Business etiquette is perhaps the most logical type of etiquette. Everyone understands what is acceptable to do in the office and what will look extremely unprofessional. At the same time, simple rules are violated with regularity. Etiquette specialist Ekaterina Sartakova talks about appearance, relationship with colleagues and the working atmosphere.

Makeup and hairstyle

It is best to stick to the golden mean in this matter. Don’t go to extremes from wearing no makeup at all to wearing evening makeup that is inappropriately bright for work. Your makeup looks right if: the foundation is elusive, smooth color transitions and blurred boundaries, the eyes are slightly emphasized, light classic makeup. The main task is to give confidence by emphasizing strengths and hiding flaws. We forget about war paint or carelessness in applying cosmetics. My personal advice is to take a makeup course “for yourself.” And remember, don’t preen yourself in your workplace, that’s what the powder room is for.

As for the hairstyle, it should look something like this: clean hair, neatly styled, not overloaded with styling products. If you work in a serious company or are involved in important negotiations, then hair below shoulder length should be tied up in a bun or ponytail, with bobby pins or discreet hair ties.

Cloth

Your appearance demonstrates your professionalism no less than your skills. Here style, appropriateness and restraint are of paramount importance. All organizations have their own rules regarding employee dress code, and perhaps there are none at all. The topic is too broad to fit all the nuances into one paragraph. However, there are several basic rules of good manners that are unshakable always and everywhere when we talk about business etiquette. Namely: do not wear miniskirts, tight dresses, things with a deep neckline, and do not expose your navel. When buying an item, look at the quality of the fabric and how much it wrinkles. Your clothes should always be clean and ironed. As for shoes, I recommend avoiding high heels (maximum 8 cm). Shoes should always be clean, and it is advisable to have a special replacement pair of shoes for work that you do not wear in everyday life.

Perfume

Remember, it is very easy to overdo it with perfume. When you are in close proximity with other employees, especially in a small space, think about how strongly others might smell your perfume. If you can hear it clearly, you can be sure that others have already gone crazy. Stick to the “less is more” principle.

The scent of a perfume is something personal and should only be noticed by those closest to you. Take care of your colleagues and, of course, clients, whom you may simply put off with an intrusive aroma.

Remember that an expensive smell is natural and fresh, but in no case heavy, sweet and suffocating. It may be better to use scented oils or lotions with your favorite scent if the job involves direct contact with people. Or apply eau de toilette in one of these ways: first, when you spray a little perfume in the air directly in front of you and pass through a cloud instead of applying it to your pulse points; the second option is to spray perfume on your hair brush and comb your hair.

Hands

Your hands are an indicator of grooming and respect for clients. When people ask me what an ideal manicure for an office worker should look like, I always say that these are short, neat nails with a plain finish. Colors: classic transparent pink, as it is the easiest to care for and always looks feminine and stylish; flesh tones, slightly more matte; classic red is beyond competition (this includes dark red and burgundy), as well as varnishes in the color of precious metals - blue sapphire, emerald, purple-amethyst. I do not recommend rhinestones or designs on nails.

Shall we have a snack?

Lunches and snacks at the workplace are a common occurrence. Few people think about the aesthetics of the process, hygiene and smells. If your work is directly related to meetings and negotiations, when clients can see you, then, of course, this is unacceptable, the issue of manners and basic service is obvious. You can take a break and go to the dining room, or to a room specially designed for lunch. And if there is no such room, then this is a good reason to propose innovation in the life of the entire office. Cups of tea and coffee, plates or containers with crumbs have not yet been painted in any workplace, and the likelihood of getting dirty or spilling something on yourself increases by 200%. It’s obvious, but it’s still worth saying: business etiquette and dishes with onions and garlic are incompatible things.

Topic for discussion

There are topics that should not be discussed with colleagues, so as not to worry about your image in the team in the future and to avoid unnecessary stories about you, even if you think that you can completely trust these people. In particular:

Your promotion/lack of it

Salary amount

The cost of someone's things

Colleagues' mistakes and gossip

Personal topics (age, absence of children, divorce, illness)

I especially recommend refraining from talking on abstract topics when clients are nearby, since they want to see professionalism and competence in you, and the laughter and conversations of employees communicating with each other can be off-putting.

Welcome

When entering a room, we are the first to greet our colleagues there. Verbally, the junior in status/position greets the senior first. And the exchange of handshakes is the opposite - here the elder takes the initiative. When a client or customer comes to see you, always get up from your seat to greet them. We don't shake hands across the table, nor do we keep our hands in our pockets. In Europe, in business etiquette, shaking hands as a ritual is mandatory; in our country, many are afraid to do this, but in vain.

Not a woman, but an employee

This phrase contains the main difference between business etiquette and secular etiquette - a woman no longer has privileges, here she has equal status with a man. A few examples for clarity:

• If in social etiquette a man opens the door, letting the woman go first, then in a business environment the door is opened first by the one who is closest to her.
• At a social reception, a man pulls up a chair for a woman and helps her sit down, and at a business breakfast or lunch, everyone pulls out a chair for themselves.
• In ordinary life, a man always rises to greet a woman or an older person, and in business etiquette, a man and woman always rise from their chair to greet a client or visitor, regardless of gender.

Phone phone is different

If we are talking about a personal phone, then let it be on vibrate or quiet melody mode, so as not to distract others with extraneous sounds. Work is not the best place to talk about personal matters, so we either go to a secluded place or put it off until after work. During important negotiations, business meetings in cafes and restaurants, the phone has no place on the table.

Using a work phone also has its own nuances. If we call, we always introduce ourselves and ask if it’s convenient to talk. On weekdays, it is not recommended to make business calls during the first and last hours of work.

You should answer the call after about the third ring: on the first, we are distracted from work, on the second, we focus on the call, on the third, we think about what phrase we will answer.

If we are with someone and the work phone rings, we always ask permission to answer and, if necessary, move away from the interlocutor so as not to distract us with our conversation, but for no more than 2 minutes.

Etiquette and service

Knowing the rules of etiquette in the business environment and the service industry is very important. Service, in difficult market conditions and high competition, plays a huge role and can actively influence the image and development of the organization. Each employee is the face of the company, and you need to not only know the rules, but also follow them and work to develop a culture of business etiquette. Remember how many times you personally did not make purchases or transactions because of the incompetence of an employee or his repulsive appearance, impoliteness or unpunctuality? Of course, a lot depends on both the manager and each employee, as they say, “if you want to change the world, start with yourself.”

Employees who want to establish trusting relationships with colleagues and advance in their careers must follow the unspoken rules of behavior recorded in etiquette.

What is office etiquette?

It is a set of fixed rules of behavior in the work team that must be observed by each employee of a particular company. Office etiquette includes several subtypes:

• relating to employee relations with clients and visitors;
• electronic communication etiquette;
• rules affecting telephone conversations;
• manager's official etiquette;
• visits from management or guests.

Functions

Office etiquette regulates the behavior of each employee in the workplace. With its help, a favorable atmosphere at work is created, conducive to productive activity and the accomplishment of assigned tasks. Every employee knows how to behave in order to avoid misunderstandings with colleagues.

Basic Rules

Is it necessary to knock on the door of an office due to etiquette? If you enter an office building, there is no need to knock, otherwise you may put the employees behind the door in an awkward position. Knocking will show your suspicions that they may be solving personal problems instead of work ones. You should not knock, but you cannot enter without permission. Open the door, enter the room and ask if you can enter. No need to look out from behind the door. If you are allowed, move on. If you go to your boss’s personal account, you need to ask him for permission. Sometimes bosses express wishes that subordinates should not enter his office without warning them by knocking on the door.

Employees must choose topics of conversation carefully, it is unethical to discuss each other behind each other’s backs and “to wash the bones” of the manager.

Do not dry the umbrella unfolded in the middle of the office. Find a secluded place where it won’t disturb anyone, or better yet, hang it on a hanger, after making sure that it won’t bury anyone’s things.

Well-mannered people do not wear outerwear to the office, do not place it on the table or hang it on the back of a chair. All outer clothing must be left in the wardrobe. The exception is that you stopped by for three minutes on an urgent matter.

Features of relationships

Manager and subordinate

An employee must treat the manager with respect, not harbor negative emotions towards him and communicate with him only within the framework of a business relationship. You can't be familiar with your boss. The manager, in turn, must take care of the employees, professionally resolve conflict situations, trying to create a pleasant atmosphere in the team that is conducive to conscientious performance of work duties.

In the new team

The manager must introduce the new employee to the team. Employees must show friendliness and introduce the new employee to all the features of the job and the internal code of conduct. You shouldn’t let him in on all the secrets of personal relationships between colleagues; let the person figure out what’s what.

A newcomer should take a closer look at the team and grasp the peculiarities of communication established in this small society. He needs to take into account the rules of the “game” in order to “fit in” faster.

Between subordinates

With employees occupying a position at the same level, you must always be polite and friendly. You shouldn’t start conflicts out of nowhere. Try to earn the trust of your colleagues, be sincerely happy for their successes, and do not refuse minor requests for help. You should also not be familiar if you clearly see that the employee does not like such behavior.

Between man and woman

At work, people are advised to forget about their gender; there is no room for divisions by gender or age; only the position held matters. However, this does not mean that men should completely forget that they are representatives of the stronger sex.

If a man gives a lady a coat or helps her carry a heavy bag, this will be welcome. Women should not demand privileges from male workers.

8 rules of conduct at work

Office etiquette outlines the basic rules of behavior at work. Let's look at each in more detail.

Every serious organization has a dress code, a set of rules that regulate the appearance of employees. However, it is not available everywhere, but this does not mean that you can come to work in whatever you want. Office etiquette dictates its requirements.

Special business attire is appropriate for work. You cannot wear short skirts, tight-fitting dresses with a deep neckline, or T-shirts that expose your midriff. When choosing clothes for the office, pay attention to the quality of the fabric: it should be pleasant and should not wrinkle much. Things should always be clean and carefully ironed. Men who wear suits in the office are required to change their shirts daily.

It is not recommended to wear shoes with too high heels; the maximum permissible height is eight centimeters. It is advisable to have a replaceable pair of shoes or boots at work that you do not wear in everyday life.

Women should pay special attention to makeup. It should refresh the face, hide imperfections and subtly highlight advantages. Light daytime makeup is appropriate, no war paint, bright blue shadows or sloppy Cleopatra wings. Hair should be clean and styled. If you work in a serious company and participate in meetings, collect your long locks in a neat bun.

You need to be especially careful with perfume. Perfume is something intimate and personal; it should only be felt by loved ones during close contact.

If you yourself “hear” the smell of perfume, it means that those around you may already have a headache from the strong aroma. Leaving a trail of smell behind is bad manners.

Choose light and refreshing scents, avoiding heavy and suffocating ones. Apply perfume as follows: spray on a comb and comb your hair, or spray into the surrounding area and pass through the resulting “cloud”.

Don't wear a lot of jewelry, let's say one item, but made of precious metal, because jewelry looks too cheap. Pay special attention to your hands: they should be clean and well-groomed with short nails and a mandatory manicure. Plain coatings of pink and flesh colors are suitable; bright shades of red, emerald and sapphire are also allowed.

Greeting colleagues

When you enter your office, you should immediately greet all your colleagues. The classic "Hello" is not quite suitable for this, since it has a reference to health. It is better to use the traditional “Good afternoon”, and if the relationship between employees is informal, a simple “Hello” will do. According to the rules of etiquette at work, employees should respond by saying hello while looking into the eyes, but a slight nod of the head is acceptable if the person is too busy and cannot tear himself away.

If you work in a large room, the so-called “open space”, which is now very common in large companies, you should not approach each table and greet everyone personally. It is also necessary to greet everyone at the same time, and then go to your workplace.

In the business community, the only tactile contact allowed is a handshake. The initiative must belong to a person with a higher position, and there is no difference in gender.

If you come to someone else's office, then the initiative to shake hands should belong to the owner. But if an unknowing employee suddenly extends his hand, making a mistake, the gesture cannot be left unanswered. They don’t respond to a handshake, only wanting to punish.

Family photo on desktop

The workplace should be furnished in such a way that it is clear that it belongs to a professional in his field, and not to a romantic housewife or souvenir collector. Soft toys, numerous figurines and postcards have no place in the workspace. Office etiquette allows you to keep only one personal thing on the table - a family photo in a strict frame. There can be one or maximum two such photographs, no more.

Frames should be placed in such a way that visitors near the desktop can see what is depicted on them. This is necessary not to show off one’s own family, but to prevent people from developing a desire to see what is inaccessible to their eyes. It is also allowed to place a small, discreet box on the table. Of course, female employees can keep cosmetics, spare tights and other necessary personal items in the workplace, but all of them must be hidden from prying eyes.

About snacks in the office

According to office etiquette, snacks and meals at lunchtime that take place directly at the desk are unacceptable. If you work with clients and at any moment a visitor can catch you having lunch, this is even more bad manners. Eating at work often results in various troubles. Numerous crumbs remain from the bread, coffee sometimes spills directly onto a white blouse or onto the computer keyboard.

Eat meals and snacks only in the cafeteria or in a special room designated specifically for employee lunchtime meals. If the office does not have a cafeteria or such room, there is an excellent reason to take the initiative to create a special room. While the managers are deciding on allocating a room, it is best to go to a nearby cafe for lunch. If you still had to eat at your desk (although this is unacceptable according to etiquette), be careful, clean up crumbs after yourself and be sure to ventilate the room.

You should not prepare lunch from strong-smelling foods, for example, garlic, herring, sauerkraut. You may be crazy about these ingredients, but your colleagues may not share the same excitement.

Do not place a cup of tea on your work documents as this may leave a noticeable stain on them. Use the simplest utensils; do not buy large mugs with funny inscriptions for drinks. Wash all dishes at once, making sure they are always clean.

“You and you” - how to address colleagues and management correctly?

Directors, managers and all employees with a higher position must be addressed only as “you”. Familiarity, familiarity and familiarity are unacceptable. Older colleagues should also be addressed as “you”, showing respect. As for peers who occupy the same level of the career ladder as you, it all depends on your personal relationships. When meeting for the first time, it is, of course, necessary to address each other as “you,” but if later the relationship becomes closer and more friendly, you can switch to “you” by mutual agreement.

Is it possible to preen yourself in the office?

Making a mess right at your desk is considered bad manners. You can only touch up your eyes, lips, comb your hair, and pull up your tights in the restroom. Get out of sight of the employees, then you can put yourself in order completely. The same rule applies when applying perfume: you can only spray aromatic liquid in the restroom.

Conversations on a mobile phone

When you come to work, set your mobile phone to vibration mode. If you don’t want to do this, turn down the volume as much as possible and set the call to a calm melody - harsh sounds and obscene songs are inappropriate. When leaving the room, take your phone with you, do not leave it on the table or in your bag with it turned on. The device may start ringing without you, which will disturb the peace of your employees. If your colleague left the phone on the table and left, and he started to get angry, do not hang up the call yourself. Be patient, and then ask your colleague not to do this again.

If your loved ones call you, you don’t have to leave the room right away. It is acceptable to have a short conversation that will last no more than two minutes.

Warn your family not to call constantly during the working day. In case of a long conversation, the employee must definitely leave the office and find a secluded place where no one will hear the conversation. If you want to put the conversation on speakerphone, warn the interlocutor. In this case, you are personally responsible for the confidentiality of the information received.

Sometimes colleagues become unwitting witnesses to an unpleasant conversation between one of the employees. In this case, you should delicately offer your help, and then look at the colleague’s reaction and determine whether he wants to share the details.

Personal life and office

Personal disagreements, grievances and misunderstandings should be left outside the office door. In the process of work, conflicts inevitably arise that need to be resolved gently, avoiding sharp corners. Each employee must be friendly and maintain a harmonious, pleasant atmosphere in the team. All this is necessary for the team to work productively.

Office romances greatly interfere with the work process, therefore, according to the business code, they are unacceptable.

People spend a lot of time at work. They often see colleagues much longer than they see their own family members. If the team consists of well-mannered people who are familiar with office etiquette, the production process becomes pleasant and harmonious.

Russians have at least figured out how to dress when coming to the office. But the rules of behavior at work are not limited to the dress code. Is it necessary to knock when entering an office, how to use perfume correctly so that it does not irritate your colleagues, who should be the first to hang up during telephone conversations. AiF.ru spoke about these and other subtleties teacher-consultant on etiquette and business protocol Tatyana Nikolaeva.

1. Upon entering the premises, you should immediately greet all employees. Of course, not in a thunderous voice, but in such a way that you are heard. It is not entirely correct to use the word “hello”, since this is still some kind of reference to health. Better use the international standard - “good afternoon”.

Of course, in such a situation it is better to answer the person who comes in with at least a nod (in the event that you are very busy and cannot tear yourself away from your work). But the ideal option is to greet your colleague eye to eye.

2. This point applies more to women: dear ladies, you need to put yourself in order in the restroom, and not in the workplace. You should also use perfume there, but do it very carefully. Avoid spicy, “heavy” scents that are more suitable for the evening. Give preference to light, floral scents and not perfume, but eau de toilette. You should not smell beyond 40 centimeters; the aroma can only remain in your intimate area (20-40 centimeters), which is not customary to disturb in a business environment.

3. When in the office, greet everyone, even if you don’t know anyone personally.- nod, smile, friendly look. It’s okay if you greet the same person several times, everyone can get confused, such a manifestation of attention will definitely not be superfluous.

4. When you enter an office building, there is no need to knock on the door.. In this way, you let the person know that you do not suspect him of doing any personal business at his workplace. But this does not mean that we can enter without permission at all. The visitor should enter the room completely (no need to depict a talking head awkwardly peeking out from behind the door) and ask: “Can I come in?” If the answer is yes, go ahead. In a situation where the manager, for example, is talking on the phone, but still indicates that you can enter, you need to close the door, take a couple of steps forward and wait for the boss to hang up. Of course, when the manager has a secretary, we ask him for permission to enter.

6. Many workers like to dry their umbrellas open.. You can afford such luxury only if it does not bother anyone. Find some secluded corner where no one goes. There is no need to place an umbrella in the middle of the office, forcing colleagues to go around the obstacle. If you need to dry it, the easiest way is to hang this accessory on a hanger, after making sure that you do not drip on someone’s shoes or clothes, or put it in a bag. This is a good way out of the situation, especially since it is better to dry the umbrella not flattened, but rather closed.

7. Our workplace should, as it were, tell others that a professional is sitting at this table, and not a glamorous housewife, a slob, etc. Of course, any woman has the right to keep a full drawer of spare tights, cosmetics, etc. (men have their own set). But it’s better to hide all this from prying eyes.

There is no need for any cacti, plush zoos and the like, it harms your image. The only personal thing that can stand on the table is a family photo in a laconic frame, 1-2 maximum, and not 250 pieces. Expand them so that visitors can also see what is on them. This is not done so that you can boast, but so as not to cause in people a reflexive desire to look at what is turned away from their eyes.

8. You can only talk over a speakerphone with the consent of the interlocutor. Of course, sometimes you can lock yourself in your office and calmly solve work issues, but the person on the other end of the line should be aware of how you communicate. By the way, you are responsible for the confidentiality of this conversation.

9. If you unwittingly witnessed some unpleasant telephone conversation with your colleague, you can tactfully ask if everything is okay, if you can help, if something happened, etc. Next, see whether the person wants to share some experiences with you or not, and act according to the situation.

10. When coming to work, switch your phone to vibrate and do not leave the device turned on on the table (in your bag). At the same time, if one of your colleagues still left their cell phone and it suddenly starts ringing, it is better not to turn off the device. Be patient and when your colleague returns, ask him not to do this again. If you fundamentally do not want to use a vibration alert, then turn down the phone volume as much as possible and put some calm melody on the call; there should definitely be no turkey bubbling or squealing from children.

11. A handshake is optional, but accepted in the business community. This is the only acceptable tactile contact. It can be initiated by a manager or a senior person. It makes no difference whether it is a man or a woman. When it comes to business ethics, forget what gender you are or how old you are. The only thing that matters is what you have achieved and what position you hold.

If you come to visit someone at their office, you do not have the right to initiate a handshake. This is the owner's prerogative. But even if a person unknowingly makes this or another mistake, it is important that his hand does not hang in the air. Refusal to shake hands is a punishment and must be applied consciously.

12. The correspondence is completed by the one who started it, i.e. the last letter should come from the one who wrote first. For example, you ask your colleague in a letter to solve a certain issue. He replies that he will take care of it soon. Your task is to write him a thank you note (confirmation of receipt).

13. There is a rule in telephone conversations - if you call your boss, then he is the first to hang up. But if two people of equal status are talking, then the one who called hangs up first.

15. If you only drink tea and coffee at work, do not place the cup on your documents., since a mark may remain on the paper that will clearly not be in your favor.

16. You, of course, have the right to drink various drinks throughout the day, but the mug should look neat - there should be no repeatedly brewed tea bags, lipstick marks on the outside and the like. The ideal option is to drink the drink and immediately remove the cup from the table. It’s better to forget the phrase “I’ll wash it tomorrow” once and for all. Also, don’t bring a mug with strange inscriptions to the office, for example, “I love my mother-in-law.” The dishes should be simple.

17. We come to work to work, not to treat our colleagues to tea.. You can offer a drink to a visitor, and this is not necessary, unless the guest had to wait for you for some reason. Nowadays in many places the phrase “Maybe tea or coffee?” pronounced more often than is really necessary. Of course, this is a manifestation of the laws of hospitality, but such laws work best at home. If you have a multi-hour meeting, you can pause and offer your interlocutor something to drink, but in a situation where the guest has visited you for a short time, this will be unnecessary. The secretary should offer tea/coffee only in situations where the visitor has to wait in the reception area.

18. When you discuss some work issues on the phone, the other person should hear you. If you are disturbing your colleagues, then, of course, you should try to keep the conversation shorter, but not to the detriment of the matter. In addition, there is always the opportunity to call on a mobile phone and go out into the corridor for a more detailed conversation.

19. Of course, it’s better to discuss only business over a work phone. But sometimes we develop closer relationships with one of our partners. This is acceptable, but we must clearly understand that such conversations should not be empty chatter about something else. It is rather an opportunity to establish good human relationships, because without them there is nowhere. Agree that it is much better and easier to interact with people who are pleasant to us personally. If a colleague from another company starts telling you about her new boyfriend, it’s still better to discuss such things outside the office.

20. Well-mannered people do not wear outerwear to their workplace, do not hang it on the back of a chair, and, moreover, do not place it on the table. There is a wardrobe for this. The only exception is when you pop into the office for literally 5-10 minutes and then leave again somewhere. This option is permissible.

In the business environment, as well as in social life, there is a set of laws and rules called etiquette. This is a kind of pass to the world of business people, a standard of communication in the business environment. Failure to comply or ignorance of business etiquette often becomes a stumbling block, a barrier in conducting successful negotiations, promoting your company and product on the market, and building a career. The image of a professional is not formed immediately or suddenly, and business etiquette, along with experience and expertise, plays an important role in this. A person is judged by his deeds, by his behavior and ability to build competent relationships in a business environment.

Rule one

Time is money

Punctuality, respect for other people's time and competent knowledge of the basics of time management are the basis of the foundations in the business world. You can be a bright, charismatic presenter, an excellent negotiator, a professional manager, but constantly be late, steal other people’s time, waste your life on expectations, empty chatter that is not on point. It is unlikely that in this situation it will be possible to build long-term cooperation with large companies: unpunctual people are not respected in the business world.

Partners, employers, colleagues, realizing that a person is constantly late, can pass a verdict on such a sufferer: unreliable, behind the times, behind the rhythm of modern life. Excuses and apologies will strengthen this impression, since politeness and respect for others do not need such companions.

There is only one way out: Every business person must know and master the basics of time management, be able to plan their work day, competently sort tasks into important and urgent ones, delegate some routine tasks and control the course of events.

Rule two

Compliance with the dress code

The first impression of a person is easy to form by his appearance: a business suit, neat hairstyle, harmoniously selected accessories. Appearance determines status and position in society and can tell much more about a person’s character and inner world than his words. Information is conveyed not only by speech, but also by clothing, hairstyle, and toilet details. Challenge and provocation in appearance is a protest against society, its laws and foundations.

In many large companies, a separate chapter is devoted to the dress code in the corporate sales book. If an enterprise or organization does not have strict standards regarding the appearance of personnel, it is necessary to adhere to generally accepted norms and rules accepted in the business world.

Rule three

The desktop as a mirror of the inner world

Order on your desktop means order in your head. This old postulate should be carved in golden letters on the doors of any business office. You don’t have to be a psychology guru to understand how and which employees work just by seeing their desktop.

Littered with unsorted papers, with a thick layer of dust on the table.

Pristinely clean, without a single unnecessary thing.

Lined with photographs of children, loved ones, flowers, souvenirs.

Strict order, even stacks of papers, books and folders. Everything is in its place.

Which employees, owners of these desktops, are of primary interest to the employer?

Rule four

Competent speech, business style of writing

Having learned to speak beautifully and competently, it is not difficult to transfer thoughts to paper and learn to write business letters. The main thing is not to fall to the other extreme: official letters written in the dry language of textbooks cause boredom and a desire to quickly close them and throw them in the trash.

Rule five

Respect for your interlocutor, partner, client

A selfish person who thinks only about himself, his own benefit and income is not respected either in the business world or in his own company. A clerk who slammed the door in the face of a client who approached him at the end of the working day or before lunch. An employee talking loudly on the phone in an office where his colleagues are working. A leader who does not know how to listen to his subordinates. A director who uses strong words and expressions towards others.

All these psychological portraits of characters who do not know business etiquette, people who are unable to understand another, hear him, help him, or solve the problem that has arisen. The ability to respect other people's opinions is an important component of business etiquette.

Rule six

Compliance with trade secrets

Almost every company has confidential information that is not subject to disclosure. An old poster from 1941 by artist Nina Vatolina “Don’t talk!” Today it is getting its second life and fits perfectly into the interior of many modern enterprises and organizations.

It is important for every manager, from the very first days of work for his employees, to issue an order on non-disclosure of trade secrets and collect signatures from the entire team to familiarize themselves with it. It is clear that such a step cannot completely solve the issue of maintaining secret information of the company, however, this rule of business etiquette can serve as a marker for identifying disloyal employees.

Rule seven

At work - work!

If you take a photograph of the working day of most employees in offices and enterprises, the picture will be very depressing. Eighty percent of working time is spent on gossip, smoking breaks, drinking tea, visiting social networks, and solving personal matters. And only twenty percent - for the very work for which they pay a salary.

An employee who brings profit to the company quickly makes a dizzying career. The secret of his success is simple: he works 80% of the time while others “rest.”

Rule eight

The ability to listen and hear your opponent

A rare gift given by nature: the ability to hear another, to understand him. In business, this gift brings in millions; it has a precise definition - an ear for money. Every client, employee and business partner will definitely tell you what they need, what bothers them, and what they need help with. It is only important to be able to hear and make a counter offer. In the business world, this skill is also important because it helps to save time, which is more valuable than money, since it cannot be accumulated.

Rule nine

Telephone etiquette

Business communication is impossible without telephone conversations; ethics in this case helps to quickly establish relationships and conduct negotiations with dignity. Many business partners and clients judge a company based on telephone conversations and employee responses over the phone.

You need to prepare for a telephone dialogue in advance: prepare questions to ask your interlocutor, clarify the time, names and dates that may be needed in the conversation.

Personal calls during business hours are allowed only if absolutely necessary. Empty chatter on the phone bothers colleagues, distracts the attention of employees and creates the image of a frivolous, empty person.

Rule ten

Netiquette - etiquette of communication on the Internet

Without the Internet, no enterprise can exist today. The ability to communicate via email, comment on business articles and respond to requests and applications from clients on the company website shows the employee’s business level.

Each appeal must be personalized, personal, the letter must be signed with the name of the performer, full contact information must be provided - company name, postal address, telephone number, Skype nickname, corporate website address, business hours.

Rule eleven

Reception of delegations

The protocol reception of delegations is a separate part of business etiquette, which includes a long list of actions for meeting, accommodating, introducing, and introducing members of the delegation to representatives of the receiving party. Protocol for a business meeting, presentation of gifts, business souvenirs, flowers, presentation of the company and product, behavior at a buffet or banquet - all these issues are scrupulously described in thick books on business protocol.

When foreign delegations meet, peculiarities of national etiquette are added to the generally accepted set of business rules.

Rule twelve

Business meeting

One of the most important rules of business etiquette is the ability to conduct competent negotiations and bring them to a specific result. In order for negotiations to take place at a high level, before they begin, you need to define clear goals, draw up an accurate plan, and choose a convenient time and place for both parties.

At the first stage of negotiations, it is necessary to capture the attention of the interlocutor, creating a trusting atmosphere. During the conversation, you need to note for yourself the stages of negotiations and complete them immediately after the intended goal is achieved. All results of negotiations must be recorded and analyzed.

Rule thirteen

Supervisor-subordinate relationship

According to the rules of business etiquette, the manager must treat all employees equally, equally, while maintaining a reasonable distance. Reprimands to subordinates should always be made face to face; it is logical to organize a demonstrative public “flogging” after the employee has not responded to the boss’s reprimand.

You need to give orders, give verbal tasks to your boss clearly, specifically, receive feedback, control the process, and analyze the effectiveness of execution.

The subordinate must follow the orders and directions of the manager, and at the same time has the right to express his own point of view and give advice on improving the solution of a particular issue.

Rule fourteen

Relationships in the team between employees

The microclimate in the team largely depends on the kind of relationships that have developed between colleagues in the company. Smooth, friendly, respectful relationships are the basis of a healthy team. If one of your colleagues makes a mistake or mistake, it is important for colleagues to learn not to ridicule him, but to correctly point out shortcomings in their work and offer their help.

Office romances, mutual hatred, the cold war, gray cardinals and office plankton, intrigues against each other - evil forces that interfere with the working environment and the solution of the main tasks of the team.

Rule fifteen

Business gestures

This part of business etiquette deserves several volumes of description with colorful pictures. Gestures, manners, facial expressions can tell more about a person than words. An employee's movements during working hours should be energetic, not sluggish, or slow. The gait is confident, but waving your arms and taking very large steps is not recommended. Straight posture, confident gaze, lack of fuss in movements are signs of a man of action.

A handshake is the only tactile gesture of touching an interlocutor that is allowed in a business environment. Patting on the shoulder, warm hugs, kisses and other gestures of friendliness are possible only among very close partners and relatives. When shaking hands, the hand should not be limp, wet or cold. It is not customary to shake or strongly squeeze the interlocutor’s offered hand for a long time.

Controlling words, text or thoughts is not at all difficult; controlling gestures and facial expressions is much more difficult. An intelligent interlocutor will instantly understand the intention or deception by certain gestures and body movements. Business literature offers help from the books “Body Language” by Alan Pease and “The Psychology of Lying” by Paul Ekman. Fool me if you can"

A note in a business notebook

68% of business negotiations and transactions in Russia did not take place due to the fact that entrepreneurs did not know the rules of business etiquette. Ignorance of the law does not exempt you from responsibility; it leads to loss of authority, money and business.

The main difference between business etiquette and secular etiquette is that in this set of rules the priority of subordination comes first. Regardless of age and gender, the subordinate is lower in the service hierarchy than the manager.

Business is done by people who not only have smart thoughts, entrepreneurship and creativity, but also emotions. Failure to comply with business etiquette always causes negative feelings. Only ten to fifteen percent of business people achieve success, and compliance with business etiquette is always in the first place.

Understand the essence of office etiquette. Although the term "office etiquette" may conjure up images of primness and pedantry, it's actually much simpler. Office etiquette is a simple set of rules for interacting with others in an organizational environment. Even just living within a society involves following some agreements (unspoken, but quite expected) and rules that indicate what kind of behavior in the work community ensures congeniality, respect for the team and work with pleasure every day.

• Although many rules of etiquette are not written down, just because they are not written down on paper or posted on a bulletin board does not mean that they should not be followed. A large proportion of social groups will always believe that unspoken rules of etiquette should always be followed, with rare exceptions and no matter how quirky, rebellious and authentic you are, there will always be boundaries in the form of respect for others that you need to take into account. This will become clear from the subsequent part of the article.

Be punctual. Being punctual is extremely important, especially if you have an appointment. This means that you respect your colleagues' time, and they, in turn, will respect your time too. There is one famous saying that applies to this situation: “Time and tide wait for no man” (“Time waits not”). Lead by example and everything else will fall into place.

• If you are a junior employee, avoid arriving to work after your boss. At the initial stage, try to show that you are an energetic person and have a passion for work.