Work Etiquette

The article, “Good Etiquette Helps Careers on Holidays and Every Day,” in the njbiz discusses some etiquette employees should keep in mind during the holiday season and at company parties. This article is an interview with Barbara Pachter. She is the president of Pachter and Associates, a firm that consults companies on business communications. She is also the author of “New Rules @ Work: 79 Etiquette Tips, Tools, and Techniques to Get Ahead and Stay Ahead.” One of the questions that were asked was whether or not wearing a costume to work on Halloween was appropriate. She answered that employees could wear costumes to work on Halloween but they should use caution. An example of what not to do she used was a pharmaceutical sales representative dressing up as the Grim Reaper and going into the hospital. Employees should also keep in mind their company’s written and unwritten policies about dressing up or decorating your work space during the holidays. Pachter also gave tips on how employees should behave during company parties. She said that employees should realize that company parties is still work; how employees behave at these parties may affect their careers. Employees are not obligated to attend every social gathering, but Pachter encourages them to go. “You want to participate. There’s no reason not to. You don’t have to stay the whole time, but you work with these people. A little bit of socializing can help you get your work done.” Some etiquette to remember when eating out in terms of business with clients or co-workers includes: ordering what you know how to eat, what you like to eat, and what is easy to eat. When meeting with clients, it is best to eat a little before your meeting. It is a lot easier to be polite when the food is delayed or the client is late and you would be able to handle a drink better with food in your stomach. According to Pachter, etiquette is something that is lacking in the younger generation. She says that the younger generation does not realize the tips and tools that she offer until they actually experience it for themselves.

I think that most of the tips that Pachter offer is common sense but it is still very surprising to see people not smart enough to follow them. An example in the article was of an employee who got so drunk at a company party that he cursed out his boss and was fired on the spot. This employee