderie that comes with gossiping around the water cooler. Or maybe you simply never learned the social skills expected in a professional environment.
Whatever the reason, and however you're feeling at a particular moment, it's important to treat people politely and respectfully throughout your workday. It's not enough to simply do your job; you must do it in a way that makes others feel supported and valued during their interactions with you.
Why should you care how others feel? What's in it for you?
Well, actually, courteous communication can benefit you greatly!
- It lifts your own mood.
- It allows you to focus on your job and be productive.
- It creates positive work relationships and a pleasant work environment.
- It increases customer loyalty and sales.
- It gets you noticed and makes a good impression on those around you.
- It shows that you can be counted on to handle challenges with maturity and composure.
In addition to a more satisfying work experience for you, courteous communication may also help your employer through better team performance, work quality, and ability to identify and apply new ideas.
Here are some helpful “DOs” and “DON'Ts” to keep in mind as you communicate with others at work.
DO
|
DON’T
|
·
Remember to
say:
-
“Please”
-
“Thank you”
-
“Excuse me”
-
“I’m sorry”
·
Greet others
politely.
·
Offer your
help.
·
Recognize a job
well done.
·
Give feedback
in a useful way.
·
When pointing
out a problem, be sure to do so in a positive way and offer possible
solutions.
·
If you learn
personal information about someone at work, keep it private.
·
Share the
credit when other people were a part of your effort or success.
·
Be open to
others’ opinions and ideas.
|
·
Don’t spread,
or even listen to, rumors and gossip.
·
Don’t
interrupt someone who is busy working on a task or talking to another person,
unless it is absolutely necessary to do so. (If that’s the case, be sure to
say “excuse me.”)
·
Don’t talk
negatively about a person behind his or her back.
·
Don’t use
slang.
·
Don’t use
profanity (swear words).
·
Don’t speak in
a defensive or hostile way.
·
Don’t give the
impression that you think you’re better than everyone else.
·
Don’t
criticize or complain about other people or your employer.
|
None of these behaviors are difficult, but they might require a change in mindset or habit on your part. As shown by the benefits listed above, the results will be well worth the effort!
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