Etiquette is important whether working in an office, home, or other professional setting. How you portray yourself and interact with others around you—whether coworkers, supervisors, or direct reports—says a lot about who you are as a person and as a team member, and can have a big impact on your career path.

Work etiquette is a code that governs the expectations of social behaviour in a workplace. There is no general agreement on standard work etiquette, which can differ depending on the workplace. 

Why is Etiquette Important?

Etiquette provides personal security. Knowing how to behave appropriately in a given situation makes you more comfortable.

It protects the feelings of others. Without proper manners and etiquette, the customs of polite society would soon disappear and we would act more like animals and less like people. Aggressiveness and an “every man for himself” attitude would take the lead.

Here are some etiquette tips to live by at your workplace or in a professional setting. This is by no means an exhaustive list.

1.  Monitor the volume of your conversations. Be sensitive to how loudly you may be speaking. Consider closing your office door and lowering your voice whenever speaking in person or on the telephone.
2. Keep personal telephone conversations brief and at a minimum. Be ever mindful that others are nearby and that this is a place of business. Do not use the company telephone, computer, or email, for any inappropriate and personal matters.
3.  If you have a door, close it if you take personal calls. If you don’t have a door or are in an open-plan space, keep private calls short by saying you’ll call the person back on your next break, or walk to an area that is more conducive to personal calls like a lounge area or even outside, but still keeps them brief as you’re on your employer’s time.  Do not use a conference room to take long personal calls or treat it as your personal office.
4.  Keep your computer and phone muted or on silent so that every time you get an email or message it does not alert everyone on your floor.
5.  Do not use work hours for texting and social media.
6. Be sensitive to scents and smells surrounding you. This rule does not only apply to workplace etiquette but social etiquette in general. Save strong cologne and perfume for social occasions. 
7. Avoid foods with strong smells and aromas that will travel throughout the office. Office etiquette rules suggest that you dispose of empty food containers and other items where they won’t contribute negatively to the office atmosphere. 
8. Respect your coworkers’ privacy. Be mindful of maintaining social distance when in office common areas. Use shared areas with respect and courtesy. Workplace kitchens can be the biggest source of co-worker tension. Some basic business etiquette tips are to wash and return all kitchen items to their proper place, clean up after yourself. 
9.  Restrooms run a close second to kitchens as annoyance spots. After use, wipe the countertop and sink of any spilt water or soap. Be sure the toilet is clean for the next user. Notify the proper attendant if supplies are low or out, and of any plumbing problems
10. Maintain all shared items in “like new” condition and return borrowed supplies. Leave the photocopier in working condition and be sure to take back that borrowed stapler with at least a few staples left inside. If a machine stalls or jams, take time to undo the jam or to alert the proper person to attend to it. 
11. Ask before you borrow anything. 
12. If you’re in a meeting, give your undivided attention to the person speaking. If you must send off a quick note or check something on your phone or computer, keep it short. 
13. Think before you hit reply-all. Email tone is very hard to read, so be sure you’re using language that helps the recipient understand it. 
14. Use proper grammar when speaking in the office.  Check for grammatical errors, spelling errors and appropriate punctuation before sending out emails
15. Do not insert emoticons or multiple exclamation points (if any) into work emails. Despite how relaxed your superiors might act, always be professional. Keep abbreviations away from your email, except workplace appropriate abbreviations. 
16. Don’t talk back to your boss, even if there isn’t much of an age difference between you two. 
17. Engage in office conversation. Indulge your colleagues in brief and friendly chitchat. Don’t be the office snob. 
18. Keep conversations office appropriate. Avoid the use of slang and vulgar terms at all times when dealing with work contacts. Keep your tone ranging between formal and work-appropriate informal, when speaking with superiors and clients. 
19. Always be punctual. If you’re running late for a meeting, be sure to communicate that ahead. 
20. In the age of social media, remember that nothing is “private” anymore. Don’t complain about your colleagues or work on Facebook or Twitter. Even if your account is private, it could get back to them. 
21. Over-sharing details of your personal life are unprofessional no matter how close you are with your team. 
22. If you’re sick and contagious, you shouldn’t be at work, otherwise, you risk getting the entire office ill.
23. Do not call in sick if you’re not sick. 
24. Keep all basic rules of hygiene. Have a spare bottle of deodorant at work that you can use to freshen up every few hours. Have some gum or mints to freshen your breath too. No one likes to work with a person with a funk, worst of all, no one will tell you if you have a funk. 
25. Wear work-appropriate clothes always. Keep it simple and stylish. Keep your hair, facial hair, nails, make up, etc simple and appropriate too.

With the Post-COVID19 era , some extra rules to note are:

1. Avoid shaking hands
2. Respect the elevator guidelines
3. Wear your facemasks always as instructed

Lastly, with the effects of the pandemic, workplace etiquette will keep on evolving. Be kind and be patient. Kindness and patience are at the heart of good etiquette.