A recent foray out into public prompted a discussion about rudeness. It seems to be running rampant these days. The concepts of being polite and kind from eras past have been swept away and the upcoming generations are focused solely on themselves. While rudeness in public is frowned upon, in the workplace it is definitely unacceptable. Below are a few examples of common rude behaviors in the workplace and little fixes to help eliminate them.
Ever walk down a hallway and feel completely ignored? With the advent of technology, people have their heads down and eyes glued to their cell phones. What kind of message does this send? That whatever is on the phone is more important than saying hello to the person that just walked by. That certainly makes a co-worker feel good now, doesn’t it? Take the time and greet those walking past, and if groups are gathered in the hallway, step to one side and let others through. Acknowledge one another!
Everyone welcomes a thank you for a job well done. How about saying thank you to the co-worker who just helped out on a project they normally would not be involved? Telling a colleague that they are valued is a key ingredient to making sure that the department continues to work together. Failing to say thank you just leads to difficulty later on and makes the person asking appear less favorable. Make it a habit to say thank you every time help is needed!
An office is filled with machines that the entire staff uses. There is nothing more annoying than going to use one of those machines and finding it empty. Failing to refill the copy machine, printer, and even the coffee pot shows a complete lack of disregard for the rest of the office. It takes less than five minutes to put paper in the copier and printer (and don’t forget the fax machine!) and even less time to start a pot of coffee. While it seems like a small thing to keep the machines filled, it might be a very big thing to the co-worker in the next cubicle who is on a major deadline. Don’t fail to fill!
These are just a few of the common rude behaviors in the workplace and the simple things to do eliminate them. Showing a little consideration for others in the workplace goes a long way in making the day a little more enjoyable. This is especially important as many people spend a major portion of their day at work. By eliminating the bad behavior at work, perhaps similar behavior out in other public forums will become a thing of the past as well.
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