Office etiquette: behaviours most likely to annoy colleagues revealed

If you want to get along with your colleagues – whether face-to-face or remote – these are the bad behaviours you need to stamp out now.

Work standards may have relaxed during lockdown restrictions but Australians are now being reminded to heed the unspoken rules of workplace etiquette as they navigate a return to the office.

Exclusive insights from global data research firm Dynata reveal those who check their social media and text messages during face-to-face business meetings and conversations are the most likely to raise the ire of colleagues, with two-thirds (66 per cent) of workers annoyed by the habit.

Similarly frustrating are remote workers who use video conferences to answer emails and check non-work-related websites (41 per cent).

Talking over others and failing to mute after speaking during video conferences are also common peeves (43 per cent and 34 per cent, respectively).

Stop talking over people during video calls. Picture: iStock

With companies now transitioning back to the workplace, along with many young people entering the workforce for the first time, experts say there are things to know when it comes to meeting employment social standards.

AVOID PERSONAL MESSAGING & SOCIAL MEDIA APPS

While technology is essential to the workplace, it also has the potential to cause the most offence, Australian Institute of Management workplace expert Professor Gary Martin says.

Martin says ‘phubbing’ – the term coined for phone snubbing or reading text messages while engaged in face-to-face discussions – is particularly rude and should be avoided at all costs.

“When it comes to technology, most employers prefer that employees keep personal instant messaging to a minimum during work time and the same applies to social media – unless posts are related to someone’s role,” he says.

He says those continuing to work from home should avoid becoming distracted during video conferencing – a habit which is all too often noticed by colleagues.

“With more and more employers allowing employees to work remotely, workers need to ensure that they present themselves in a positive light when on a Zoom or Teams call,” he says.

“That includes remaining completely focused on a video meeting instead of attempting to multitask, for example (by) looking at non-related websites or answering emails.”

RESPECT THE OFFICE FRIDGE

Martin says the shared office fridge has long been the cause of “chilled relations” between colleagues and has its own set of rules to be strictly obeyed.

“While there are numerous unspoken fridge rules, the rule of rules is simple,” he says.

“Never, ever touch, remove, discard or eat someone else’s lunch and morning tea items, including their soy milk. Never.”

He warns eating reheated meals with “pungent” odours at your desk is also unlikely to win any friends.

Don’t touch your colleagues’ soy milk, says Professor Gary Martin. Picture: Supplied

BEHAVE AT SOCIAL FUNCTIONS

With social restrictions easing, Workskil Australia chief executive officer Nicole Dwyer says attending Friday after-work drinks and other social functions with work colleagues are great for building workplace culture – so long as you keep yourself in check.

“You don’t want to put yourself in a position where your behaviour has you embarrassed to face your colleagues on Monday morning,” she says.

“To ensure employees can get along with their colleague long-term, it’s wise to closely observe the colleagues’ behaviour to pick up on social cues and expectations, particularly

when first joining a company.

“Two main considerations to keep in mind are having respect for others and their belongings and thinking about how your actions may be perceived by others.

“Employees may consider finding a trusted colleague or mentor in the business who knows the culture well, so they can quietly ask them questions about the company etiquette.”

‘IT IS PRETTY BOTHERSOME’

It’s the simple sound of a text notification that can turn marketing executive Neil Soriano’s mood sour.

“For the most part, I’m pretty easy going but when you’re having a conversation with someone and they turn to check a message on their phone, that really annoys me,” the 24-year-old says.

“I’m just stuck standing there, awkwardly waiting (for the other person to finish texting). It is pretty bothersome.”

Sofitel Adelaide’s Neil Soriano says most restaurant workers have good etiquette because they are used to dealing with guests. Picture: Supplied

Soriano, who works at the five-star Sofitel Adelaide hotel, says he learned the rules of workplace etiquette early in his career, as a food and beverage attendant.

“Restaurant workers are pretty good, for the most part, because when you’re facing hotel guests, you just have to know about etiquette,” he says.

“I’m not saying that I’m always prim and proper outside of work – you can’t have that smiling waiter facade all the time – but I know how to behave professionally.

“I think anyone working in customer service does develop good habits. We know how to be cordial and we generally know how to do the right thing.”

He says for the most part, good work standards come down to common sense.

“But we all know that common sense isn’t always common,” he says.

“Take social media: in my department, we are on social media all the time (for work) and that’s fine. But if it’s not in your job description, then being on social media means you’re not really working.”

Originally published as Office etiquette: behaviours most likely to annoy colleagues revealed