Office Etiquette - What Not to do in the Workplace

Office culture across the country tends to be very similar from company to company. For people whose lives revolve around office life, we know that an unhappy office can be very destructive and demotivating environment to work in.

While we all have our individual quirks and things that make our blood-boil, there are triggers that universally create a hostile atmosphere within any workplace.

Co-workers may not always realise what they are doing is actually disrupting the office environment and unfortunately sometimes telling someone can fall of deaf ears.

The best thing we can do ourselves is take a look at our own behaviour and adjust accordingly. A lot of the time we will be on auto-pilot in the office and may not realise we might be causing a stir.

Here are 10 things you should avoid to help improve your own office etiquette.

1. Working while you are sick
For a lot of us, coming into close proximity with people on a daily basis can wreak havoc on our immune systems. Commuting into work on the train or bus and then arriving home to your children who pass around germs like they were sweets is one way to feel under the weather.

The worst thing you can do is sit at your desk coughing and spluttering. Do yourself a favour (and your co-workers), take a day or two to rest up and get better. No one likes a colleague sneezing every 5 minutes.

2. Consistently showing up late for meetings
While not all of us enjoy a meeting, meetings still provide a level of structure and stability that help us get us through our days. Turning up late to meetings severally hinders your ability to engage with the topic on hand and can often leave your co-workers annoyed.

Give yourself enough time to get yourself to each meeting, whether this be by using a calendar or a reminder on your mobile phone. Whatever way works, just keep on top of your meetings.

3. Eating smelly food at your desk
While you should always have the freedom of eating anything you would like at work, eating something that is so pungent can be very distracting to your nearby co-workers. Even worse if clients have come into the office and you’re there munching some microwaved fish.

If you do really want to eat up that left over food from the night before, use your designated lunch area instead. Your co-workers, clients and boss will be thankful for it. If you end up really stuck for lunch ideas, here are 10 healthy recipes for any day of the week.