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PROGRAM D-7452
Workplace etiquette—that’s what I’m talking about. You may not think this topic is terribly important, but I challenge you to think about how you feel when someone is rude or inconsiderate. Good etiquette is simply learning to abide by some unspoken but accepted rules of behavior so that we are considerate of others—and shouldn’t that be a high priority for us Christians?
Here are some other areas where we need to be on our toes in the workplace:
- Be careful of how loudly you speak, especially if you share office space with others, and most of us do these days. If you tend to have a loud voice on the phone or in conversations, that can become very irritating and truly distracting to others.
- Don’t use terms of endearment in the workplace. You may have become accustomed to using terms like “honey” or “dear” or “sweetie” and mean no harm whatsoever, but believe me, it is not professional and it could get you in some hot water if someone considers it sexual harassment.
- Maintain a tidy workspace, especially if it can be seen by customers. Develop some disciplines of putting work away in some organized manner. Messiness and clutter will send a very negative message about you to others, and it is not conducive for productivity. It clutters your mind as well as your workspace!
- Remember that the workplace is not the place for solving emotional problems or conducting personal counseling sessions. While it’s important to be transparent and real, it is not good manners to spread your personal concerns everywhere you go. Don’t expect the people in your workplace to provide the emotional support you need. That’s why you need to be involved in a good church and a small group Bible study.
- Don’t engage in office gossip and boss-bashing. Not only is that good etiquette, it is a biblical principle, and when we allow ourselves to get caught up in the gossip sessions, it is disobedience to God’s Word. Besides, it will come back to haunt you someday.