Top Tips for Workplace Communication Etiquette

Phone Call

I had a colleague who would answer his phone with a grumpy “Hello” every single time.  I knew he had my number saved into his phone and yet he never started the call with “Hi Meg.”  If you plan to share your cell phone number with colleagues and clients and use it for business communications, follow these guidelines:

• Answer phone calls professionally every time.  If you don’t recognize the inbound caller by name, use the greeting “Hi this is Meg” or even just identify yourself by name “Meg Brickle.”  What this does is confirm to the person on the other end of the call that they have in fact dialed the correct person.  
• Ensure that your voice mail greeting has a professional tone.  Many people use one cell phone number for both personal and professional use and therefore it is not necessary to state the name of your company in your recording. The standard “Hi, you’ve reached Meg Brickle, please leave me a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible” works perfectly fine.
• Keep personal calls and personal conversations during the workday to a minimum and if possible, take them in a private room so as not to disrupt colleagues around you.  

Email 

What is important to remember about email communication is that once an email is sent, it is a permanent record.  Given that, email etiquette dictates the communication of succinct, factual information.  Whether email or another written channel, only communicate statements about an individual that you would be comfortable saying to that person’s face.  If you need to communicate sensitive or confidential information about a colleague to a manager or peer, it is best to have this communication by phone call, unrecorded video call or in-person so that there is not a written record of the conversation.  Other etiquette essential elements include

• Address the person(s) by name in your correspondence. If you are sending an email to a colleague or associate outside your company, always begin the message with “Hi Annie,” or “Hannah and Don,”.  If there are several people on an email you many begin with starters such as “Hi All,” or “Hey Team,”.  The reason we are maintaining this formality is that it conveys respect and professionalism and warms up the communication.  If you are emailing someone outside your organization, a dedicated greeting is even more important and might include “Dear Mac ,” or even “Mr. Garcia” though the latter should be reserved for the most formal of email correspondence.  
• End with a salutation.  Again, we are talking about professional communications and therefore maintaining an element of formality reinforces your professionalism and polish.  I end virtually every single email with “Best, Meg” or Thanks, Meg” even if I am emailing with a colleague who I also consider a friend.   
• Be direct and concise.  Concise communication is important for a number of reasons: 1) Most people are overwhelmed with the number of emails these receive each day so it is a good idea to get to your point as fast as you can. 2) Demonstrate confidence by asking for what you need directly.  Perhaps you need information, input or direction from others. People will appreciate not having to guess what you need or want.
• Use appropriate language.  No swears or obscene words, ever. Avoid using slang or pop culture abbreviations or phrases that would not be equally understood by early, middle and senior career professionals.  A hallmark of professionalism is inclusion which means being mindful of cultural and differences with your communications.  I recently worked at a software company where I was easily the oldest person by 10-20 years in most conversations. Often my colleagues used sayings and abbreviations that were unknown to me.  While I knew they weren’t intentionally trying to be exclusive, I couldn’t help but feel my age and a bit out of the loop when I didn’t know what they were saying.

In-Person

Interacting with team members and clients in-person is a powerful way to build strong relationships. Digital communications have gotten so good but there is just something that can’t replicate face to face interactions.  Regardless of the venue or audience, follow these business etiquette rules:

• Maintain strong eye contact during the entire conversation.  Totally acceptable to refer to your computer for information relative to the conversation but regular eye contact (with the camera) connections should happen.  Unless you need to look up information on your phone relevant to the conversation, you should not be looking at your phone during an in-person discussion.  If you do, it sends the message that the phone is more important than the person. Same applies for checking your digital watch message when you feel a pulse.  
• Be mindful of your body language.  Avoid crossed arms or extreme facial expressions that could communicate displeasure or irritation.  These feelings are valid and very well might be warranted in a professional setting but demonstrate professional communication skills and discuss those feelings and concerns in the least dramatic way possible.  
• If meeting with a client, pay attention to non-verbal cues that might be getting sent your way.  If you are coming up on time for the scheduled meeting, your peer may begin packing up their stuff or look anxiously at the clock.  Wrap up the meeting so that you end on time, every time.  If the meeting does need to run longer, always ask your peer if they “have 3 or 5” extra minutes – ideally a few minutes before the meeting actually ends.  If they don’t, you can always follow-up via email or another meeting.  
• Follow the dress code of your environment.  If you are working in the office all day, maintain a professional appearance that follows the dress code rules.  If you are attending an event or client meeting where the dress code is more formal, follow the rules of that professional setting.  
• Follow the professional etiquette rules set forth for your office. These usually include reserving conference rooms, cleaning up after yourself, booking a small room for overly long or loud meetings, maintaining a professional tone of voice and using clean language with colleagues.
• Maintain a positive work environment and do not start or participate in office gossip.  If you have a conflict with a colleague, attempt to share your feelings directly with that individual.  If that is not an option, confide in a manager and go through the proper channels to get your issue addressed.  A positive attitude is critical for your reputation and personal brand.  

Video Calls

Video calls have been the game changer when it comes to effective remote work.  If almost feels like you are speaking to the other person face to face.  Staying focused on the conversation at hand goes a long way for making a positive impression on your call participant and achieving the outcomes of the call.  

• Avoid multi-tasking on a video call whether the call is a 1:1 discussion or a 1:many.  I struggle being fully present on calls with multiple people because there are so many distractions right at my fingertips.  What I have found in observing others however is that it is pretty obvious when you don’t have the full attention of the other person.  So, do your best to be in the moment and give whoever is speaking your full attention…just as you would for an in-person meeting.
• Look directly into the screen that has your camera.  Many people work with multiple screens and while it is fine to reference information on another screen that is relevant to the conversation, continue making eye contant with the camera on a regular basis…almost pretend that the camera is a person and you want to include it in the conversation. 
• We are long past 2020.  Keep children, pets and other personal life distractions out of the camera screen during work hours simply because they are distracting to the meeting at hand.  If needed, you can always turn off your camera for a few minutes.

Chat

Chat functionality has enabled the quick exchange of information and ideas among colleagues.  It has also dramatically cut down on the volume of emails we each receive (though most still receive too many).  Bring your good manners to each and every chat message to maintain professionalism, even in a more casual mode of information exchange.  A few important tips:

• Correct grammar and punctuation rules apply.  If you notice a typo after sitting send, most chat functions have the edit function. 
• Do not use company messaging platforms to gossip or vent about another colleague(s).  As discussed above, the written word is permanent and, property of the company.  Gossip shows a lack of professionalism and can come back to hurt you if the message gets routed to the wrong person.  If you are the recipient of a non-professional message, my recommendation is to ignore the comment altogether.  People will quickly learn that you are not interested in idle gossip.  
• If you are sending a chat message to a colleague whom you don’t normally message, I do recommend having an added layer of formality in your messaging.  Eg “Hi Sean, have you worked with Google in LA?  We have an opportunity here with them in Denver and wondering if you can share a contact.”  No need for a salutation but addressing someone by name is always a nice touch, when you aren’t in regular chat communications. 

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