Why are recruiters and managers very particular about workplace behavior? Does one need to have a pleasing personality at work? It’s not enough to get the job done, but you have to be nice, too?
What is workplace behavior?
How you act and conduct yourself at work is known as workplace behavior. Are you the type of person who works well with people, or are you aloof around them? Are you the type who needs to always be told what to do, or do you take the initiative? These are just some of the many workplace behaviors that managers and supervisors are on the lookout for.
How important is workplace behavior?
One of the main reasons why workplace behavior is monitored by management is that it shows your professionalism or lack of it. It is one of the ways a good reputation is built. Building a good reputation in any industry requires living out positive characteristics in the workplace.
Most companies would pay top dollar for workers with exceptional reputations because they can add great value to the company. It also puts them in a position to take advantage of certain career opportunities not made available to just anyone, especially to those who display poor workplace behavior.
What are some examples of improper or inappropriate workplace behavior?
Here are a few examples of bad habits at work:
Tardiness
Nobody likes habitual tardiness. It not only costs the company money, and it shows that you don’t respect other people’s time and effort.
Absenteeism
If tardiness is frowned upon at work, absenteeism is grounds for termination. It’s worse than being late because you’re not actually there to get your work done. It’s either someone needs to pick up the slack for you, or your absence will cause major delays.
Always having a bad disposition
Understandably, not everyone is expected to show up cheerful every single working day. We all have bad days, some more than others. But just having a grouchy and mean-spirited disposition all the time can make the workplace toxic.
Having minimal work output
You’re getting paid good money to produce results. Anytime you fall short of the company’s expectations from you, you cost them good money that could have been directed to a much better employee. Whether you’re always distracted at work that you can’t focus, or you’re just plain lazy, you will be evaluated primarily based on your performance — or lack of.
Harassment
Perhaps one of the worst things anyone can ever do is harass people at the workplace. This behavior could not just lead to termination; it could also leave you paying for hefty bonds and fines in case of legal actions taken against you.
What are some noteworthy employee behaviors in the workplace?
On the other hand, notable workplace behavior includes the following:
Punctuality
Punctuality and promptness are commended in any setting, especially in the workplace. It shows that you respect people’s time and that you can be trusted with other greater things.
Having initiative
In a world where people are used to doing what they’re told to do, someone who takes the initiative and makes things happen even without being told stands head and shoulders above the rest.
Being positive
A cheerful disposition makes you pleasant to work with. If you are one of the reasons why most people look forward to going to work, that means you are a valuable asset to your company because people like going to work with you.
Exemplifying great skills in customer service
The backbone of any business is its customer service. It can make or break a company. People with exceptional customer service skills — both hard and soft skills — are a great asset to any establishment.
Collaboration
No man is an island. Truer words have never been spoken, especially in the context of a workplace. Your ability to work well and collaborate with others can help propel your company to greatness and make it achieve things that were once a long shot.
How does one improve behavior at work?
So how does one take his or her professionalism to another level? How does one get rid of the bad habits and replace them with good ones?
-
Behave as a professional would
No matter what your background is growing up — perhaps you haven’t been entrusted with enough responsibilities, or maybe you’re just happy-go-lucky — you should never take work for granted. Learn to take it seriously and do your best to meet (or even exceed) the expected output. You can still be professional without being uptight about things.
-
Uphold higher standards
When it comes to work, do your best to always go above and beyond the call of duty and hold yourself to the highest standards imaginable. As they say, if you shoot for the stars and miss, you can still hit the moon.
-
Be accountable for your words and actions
When it comes to workplace behavior, more often than not, our bad habits creep in. To help you maintain consistency at work, hold yourself accountable to certain people you trust who would tell you what you need to hear and not just what you want.
-
Address bad behavior civilly
As far as other people’s bad office behavior is concerned, what you tolerate will not change. If you want your workplace to be more efficient and productive, bad habits and behaviors need to be dealt with. If you notice people whose behavior isn’t right, you can talk about it with the person first in a non-confrontational and civil way. Tell them your observations but make sure you’re coming from a place of concern and sincerity. People are more inclined to respond well to corrections if they are addressed properly.
The bottom line is that your work behavior tells more about your attitude about work and professionalism. It potentially opens doors of opportunity if you stand out and positively impact the workplace.
