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minding our office manners |
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 Business Petiquette 101
The scamper of paws in the workplace will elicit immediate reactions—smiles from some and cringes from others—including Jane, whose new shirt was destroyed recently by a coworkers’ not-quite-housebroken puppy.
Lately, more businesses, especially smaller, creatively driven companies, are allowing pets to partake in daily office life. How many businesses do you know with cute company mascots pacing the room? Sometimes, this is in the hope of creating happier, less stressed and more productive employees. Other times, it’s condoned simply from a lack of policy. We love our pets, and if you’re missing your furry BFF enough to bring them to work, be considerate to those around you. Here are some suggestions for making Fido’s workplace debut more pleasant for everyone:
Ask first! Sure, the boss has okayed your companion, but Peter Part-Time (seated five cubicles away) is deathly allergic to dogs—you don’t want to find that out the hard way! By giving your coworkers the heads-up, they will also have the chance to voice their concerns and ultimately won’t feel so powerless or peeved once poochie is on the scene.
You may find your puppy’s wet nose nuzzling your leg adorable, but it’s guaranteed not everyone will. Define an area where your dog will stay, free of tempting chewables and out of other’s way. Bring a leash, quiet toys and treats—in case of emergencies.
This should be common sense, but if your pup isn’t truly housetrained, they don’t belong at the office. A friend once brought her gorgeous baby min-pin to our publishing office for show-and-tell, where he promptly relieved himself on the editor’s office door—thankfully she wasn’t in. You get the idea.
Last, make sure they’ve had a bath, and some Greenies for minty-fresh breath.
 Wide Open Spaces
At one point or another in your career, you’ll have to do some time in the open concept trenches. While open concepts keep the flow of ideas (and constant chatter) going, the goal is clearly to save space and money. Here’s how you can make your shared quarters a little more tolerable:
Arrange your desks so they don’t face each other, lessening the under-the-microscope effect. If possible, setting up even partial partitions can create the illusion of privacy people crave.
Try to keep personal calls to a minimum. For serious personal matters, employers should have a place to make private calls. It’s ridiculous to think pressing personal issues don’t come up in the middle of the work day.A private office or boardroom should be available for emergency banking issues, child concerns and doctor’s queries—no one wants to hear a colleague’s consultation with their psychiatrist.
If you’re going to listen to (bad) music, do everyone around you a favour and wear earphones. Turn your cell phone off, or at least set it to vibrate, and take it with you when you go out. There’s nothing more annoying than a perpetual ring in the next cube.
If your colleagues are swamped, don’t hold meetings or visit with friends steps away from their desk. Use a conference room or wait until things have calmed down.
And don’t forget—if coworkers can see your computer screen, be wary of what you are browsing and certainly keep Facebooking to a minimum. |
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