You Should Know These Business Etiquette Techniques

The world has changed a lot in recent decades, and the way businesses operate has also been impacted. Things are much more casual than they used to be. The classic business outfits of suits and ties are no longer the norm, and you’re as likely to see a t-shirt in an office as you are to see a collared shirt. On top of that, cubicles are also becoming somewhat old fashioned, and we’re seeing open floor plans become more and more common. The strangest of these changes may be how “fun” and relaxed offices have become, with games to play, bean bag chairs, and even dedicated nap areas. To top it all off, remote work thrived during the pandemic and continues to look like the future of work for many people. These developments are largely positive, but the shift from a rigid, hierarchical business environment to the world we have now where it seems like anything goes has led people to be confused on how to act. Just because office spaces have grown increasingly casual does not mean that there are no etiquette rules that you should follow. If anything, it is as important as ever to follow good professional etiquette, even if it is less obvious than it used to be. It will make you stand out, and it will let people know that you mean business and are serious about what you do, even if you are wearing jeans.

One good rule to follow is to introduce people with your full name. We may be past the days of being so formal that we don’t even use first names, and that is good, but we shouldn’t be so casual that we ditch last names as well. Giving your full name not only sounds more professional, but it will make you more memorable to the people you interact with. This is why it is also beneficial to concisely state what it is that you do in your company. Just as you should hope people will remember your name, you should take the effort to remember other people’s names, and take note of their positions. Things may be less hierarchical than they used to be, and you may not even realize that your casual interaction happens to be with someone extremely important, so put the effort in to remember them, treat them well, and be professional. This professionalism should include a handshake, which may seem to have less salience than it used to but is still a norm in the business world. Believe it or not, people do judge others by the strength of their handshakes, with the correlation that a strong handshake indicates other positive traits and a weak handshake indicates other negative ones. If you are meeting someone higher ranked than you, you can give them a chance to reach their hand out first, but if they don’t after a few seconds, you should reach out your hand. Another thing to keep in mind is to not interrupt others. Let people finish talking before you begin to speak, and it is better to gesture that you wish to speak by opening your mouth than to simply jump in while someone else is talking. One other important thing to remember is to send out thank you notes to people. Don’t skimp on the time or on the pocket change it costs to ship it. Just do it, and people will take note of your thoughtfulness.