An expert with the etiquette bible Debrett’s has shared the eight rules to successful working in 2023, including never turning up to the office sick and dressing for the office even when you’re working from home.
An expert with the etiquette bible Debrett’s has shared the eight rules to successful working in 2023 (Liz Wyse pictured)
Debrett’s etiquette advisor Liz Wyse said that with people ‘splitting their time between the office and the home’ it’s clear that how we ‘conduct ourselves at work has changed drastically’ in the past few years.
Therefore, it’s important to know exactly how to navigate the new workplace world.
1. Never go into the office sick
The first rule Liz highlighted in an etiquette guide in partnership with Poly is that you should never go into the office when you’re sick thinking you’re being stoic or a martyr.
‘Don’t struggle into the office if you’ve got a cough or cold or anything contagious,’ she said.
‘Nobody will applaud your stoicism.’
Instead, she said you should take your ‘sickness seriously’ and either take the day off or work from home.
You might think it’s acceptable to wear sweatpants and leggings at home. But Liz said you should always dress for success, whether you’re WFH or in the office (stock image)
2. Never eat in meetings
Secondly, you should never eat during a meeting – whether it’s a digital call or in the flesh.
‘Always avoid eating – you don’t want people to focus on the contents of your lunch instead of what you’re saying,’ she said.
If you have a meeting over lunchtime, then eat before you join it.
3. Always dress up
You might think it’s acceptable to wear sweatpants and leggings at home.
But Liz said you should always dress for success, whether you’re WFH or in the office.
‘People will always choose to wear more relaxed, comfortable clothing when working from home, but it’s important to be aware of the psychological impact of truly letting yourself go,’ Liz said.
‘Aim to dress as if you are in the room with other meeting attendees.’
4. Stay put on video calls
Video calls are a regular now with workplaces around the world.
But you should never be on the move during a video call, but rather should stay put in a fixed position.
‘Carrying your device around while you answer the door or wandering around the office during video calls risks giving your colleagues a bad dose of motion sickness,’ Liz said.
Sit down, eliminate any background clutter and make sure the ‘set background’ isn’t overly chaotic.
5. End calls well
Ending a call or Zoom meeting always has the potential for awkwardness.
But rather than just abruptly pressing ‘end call’ when you’re done, Liz recommends you go for something more ‘friendly and inclusive’.
‘Try giving your colleagues a wave goodbye to signify that the call is about to end,’ she said.
The etiquette expert warned against multitasking during a meeting, such as looking at your phone, working during a meeting or reading emails; you also shouldn’t go in sick (stock image)
6. Don’t multitask
The etiquette expert warned against multitasking during a meeting, such as looking at your phone, working during a meeting or reading emails.
‘It’s very bad form to carry on working during a call or look at your phone,’ she said.
‘Everyone will realise your mind is elsewhere and they will also hear the incriminating clatter of your keyboard.’
7. Embrace long pauses
If you’re someone who is always looking to fill in a silence in a meeting, you need to stop, Liz said.
She said long pauses are in fact an ‘invaluable way of giving people space to interject or expound’.
On the other hand, you should always mute yourself if there is background noise from the office or at home.
8. Beware diversions
For those working from home, it’s important to be aware that your home is full of diversions.
‘Be it domestic chores, the garden or visits to the fridge, it’s all too easy to wander around doing jobs or making snacks, which ultimately distracts you from your job and impacts your productivity,’ Liz said.
‘It is important to compartmentalise work time and leisure time so you don’t allow the domestic world to impinge on your working environment.’
She added: ‘Creating a dedicated physical space for work and adhering to your own working timetable will help you to feel focused and productive’.