Recently, a manager sent us this email: “Some of our employees are
clueless about how to dress or act in a professional office, but they
become hurt or angry when told about the problem. Would you please
write something about unprofessional office behavior?”
Based
on the mail we receive, many managers and coworkers are concerned about
this issue. So here are the Top Twelve complaints that people send us.
Are you or your employees guilty of these “professional sins”?
Yes
No
Sometimes
Top Twelve Unprofessional Behaviors
(Based on
complaints sent to Your Office Coach)
1.Sexy
or sloppy attire–
Shirts that show cleavage, low-riding pants, tops that look like
underwear, torn jeans, flip-flops, t-shirts with slogans,
micro-short skirts
2.Poor
hygiene – Body odor,
bad breath, greasy hair, dirty clothes
3.Profanity – F-word,
S-word, B-word, A-word, and many other colorful expletives
4.Fragrances–
Perfume, cologne, aftershave, and any other source of scent
5.Food
odors – Heated
leftovers, tuna sandwiches, microwave popcorn (yes, lots of
people hate that smell)
6.Irritating noises –
Gum popping, knuckle cracking, food crunching, stomach rumbling,
nose blowing, whistling, radio playing
7.Loud
talking – Speaker
phones, hallway socializing, yelling from cube to cube, cell
phone chatter
8.Crude
jokes – Humor
related to sex, bodily functions, racial/ethnic characteristics,
gender issues
9.Improper chitchat –
Making public comments about customers, complaining to
customers, gossiping about coworkers, spreading rumors
10.Sermonizing –
Forcing religious information on coworkers, asking coworkers
about their beliefs, leaving religious literature in public
areas
11.Personal slurs–
Using derogatory terms related to someone’s ethnic origin, race,
gender, age, or any other personal characteristic
12.Cluttered workspace– Messy piles of paper, files stacked on the floor, dozens of
knick-knacks, tools scattered around
Have something to add
to this list? Just send your comments in an email to
Your Office Coach
