Inspiring employees to show good office etiquettes

The functioning environment at any office can be impacted tremendously by the etiquettes displayed by the staff working there. Should the employees not be well-mannered and their general conduct smack of boorishness, a negative atmosphere will be created. Discord and fracas will be common occurrences and productivity will never be high. On the contrary, employees tend to flourish on the professional front if they observe good office etiquettes.

Motivating employees is indeed a difficult task, particularly when managers themselves are not gifted and dexterous. But they can definitely gain knowledge and improve upon their management skills.

Here are five methods that can be used to trigger off good behavior by all at a workplace:

·      Learn minutiae:

Workplace etiquettes are an array of behavioural conventions that all employees are supposedly required to observe. If you want your employees to be impeccable in their behavior, you too ought to know what good office etiquettes are about what they involve.

Conventions referred above manifest mutual respect, appreciation and recognition towards seniors, peers and subordinates alike. In addition, a sense of loyalty towards both work and workplace also forms part of this entire spectrum of conduct and manners.

You would need to make up your mind with regard to the consequence and magnitude of the conventions. By doing so, you would be able to generate more optimistic, encouraging and upbeat situations at the workplace. It is all about being a bit rational and commonsensical; a discussion with an odd colleague will also help arrive at the correct decision.

·      Lead by example:

Once a code of conduct has been evolved, everybody has to follow them. There are no exceptions, including you. If you do not abide by them, rest assured that other employees go along with them.

It should not be lost sight of that you are a model for emulation for the employees and that you need to think of and handle them with admiration and reverence. And if you fail to do so, they too will learn to treat you and their colleagues in a similar manner. 

·      Keep everybody informed:

If you, as a manager are contemplating to bring about some changes in wide-ranging or specific workplace etiquettes, the new set of rules need to be brought to their notice. This can be done by a number of methods. One way is to hold a conference and disseminate the new rules. The new rules can also be juxtaposed on the old ones and circulated for perusal by all. Alternatively, an informal method is also available – talking individually to each employee and making known the new rules.

But the most important part of the entire exercise is to have an optimistic disposition. Feedback, including criticism if any, should be taken in the correct spirit. A flexible approach is thus called for. If some changes are sought, the same can be affected.   

·      Resolve discord:

Once your staff is alert to the changes, some amount of workplace controversies will set in. These will have to be attended to right away. The significance of workplace etiquettes and the common advantages that accrue from them need to be elucidated.

For each conflict situation that may arise, the appropriate way to tackle it also needs to be clarified. This would require great tact and proceeded in a laissez-faire manner.

·      Persist with implementation:

There are chances that the new code of workplace etiquettes may not find acceptance. The reasons could be many and may differ from individual to individual. How do you deal with such a situation?

The employees may have to be given some more time for a favourable reception. Simultaneously, extra efforts would be necessary to retell and go over the import and impact of workplace etiquettes. Educating them on business etiquette tips would go a long way in motivating or persuading them to adopt better behavior techniques.

Resistance to change is a universal phenomenon but once the codified etiquettes are accepted, feelings of gratefulness would flow. The workplace would have been transformed into a congenial location and its productivity set on an ascending mode.