Manners maketh the company

By ESTELLE SARNEY

Have you given up saying hello to people at work, because you never get a reply? Are you fed up with the coffee running out, the photocopier being jammed and having orders barked at you?

You're not the only one. You're right to feel aggrieved but a few simple solutions could make you feel better.

Workplace manners are falling by the wayside, according to survey results released last month by recruitment company TMP Worldwide.

Of 231 people surveyed, 57 per cent felt manners had declined in the past five years, with 98 per cent saying that bad manners affected staff morale.

TMP general manager Denis Horner says new technology is driving faster and more informal methods of communicating, at the expense of manners.

Traditional greetings, pleases and thank yous have dropped off text messages and emails.

Because they're convenient, people send more, burdening recipients with dozens of messages every day. You can fall into the ill-mannered trap of not bothering to reply.

"Courtesy is not necessarily seen as a virtue to which to aspire by the younger generation, which is using these methods of communication most enthusiastically," says Bridget Mintoft, a psychologist who coaches professional development.

"Being 'bad' has a status now that it never used to. With role models like Eminem, not towing the traditional line is almost a declaration of independence."

This attitude might flow into the go-hard-or-go-home ethic of many workplaces, she says.

"Taking time for niceties is not seen as the sign of someone who is really busy and really important."

Another psychologist, Suzanne Innes-Kent, who has helped to formulate workplace codes of behaviour, says many workers simply feel too busy to be polite.

"Screening out peripheral demands to focus only on those most urgent is a survival strategy," says Innes-Kent.

"But it leads to a huge amount of fallout."

It might seem a leap to say that workplace manners can affect a company's bottom line, until you look at the effect on staff morale and turnover.

"People who do not feel respected or appreciated are less motivated, so productivity drops. If made to feel worthless, harangued or belittled, they leave.

"We're prepared to cut each other quite a bit of slack in times of high pressure," says Mintoft. "But if an ill-mannered atmosphere continues for months or years then colleagues will not be willing to stick up for people in meetings, to give leeway on deadlines or help out. These things are critical in maintaining a positive climate and getting the job done. Manners are the social glue that keeps a workplace together."

Some companies are drawing up codes of behaviour and incorporating courtesy requirements into induction programmes.

Stuart Dickinson of Oxygen Business Solutions says all his company's new employees are shown around and looked after on their first day, then attend briefings to bring them up to speed.

"We don't say 'everyone must be polite to each other', but when we talk about our people values and how we inter-relate we promote that style of behaviour."

Mintoft says managers shouldn't underestimate their value as role models. If bad manners are seen from the top down, it breeds distrust and disloyalty.

"Managers set the tone of what is appropriate and reasonable. They also need to be prepared to have a word with people who are being ill-mannered, and be specific about the behaviour required."

A bad-mannered company might also have trouble attracting good staff, says Mandy Buck of recruitment company Robert Walters.

"If it does not acknowledge job applications or return phone messages, it is unlikely it would be considered an employer of choice.

No matter how much pressure workers are under, Mintoft says courtesy should never been seen as a luxury.

"It's about basic respect for each other as humans, a simple matter of reciprocity."

COURTESY CHECKLIST

* Value others' time.

Never assume a co-worker is less busy than you. Stick to deadlines, return messages promptly and arrive on time to meetings.

* Don't leave a trail in your wake.

Don't leave the coffee maker empty or the photocopier jammed.

* Be courteous.

Greet people and return greetings. Say please and thank you, even in emails. If you have to deal with a problem or bad news, meet the person face to face.

* Respect boundaries.

Knock before entering anyone's workspace and ask whether its a good time to talk.

* Practise cellphone etiquette.

Turn it off during meetings, or flag that you have to leave it on then leave the room if a call comes. Don't answer calls while discussing work.

* Give credit where its due.

Tell your manager when you've received help and praise colleagues on a job well done.

Source: Officeteam.com