Just think about it, you spend a high percentage of your waking hours at work and if you have domestic staff, in most cases they live with you and this increases the number of hours you tend to spend with them, it is then safe to say that daily employer/employee interactions play a role in destiny transactions.Hence, my focus on employer/employee etiquette so as to make these transactions worthwhile.
Employer Etiquette deals with how you conduct yourself in your capacity as an employer and by employer I choose to broaden this to include management staff since you represent the employer.
First of all lead by example; you must portray the standards you expect of your staff and it is very necessary to spell out your expectations from the onset.
Train your staff adequately, you have a higher chance of retaining the staff you train and this helps to avert high turnover.
Introduce new employees to their co-workers and indoctrinate them, as soon as possible,so as to make them feel welcome and useful from the start.
Get to know your employees by name and remember the things they tell you about themselves. You get the best out of them when they know you care.
Respect is a two-way thing, respect your employees. Deal with staff grievances promptly and fairly. Do not show favouritism, as you will quickly lose respect amongst your employees. Moreover, make sure procedures and lines of reporting are clear and strictly adhered to. Take care to respect what they tell you in confidence but do not give room for backbiting.
Listen to your employees, especially when they express a view contrary to yours, you stand to get a different perspective on the issue at hand. Never be dismissive anddon’t trivialize their opinions.
Do not set them up to fail, it will reflect on the overall organisational results or productivity. Trust them to get on with the job and help them when they need you to.Do not ‘snoopervise’ (snooping supervision).
When they do not live up to expectation, address the issue and don’t attack their persons.
However be swift to give them credit when they perform well. Do not take them for granted but show them that you appreciate them even though you pay them.
Employee Etiquette is how you conduct yourself in your capacity as an employee to your employer and co-workers.
The first thing to note is that in what ever role or capacity you work, you are the face and voice of the organisation and more so, if you are in a public facing role.
Therefore you must be pleasant at all times, in person and on the phone, even when you are having a bad day. First impressions go a long way so you must always maintain high standards of excellence in conduct and appearance. Chewing gum is absolutely unbecoming, especially in front of clients.
Punctuality is the soul of business, do not be on time but arrive before time.
Why should you arrive at the office at 8am when the office is meant to be open to customers at 8am?
Respect is reciprocal; respect your employers and co-workers. Do not back bite and do not get personal in the event of a conflict.
Receiving personal calls, checking personal e-mails and social networking sites at your employer’s expense is inappropriate.
If possible, tell friends and relatives not to distract you during office hours.
There is no ‘I’ in a team, cooperate with your boss and co-workers to achieve your organisation’s goals. Keep your boss and team mates properly and promptly informed, and respect your lines of reporting.
Remain humble and do not set up your boss and co-workers to fail.
Adhere strictly to the confidentiality of information of your firm and its clients.
It is extremely rude to arrive late fora meeting. It is ruder still to not attend at all. Having a good excuse does not exonerate you. Conduct yourself appropriately at meetings.
Show consideration for other people’s feelings. Apologise if you are clearly in the wrong and accept an apology graciously and with compassion.
Good etiquette requires that you keep your interruptions to a minimum and always apologise if your intrusion interrupts a discussion, disrupts or distracts concentration or disturbs any other activity. This applies also if you are the boss.
In conclusion, the employer/employee relationship forms the basis for a reciprocal dream-investment, positively or negatively.
Let us make the conscious decision to make positive investments.