Latest news with #officeetiquette
ABC News
02-06-2025
- Business
- ABC News
How often do you need to be in the office to claim a desk?
If you work in an office, you may be doing it already. Hot-desking is the norm in workplaces across the country, usually open-plan offices. But our office etiquette doesn't always reflect how normal hot-desking and open-plan offices have become, according to Natsha Hawker, the managing director of a human resources and recruitment service on Gadigal land in Sydney. Paula Brough is an organisational psychology professor at Griffith University in Brisbane/Meanjin and says hot-desking has been increasing across all sectors since the COVID-19 pandemic. Professor Brough says hot-desking evolved from the popularity of open-plan offices. She says it's "highly beneficial" for employers, allowing them to continue supporting some working from home, while saving money on office space and equipment. According to Ms Hawker, "many businesses are looking for ways to reduce; reduce expenditure and reduce the office footprint". Ms Hawker says from personal experience, hot-desking comes with "the benefit of learning by osmosis". She says she has previously learnt a lot from the different people she has sat next to and the way they work. Professor Brough says how well people handle hot-desking will depend on their personality traits. She says a busy office of rotating desks is more likely to work for someone who is chatty and extroverted, and collaborative discussions in this type of environment could also help generate ideas and stimulate creativity. "But you have to be the right person to fit that environment," she says. "People tend to be productive when they feel comfortable". In offices with a hot-desking policy, the organisation is ideally making the environment more comfortable in other ways. The Australian Services Union's National Secretary Emeline Gaske says hot-desking cuts costs at the expense of workers' morale and productivity. She says the union is seeing a "real tension between employers pushing hot-desking and workers' desire for flexibility and consistency". "It strips away the stability and routine that people need to do their jobs well." How do you make hot-desking work for you? Email everyday@ How do you make hot-desking work for you? Email everyday@ Ms Hawker recommends introducing yourself to the people sitting around you in the first 30 minutes of being at a new desk. "If you're popping out for a coffee, ask anyone if they want one," she suggests. Noise can be a common source of office tension, so Ms Hawker suggests "keeping personal calls and noise levels to a minimum". Employers should also have cleaning products and hand sanitiser ready to access for staff rotating between desks, she says. Ms Hawker says employers should ideally also provide personal lockers so desks are left uncluttered at the end of the day. Professor Brough and Ms Hawker both point out that regardless of workplace policies, people are "naturally territorial" and "creatures of habit". Professor Brough says if the desk someone normally sit at is taken, that may "cause a little bit of internal disruption to people". However, organisations usually have a clear set of rules around hot-desking, such as no desk-claiming and no leaving belongings behind. Ms Hawker says, "people gravitate towards the same desk every day; if that desk is already taken it can really put them off and sometimes generate friction". She says you would need to be in the office a minimum of four days to feel able to claim a desk, because most people who work partly from home are in the office for three days. "Some employers are adopting a policy of '[if] you're in the office four days a week, then you can claim a desk as a reward.'" She recommends speaking with someone directly and discreetly if you have an issue. If you are uncomfortable doing that or it's not possible, Ms Hawker suggests speaking with your manager — and possibly human resources.
Washington Post
29-05-2025
- General
- Washington Post
Miss Manners: How to deal with solicitors in a ‘no solicitor' building?
Dear Miss Manners: I work in an upscale office building in the downtown core. Our building is supposed to be solicitor-free, but on occasion we get walk-in solicitors, companies trying to sell their services and people trying to give resumes. This is both annoying and bothersome. Our office is locked, so these people need to ring or knock to be let in — and then when they come in, I realize they are not clients, but peddlers. Is it impolite to say there is no soliciting in the building, or should I take their card and just say I will pass it on, even though I won't? I understand that these people are trying to better themselves, but they are already breaking rules and taking time away from my work. One can enforce a building rule rudely and one can enforce it politely, but you appear to be asking if the rule itself is rude — a habit, perhaps, in an age when everyone is asked to comment on everything. The rule itself strikes Miss Manners as innocuous. More importantly, it is not within your authority to change. Tell the person that you are sorry, but the owners have a rule against soliciting in the building. You can then pick up a phone, leaving them to guess whether this is to inform someone of their presence or merely to go about your own business. Dear Miss Manners: I learned from a treasured friend that if a person brings up a topic regarding themselves, it usually means they want to talk about it. Said friend will then, sometimes, seem to throw up her guard when I ask a question, wanting to hear more. Is it rude to ask questions when someone brings up a personal subject? Am I asking the wrong questions? Perhaps I'm asking the wrong way. If so, how should I politely ask? Maybe I want the correct preface. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to such a question except to say: When in doubt, attentive listening is usually the least likely to get one in trouble. Dear Miss Manners: Both of my sisters-in-law's grandchildren graduated from high school last weekend. We gladly traveled the two hours to their respective parties and gave each one a cash gift. Both sisters-in-law have texted, thanking us for coming and for the nice gifts. I suspect (in one instance, anyway) that we're not to expect a reply from the recipient, as the text went into detail how appreciative the graduate is, how the money will be put to use and what his future plans are. How do I respond? It feels misplaced to say 'You're welcome' to the grandparents, when we attended and gifted in honor of the graduates. The problem, as both you and the sisters-in-law know or suspect, is that the unmannerly recipients are not going to express thanks themselves. So the question within your question is whether you let the sisters-in-law — who do not want you to think ill of their grandchildren — off the hook. Miss Manners would have you text back that you are 'Glad they are enjoying the gift.' This will reassure the sisters-in-law that you have no quarrel with them — while its brevity relieves you of directly addressing the larger question. New Miss Manners columns are posted Monday through Saturday on You can send questions to Miss Manners at her website, You can also follow her @RealMissManners. © 2025 Judith Martin
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Etiquette expert details shocking list of foods you should NEVER eat in front of coworkers
Deciding what to eat for lunch can be a defining part of the work day - but what you choose can also impact the rest of your workplace. From smelly foods to loud and distracting meals, there are many factors that can land you in the bad books with your co-workers - and according to an expert, you should try and avoid them. 'There is nothing like an unpleasant smell wafting through the air,' etiquette exert Elizabeth Soos told '[It can come from] opening the fridge to get your lunch out or from a co-worker's reheated dinner from the night before in the communal microwave,' she continued. According to Soos, the founder at Auersmont School of Etiquette and Protocol, your smelly lunches are being clocked by your co-workers - and they are not enjoying it. The expert shared what foods not to bring to work - doubling down on steering clear on seafood based dishes. 'Tips for what not to bring to work include: fish dishes, such as tins of salmon and tuna, eggs or egg dishes, garlic-based dishes, cruciferous vegetable dishes such as kale, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, or broccoli, and novel microwavable foods such as popcorn,' she listed. Soos assured office workers you can still enjoy these foods - you may just want to rethink where you're eating them. Foods to avoid eating in the office Fish dishes, such as tins of salmon and tuna Eggs or egg dishes Garlic-based dishes Cruciferous vegetable dishes such as kale, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, or broccoli Novel microwavable foods, such as popcorn 'If you need to bring any of these foods to work for dietary and well-being reasons, it's best to take them out of the building and sit in the communal break area or find a park bench, away from others,' she advised. Although it can seem natural to take your food back to your desk, Soos encourages people to find another area for the comfort of the people around you. 'Sitting at your desk to eat, the smell of hot food wafting over the workplace can be distracting and unpleasant for some,' she shared. It's not just food smells that can be distracting in the office, with Soos reminding people that although you may be on a lunch break, it's important to keep in mind that not everyone else is. 'Understanding that people may still be working and speaking on phones,' the expert reminded people. Soos urged people to 'be conscious' of what your lunch sounds like if eating at your desk. 'Soups, chips, raw vegetables, crackers and food wrappers, can disturb and be off-putting for co-workers while they work,' she pointed out. She added: 'The sounds of slurping, crunching, chewing with your mouth open and rustling of wrappers can be distracting and annoying.' The rules extend to eating out with co-workers at events, with Soos insisting on a further rules. She recommends ordering meals that make you look composed and considerate of your co-workers. 'Don't order foods you are unsure how to eat unless you are all exploring new foods together,' she advised. 'Be mindful of those with religious and/or cultural food preferences, and you can ask if it is "ok" to eat those foods in front of them or decide to order the foods you enjoy, another day,' she continued. Lastly, Soos said it's best to avoid ordering an alcoholic beverage during the day. 'Always remember to eat before drinking alcohol in the evening,' she said.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
Woman Gets Annoyed After 'Pathetic' Co-Worker Reports Her for Using Phone in the Office. But Commenters Give Her a Warning
A woman says that a coworker anonymously reported her to a manager for talking to delivery drivers through her doorbell cam app while at her desk The woman, who shared her story on a community forum, claims she has only done this a 'handful' of times and says she thinks the person who reported her is 'a bit pathetic' While some post commenters agreed with the woman, others said they think she should take the note more seriouslyA woman says a co-worker reported her for using her phone at the office, and she now worries things will get 'awkward.' The woman detailed her experience in the 'Am I Being Unreasonable?' forum on the U.K.-based community site Mumsnet, a place where people can go to seek advice from others about a host of topics. In her post, the woman explains that she works in a 'fairly large office' with a 'common sense approach to personal phone usage.' 'No one sits at their desk and takes lengthy personal calls, but management accepts there will be times people need to check/use their phones briefly, and that for anything longer, they'll step away from their desk or wait for breaks and lunch,' she adds. The original poster (OP) goes on to say that she recently had a one-on-one with her manager, and the manager mentioned that another co-worker had complained that the OP 'conversed with delivery drivers' using her doorbell cam app. The OP admits this has happened a 'handful of times,' but also says she generally schedules packages to arrive on her work-from-home days. The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! 'My manager was clear she doesn't have an issue with my phone usage, and obviously she can't tell me who reported it, although I have an idea,' she continues. 'Am I wrong to find them reporting this a bit pathetic?' the OP asks at the end of her post, adding, 'It just risks an awkward atmosphere when we are generally a fairly harmonious team.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. A number of commenters said they don't think the OP is being unreasonable — and also noted that the manager should not have passed the note along if the phone usage is a non-issue. 'I think if it's clear that your manager doesn't have an issue, she should not be discussing it with you at all. She should have put an end to it,' one person said. 'Your manager did not have to bring that up if she sees no issue,' added someone else. However, other commenters brought up the possibility that the manager might be more bothered by the OP's phone usage than she let on, but blamed someone else to avoid an uncomfortable conversation. 'This is the kind of thing my manager would say if it was bugging him. He'd make out that someone had complained,' said one person. Another person agreed, adding, 'Managers do sometimes say that 'someone' reported something when actually it's them that has an issue with it. So I'd be a bit careful [as] this could be a possibility.' Read the original article on People
