How to Be Professional in the Workplace (Communication Diva's Guide To:) by Jennifer Lynn Swanson Page B
Authors: Jennifer Lynn Swanson
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sent a message about me. I had never considered that before!
Funny ringtones are great, for home use, (the one I currently have is one my kids chose, and is definitely NOT professional ... I just make sure I always have it on vibrate if I’m somewhere I want to make a good impression), but you may regret the impression it gives those in the office. In fact, you may be completely unaware of what message it is sending.
If you want to appear to be more professional, consider a more boring, (or should I say traditional?), non-funny ringtone when at work, and better yet, set it to vibrate.
Ipods/Headphone/Music
It never looks professional to have headphones jammed into your ears while at work. Riding on the bus, walking the dog, running at the beach or working out at the gym are all appropriate places for listening to music this way. The office is just not one of those places.
Eating/Chewing/Munching/Slurping at Your Desk
I was recently in a bank waiting to go in to see my banker, when I noticed one of the tellers- a lovely young woman dressed in professional-looking clothes- serving a customer at her window. What I noticed was that she was chomping away on some gum while she was serving the customer. (I know people love to chew gum…I have no problem with that, but in a workplace, especially in customer service, it looks absolutely awful .) She was talking and chewing away at the same time, and that small bit of gum instantly destroyed her otherwise business-like appearance. First impressions are everything, and in this case, I was wholly unimpressed.
Some companies have policies on food and drink at the desk, particularly if you have expensive computer equipment you are working with. Water aside, having food and beverages in your workspace can look messy and unprofessional. If you are dealing with customers at all, it may not be wise to have food in your teeth when turning to ask how you can help. Save the snacking for the lunchroom, and keep your desk tidy…much more professional.
There have been studies done about how unhealthy it is in general to eat your lunch at your desk. Desks are fantastic places for bacteria to grow, and bugs can actually spread faster this way.
Have you wiped down your keyboard, mouse and telephone lately? One source claims office desks are 400 times more infectious than a toilet seat. Ewwww.
The office I work in is in a fairly new building and I work on the 4th floor. Recently an email went around to all staff because someone had been munching on almonds at her desk, had left them out overnight, and somehow a small band of four-legged rodents discovered a delightful midnight snack!
On another note, it is better mentally to take a brain-break and leave your workspace for a while. (This way, you can brush off crumbs and check your teeth before you get back to any clients you might have). This little stretch of the legs and breath of fresh air can give you a renewed perspective on something you may have been struggling with before the break, and it is said that the brain works much better if it absorbs information in 40-minute chunks.
All of these reasons are good ones for not using your desk as a personal pantry.
And speaking of desks ...
The Stuff on your Desk Says Something to the World . SO DOES THE STUFF ON YOUR COMPUTER SCREEN.
Did you know that your “stuff” is also a form of communication?
How much stuff we have (you’ve heard of hoarding, I’m sure) and what kind of stuff, and what we do with it all speaks volumes.
If you have a passion for a particular hobby or design, this may translate into the things you keep in your workspace. This can work for or against you , depending on where you work, and what kind of message you want to send.
I have a friend who loves shoes. She has all sorts of office equipment (staplers, business card holders, pen and pencil holders) in a variety of shapes of shoes. She’s easy to buy for, because she LOVES all that stuff, and
Funny ringtones are great, for home use, (the one I currently have is one my kids chose, and is definitely NOT professional ... I just make sure I always have it on vibrate if I’m somewhere I want to make a good impression), but you may regret the impression it gives those in the office. In fact, you may be completely unaware of what message it is sending.
If you want to appear to be more professional, consider a more boring, (or should I say traditional?), non-funny ringtone when at work, and better yet, set it to vibrate.
Ipods/Headphone/Music
It never looks professional to have headphones jammed into your ears while at work. Riding on the bus, walking the dog, running at the beach or working out at the gym are all appropriate places for listening to music this way. The office is just not one of those places.
Eating/Chewing/Munching/Slurping at Your Desk
I was recently in a bank waiting to go in to see my banker, when I noticed one of the tellers- a lovely young woman dressed in professional-looking clothes- serving a customer at her window. What I noticed was that she was chomping away on some gum while she was serving the customer. (I know people love to chew gum…I have no problem with that, but in a workplace, especially in customer service, it looks absolutely awful .) She was talking and chewing away at the same time, and that small bit of gum instantly destroyed her otherwise business-like appearance. First impressions are everything, and in this case, I was wholly unimpressed.
Some companies have policies on food and drink at the desk, particularly if you have expensive computer equipment you are working with. Water aside, having food and beverages in your workspace can look messy and unprofessional. If you are dealing with customers at all, it may not be wise to have food in your teeth when turning to ask how you can help. Save the snacking for the lunchroom, and keep your desk tidy…much more professional.
There have been studies done about how unhealthy it is in general to eat your lunch at your desk. Desks are fantastic places for bacteria to grow, and bugs can actually spread faster this way.
Have you wiped down your keyboard, mouse and telephone lately? One source claims office desks are 400 times more infectious than a toilet seat. Ewwww.
The office I work in is in a fairly new building and I work on the 4th floor. Recently an email went around to all staff because someone had been munching on almonds at her desk, had left them out overnight, and somehow a small band of four-legged rodents discovered a delightful midnight snack!
On another note, it is better mentally to take a brain-break and leave your workspace for a while. (This way, you can brush off crumbs and check your teeth before you get back to any clients you might have). This little stretch of the legs and breath of fresh air can give you a renewed perspective on something you may have been struggling with before the break, and it is said that the brain works much better if it absorbs information in 40-minute chunks.
All of these reasons are good ones for not using your desk as a personal pantry.
And speaking of desks ...
The Stuff on your Desk Says Something to the World . SO DOES THE STUFF ON YOUR COMPUTER SCREEN.
Did you know that your “stuff” is also a form of communication?
How much stuff we have (you’ve heard of hoarding, I’m sure) and what kind of stuff, and what we do with it all speaks volumes.
If you have a passion for a particular hobby or design, this may translate into the things you keep in your workspace. This can work for or against you , depending on where you work, and what kind of message you want to send.
I have a friend who loves shoes. She has all sorts of office equipment (staplers, business card holders, pen and pencil holders) in a variety of shapes of shoes. She’s easy to buy for, because she LOVES all that stuff, and
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