Office etiquette …

Having grown up in South Africa I think there are very different standards as to what is considered acceptable and unacceptable when it comes to professional behaviour and general office etiquette.  Well I suppose if you take a minute to consider the youth of this country the vast difference is scary.  It, therefore is no wonder that by the time the little punks reach an employable age they have no idea how to act on a public bus, let alone a professional office environment…

I work in the very close confines of some interesting characters.

I really think a simple do’s and don’ts would come in handy

Do:

v  Greet your colleagues when you enter the office, saying hello is not offensive behaviour

v  I couldn’t think of a whole lot more do’s im afraid, so from my own experience, ill just skip strait to the don’ts… please bear in mind that a all of these scenarios have actually happened to me

DON’T:

v  Come storming into the office immediately letting anybody who will listen know about what a fowl mood you are in because your boyfriend has pissed you off, your cat shat on your bed or little girl vomited all over the kitchen floor this morning.

v  Walk around with tissue paper in your armpits because the aircon is not working – it is never hot enough to look like that much of a twat.

v  Eat mackerel for lunch so the WHOLE office can smell it, then not clean your plates properly so the mackerel rots in the drain of the office sink.

v  Leave the office every fifteen minutes to go brush your teeth (are you effing kidding me?)..and I thought smokers took the piss

v  Come towards my desk with your arms flapping about to try and get my attention, a simple “excuse me” will suffice

v  Be so naïve and pig headed as to think your opinions are the only ones that matter, and don’t go on about how gross homosexuality is because the dude that brushes his teeth and flaps his arms is looking very questionable right now…

v  Whistle

v  Assume there is some form of hierarchy in this office.  If you not the boss you are nothing.

v  Wear garishly hideous shirts – “peacocking” is an old wives tale,a nd if I were you I would be trying to fade into the background not attract more attention.

v  TALK TO ME IN THAT TONE OF VOICE…

Thank goodness its almost the weekend ;-)

Have a happy Wednesday

Xx

MM