No Fish in the Microwave! What Employees Need to Learn About Workplace Etiquette
By Michelle Higgins
Heating fish or burning popcorn in the breakroom microwave. Loud conversations. A cubicle with questionable décor. These are just a few egregious workplace etiquette offenses, and if you haven’t noticed any of these behaviors, you might be the culprit eating reheated halibut at your desk.
As more companies bring employees back on site, annoying behaviors and complaints to managers increase.
The issues themselves may not be new, but people who’ve been working solo in their home environments might need a quick refresher on what it means to be a good coworker.
Strengthening those etiquette muscles could take a little time, and the tactics to address concerns likely vary based on the number of employees, the type of work environment, and other factors, but below are three focus areas to help guide managers in getting a handle on etiquette.
3 workplace etiquette focus areas:
- Shared work areas: Communal spaces like breakrooms, meeting rooms, and even bathrooms are at the crux of many complaints. First, make sure employees have the tools they need to avoid a mess (e.g., cleaning wipes). Second, let everyone know where to find supplies and/or report a mess. Third, set a good example. Employees aren’t going to be motivated to wipe up splattered spaghetti sauce in the microwave if their boss doesn’t either.
- Desks/personal workstations: While you want to give employees a certain level of autonomy over their work areas, some limits make hygienic sense. For example, remind workers to discard garbage, wrappers, and other items when they’re finished. No one wants to smell rotten food or see the insects they bring. In addition, not everyone has the same sense of humor or sense of propriety. Make sure any calendars, comics, or artwork displayed aren’t offensive. As with communal spaces, make sure everyone has the supplies they need to keep a tidy workspace.
- Personal grooming: While hopefully rare, someone might think trimming their nails or performing other grooming tasks is appropriate at work. This is a no-no. Kindly tell offenders to save it for the restroom during a break or for when they’re at home.
Everyone slips up once in a while. It’s part of being human. Encourage workers to help each other out by picking up a piece of trash someone missed or politely reminding them where cleaning supplies are located. While good workplace etiquette is important, being a good team player and lending a hand is even more valuable.
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