Professional Pet Peeves

Pet peeves. You have them, your friends have them, your family has them. Do you know who else has them? Your co-workers. Read on to find the most common things that can set off your office mates.

You are not a sales rep for your children. Your co-workers can’t afford to buy a box (or two) of Girl Scout cookies from every co-worker, but they will feel pressured to do so if you ask. Not only should you avoid bringing your child’s fundraisers to the workplace, you shouldn’t bring your own either.

Stop the forwarding. Everyone at some point in their life has received one of those annoying chain emails. Don’t bring them into the workplace. It takes time (time that should be spent working) to read the e-mail, and then forward it to 98 people to avoid bad luck for the next 10 years. If nothing else, it fills up your co-workers’ inboxes with something that should go in the spam folder.

Easy on the cologne. Everyone wants to smell nice. But, more and more, people are becoming increasingly sensitive to strong smells. Nobody wants to be able to smell your new Britney Spears perfume from three cubicles away. Avoid your strong perfume or cologne and stick with the freshly showered scent.

Use your inside voice. This applies to any public place, but especially the workplace. Whether you’re talking to someone in person or on the phone, be aware of the volume of your voice. Nothing is more annoying than hearing a one-sided conversation. Beware: just because you’re behind closed doors, doesn’t mean you can be as loud as you want. Voices travel, and nothing is more embarrassing than thinking you’re having a conversation behind doors, only to find out the whole office heard your not-so-great evaluation of another employee.

My space. Yes, your cubicle or office is your own personal space, but use discretion when decorating. Think about the message you are sending with religious or politically-oriented cartoons or decor. With any controversial subject you present, chances are you may be offending someone with whom you work. Avoid overly cute and overly cluttered as well. The key words here are "neat" and "professional".

Introduce yourself. Is there someone in your office that you pass by every day and don’t know their name? Awkward, isn’t it? As time passes, it becomes even more awkward that you don’t call them by name. So here’s a solution -- go ahead and introduce yourself! Meet everyone--even to the janitor. Knowing the people you work with makes work much more enjoyable for everyone.

Enjoy these tips on office etiquette-- we know your co-workers will!