Back in the office? Here’s how to be professional in the workplace

Whoever would have thought that job seekers would be ghosting employers?

Or that workers would show up to Zoom wearing business attire on top and boxers down below.

The problem may be that Gen Zers, many of whom graduated online, started their jobs working from home, and had “no one to model good professional behavior for them,” said Kathryn Landis, founder and CEO of the global coaching and advisory firm Kathryn Landis Consulting.

“Etiquette in the workplace is a problem,” agreed Stacie Haller, chief career advisor at Resume Builder.

Managers who responded to their July 2023 survey said that there seems to be miscommunication over what is and isn’t appropriate for the office, including overly casual clothes; that inappropriate conversations were occurring, and that “there were increasing complaints of a hostile work environment and complaints from patrons about the behavior of certain employees.”

Michelle Volberg, founder and CEO of Greenwich, Conn., executive search firm Giledan Search, wasn’t shocked by these findings.

She said that several of her recent hires didn’t work out because “they had trouble showing up to meetings on time and arriving with the things that they needed.”

Maintaining eye contact was also a problem. “That kind of behavior is not acceptable in a professional environment,” Volberg said.

The class of 2019 and 2020 often started their employment on screens, leaving workers like Mili Hurtado, an account executive at p.r. firm Highwire, at a disadvantage.

Hurtado was dying to go from being remote into the Manhattan office, but discovered there were a lot of things she needed to learn. “Like, knowing when to talk during meetings,” said the Kinnelon, NJ, resident.

On her first day in the office, she was even anxious about recognizing her co-workers. “People sometimes look different in person than they do on a screen,” said the 25-year-old.

A survey of workers conducted by Robert Half and released in September found that 40% of employees were troubled by the loud talking of others, while 30% were concerned about office gossip.

Some were frustrated by their colleagues’ meeting etiquette, or weren’t clear on what “business casual” means.

Hybrid and in-office workers expressed frustration with colleagues showing up late to meetings, dominating conversations or arriving unprepared.

Some employers, like professional services firm KPMG, have been proactive about addressing such concerns, and they’re not looking down on any workers who need a refresh.

“We all have skills that need refinement and improvement,” said Yessi Scheker, New York managing partner at KPMG. She added that during the pandemic, “We were no longer able to conduct presentation skills training in person, so professionals who would otherwise have received real-time coaching in a live setting did not get it.”

And when it comes to Gen Z employees like Hurtado, “More junior people did not have the opportunity to shadow more senior professionals who were presenting to clients or other groups and to see presentation skills/executive presence in action, so it’s only right to bring them up to speed,” said Scheker.

The Robert Half survey found that almost all of the Gen Zs surveyed said they’d take advantage of office etiquette-training resources if offered.

They were joined by 73% of their co-workers from other generations who said they are interested in brushing up on their manners, too.

Since not everyone who wants that kind of training will receive it, we’ve asked some experts for tips you can put into practice right away.

Understand what ‘etiquette’ means

“It’s how people’s lives touch one another’s lives in a way that is meaningful and respectful,” said Nisha Trivedi, an Emily Post-certified business etiquette trainer who teaches a class on the subject on LinkedIn.
Examples of good etiquette range from responding to Slack messages in a timely manner or writing “maybe we can discuss this when we meet” or “remind me tomorrow” if you can’t answer immediately, said Trivedi.

Emails should be replied to within 24 hours when possible.

By the time you receive a reminder, you already may have been considered rude.

And when on vacation or out sick, put your out-of-office response on, so people aren’t left hanging.

Learn by observing

Look for examples. When you are at work in your employer’s physical location, “take your cues from leaders and other successful and respected employees,” said Trivedi. “Keep everything positive and constructive. Talk to your manager about anything that causes concern.”

Take advantage of being in person

Get to meetings early when possible so that you can greet and meet people informally as they come in.

When you have the time, walk back from meetings with a co-worker. “Use it as an opportunity to build rapport,” said Trivedi.

Act engaged

“Actively listen when you are in meetings. Make eye contact with the person who is speaking, take notes, nod and use other nonverbal gestures,” said Landis.

Don’t multitask, text or play games. While you may be able to get away with it when you are working remotely, in person, it not only shows your colleagues that you are rude but also that you don’t care that you are rude.

’Fess up

If you don’t remember someone’s name, “admit it, apologize and then move on,” said Trivedi. Dwelling on the problem will only make matters worse.

Plan to contribute during meetings

“Read and think about the agenda before you walk into the room,” said Trivedi.

This will not only show your respect for the leader, but it will put you in a position to contribute if the opportunity arises.

Inform your host in advance if you have back-to-back meetings scheduled.

That way, if the meeting runs late, you won’t disturb the host when you leave.

Be considerate of other people’s time

“Don’t interrupt when people are talking. Leave space for spontaneous interactions to take place,” said Trivedi.

No moaning or groaning

Some workers don’t want to return to the office, even for a few days a week.

If that’s you, once you arrive at your work site, “Change your attitude and make the most of it. Be intentional about how you spend your time,” said Landis.