Chances are, if you have an office job, you have very limited space to yourself. Considering that this limited space means everyone can pretty much hear and see anything you say and do, here’s a list of things you might want to avoid doing to upset everyone within your cubicle radius. Let’s keep a friendly work environment!
What NOT to Do at the Office
Eating at your desk: This may be necessary sometimes if you’re working under a tight deadline, but eating something with a strong odor at your desk will haunt the office all day long. If necessary, try to keep a clean and simple lunch, like a basic salad or some fruit and sandwich, for those days.
Not saying hello: It’s just common courtesy to greet someone you make eye contact with. A polite “hello” will go a long way to keep the office friendly and pleasant.
Taking the elevator ONE floor up or down: If it’s rush hour at the elevators, taking the elevator up or down for just one floor is a really bad idea. To spare yourself the dirty looks, take the stairs or wait a few minutes for the rush to clear out. Your colleagues will be grateful.
Taking a long and loud personal call: With longer work hours, it’s often necessary to take a personal call. But if that call is a half hour long and loud enough for everyone to hear your most intimate details about a personal matter, it may be time to take a break and take it outside.
Stealing food from the fridge: Some office environments provide their associates with shared snacks. But if you’re sharing a refrigerator, not all items may be up for grabs. Check before you bite. Stealing someone’s lunch is just mean!
Long visits to coworkers desk: Of course there will be times when you’d like to catch up with a colleague who has become a close friend as well. But having a longwinded conversation means everyone around you will have to listen in, despite their best efforts. Try catching up over a coffee break or at lunch and keep the details of your juicy date out of the company memo.
Blasting your music: Invest in a set of headphones and spare everyone your eclectic playlist. You wouldn’t want to listen to four different bands at once, coming from different desks surrounding you. Be kind to your work environment and keep the noise pollution to a minimum.
Looking for another job: There may come a time when you feel the need to move on to a new work venture. But conducting a search for that new place while at your current one will not only seem unprofessional to your current employer – it may also reduce your chances of getting hired at your new desired location. It’s hard to keep things like this a secret so do yourself – and your reputation – a favor and keep that search limited to your personal time.
