Business etiquette every professional should know

Business etiquette is used to set a professional tone in the office and with clients. Don’t make the mistake of not knowing what do to in certain situations. Following these tips for business behaviour will help you the job or promotion of your dreams.

Dress Code

First impressions count, so be mindful of the clothes you choose to wear. They can give an impression of your work ethic and your character. When it’s possible, always find out what the occasion is, whether it’s a meeting, a casual lunch or a more important evening dinner. Each calls for a different dress code. If in doubt, dress more professionally. It’s better to be overdressed than underdressed.

Greetings

Be polite and always return greetings. It establishes a friendly workplace, and it can be veyr offensive if you ignore the greetings. In a more formal setting, the higher ranking professional should instigate a handshake. This is regardless of gender but can sometimes cause confusion. In that case, try not to stumble and just offer a handshake.

Time Keeping

Always be on time. If you are hosting a meeting, ideally you should be 5 minutes or more early to prep. If you’re a guest to the meeting, be on time. If for any reason either side is running late, a courtesy email goes a long way. Don’t waste time once you arrive, just dive straight into the action.

Switch Off

Your devices that is. You should never be distracted by your phone, tablet or computer when someone is talking to you, or you’re in a meeting. Try to give your undivided attention to the people talking to you. It’s easy to automatically reach for the ‘ding’ of an email, but don’t.

Emails

Make sure when sending emails, you have a professional email address and not the one you made in school. Use a formal tone and the correct greetings. ‘Hello’ is always better then ‘Hey’. Don’t shorten the recipient’s name unless they approve or request it. It goes without saying that you shouldn’t use obscene language in any professional emails. Lastly, make sure to proofread the email before pressing send!