Here are some business etiquette rules that every professional must know:

 Stand When Being Introduced

 Have Gratitude But Don’t Sound Needy and Desperate
 Avoid Crossing Your Legs
 Pointing Must Be Done With An Open Palm
 Avoid Interrupting
 Mind Your Tongue
 Knock Before Entering
 Stay Miles Away From Gossip

Every profession requires a certain set of manners and it is these very manners

that are known as business etiquette. Business etiquette is generally enforced

by members of an organization and it is custom that upholds business

etiquette.

Further business etiquette is about building valuable and respectable business

relationships with others. It is about creating an environment wherein all

members of an organisation feel secure, comfortable and relaxed.

Business etiquette is about maintaining a pleasant atmosphere at work by

treating employees and co-workers with courtesy and respect. The rules of

business etiquette may vary from one organisation to another, however there

are some universal business etiquette rules that are applicable almost

everywhere and for most etiquette professionals

Here are some business etiquette rules that every professional must know:
   

Stand When Being Introduced

In an office or business environment you must stand up when you are being

introduced to someone. Standing up during introduction will create a positive

impact on the opposite person. Your presence is better established when you

stand up during an introduction.

In the event that you are unable to stand up because you have been caught

completely off guard, make an attempt to at least lean forward during the

introduction or while shaking hands with the person.

  

Have Gratitude But Don’t Sound Needy and

Desperate
In any situation, be it business or social, saying thank you is the polite thing to

do. However if you are going to repeatedly say the word in a single

conversation it will lose its value and impact and may even make you sound
needy and desperate and even helpless.So ensure that you don’t use the word

more than once or twice in a single conversation.

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  

Avoid Crossing Your Legs

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Crossing your legs in a business environment or during a meeting is highly

inappropriate. Though both men and women tend to do it, it must be at all

costs avoided.

If at all you find the need to cross your legs, make sure you cross them at the

ankles and not knees. That way when you need to suddenly shift you can do it

subtly without making it obvious.

  

Pointing Must Be Done With An Open Palm

If you can avoid pointing all together that would be ideal. However if a

situation arises where you can’t avoid it, make sure you point with an open

palm and not with your index finger.

This rule is applicable to both genders. Pointing with a single finger or

particularly your index finger indicates aggression. So when pointing keep all

your fingers together and point with an open palm.

   

Avoid Interrupting
Your opinion may matter and you may have a very valid point to put forward

in a group discussion at your office place, however wait until you get a chance

to speak. Don’t cut other people off or interrupt them while they speak.

  

Mind Your Tongue

You may encounter a situation where you’re extremely annoyed with a

colleague or subordinate. Irrespective of how heated the situation maybe,

ensure that you keep your cool and watch your language.

Never use abusive language or obscene words in the office. Even written

communication should be polite and respectful. Ensure you don’t use

derogatory or rude language, it is absolutely unacceptable.

  
 Knock Before Entering

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Make sure you knock before you enter a colleagues or seniors cabin. Don’t

ever walk in unannounced. You have absolutely no right to interrupt

someone’s work and it is essential for you to respect their space and privacy.

So if you find that their cabin door is pulled shut, knock and announce your

presence before walking in.

  

Stay Miles Away From Gossip

Though it may be extremely tempting to indulge in office gossip, stay away

from it. Gossiping about colleagues not only damages their image in

the organisation but it also speaks volumes about the kind of person you are.

Don’t let curiosity carry you away and avoid listening to other people gossip

too.

  

Punctuality Matters
No matter how busy you are or how senior your post in an organisation may

be, ensure that you show up on time for meetings and conferences. If you

think being late is fashionable and gives people a reason to believe that you

are extremely busy, you are wrong. Showing up late only shows how

inconsiderate you are and how you disrespect other people’s time.

  

Keep Your Phone Away

It is NOT ok to take calls, reply to text messages and scan

through emailsduring meetings. It is extremely irritating and highly

disrespectful to other people attending the meeting. Also make sure you keep

your phone on silent while attending a meeting so that it doesn’t disturb the

other attendees and the speaker.

  

Avoid Pulling Out A Chair For Others

In a social setting it is acceptable for a man to pull out a chair for a lady.

However in a professional atmosphere this is highly unacceptable and rude.

Men and women are considered equals at the work place and both can pull

out their own chairs.

  

Don’t Leave Before Your Senior Does At a

Corporate Party
It is absolutely rude and unacceptable for you to leave a corporate function or

party before your senior departs. Ensure you stay back at the event until your

senior excuses himself and leaves.

  

Eating Etiquette
Food should be eaten only in the office etiquette dining place and not in your

cabin or cubicle. If for some reason you are absolutely unable to make it to the

lunch room, then make sure the food you eat in your cubicle doesn’t have a

foul and unbearable odour. Also ensure you clean up after your meal.

  

Dress Appropriately
Image source: pixabay.com
Make sure that you dress in a professional and acceptable manner. Avoid

wearing clothes that are revealing or inappropriate. If your office has a dress

code then make sure you stick by the code.

  

Limit Personal Calls

As far as possible avoid attending personal calls in the office. If it is absolutely

necessary for you to take a personal call then keep it as short as possible.

  

Keep Time Zones In Mind

When interacting with clients and customers who live in foreign countries,

keep the time zone of that country in mind before calling your customer. You

don’t want to end up calling a client at the crack of dawn or at an unearthly

hour.

  

Avoid Bothering Colleagues On Holidays and

Weekends
Making work related calls to colleagues on holidays and weekends is

extremely rude and intrusive. Your invading their personal and family time by

doing so. As much as possible avoid making calls to colleagues on the

weekend, but if absolutely necessary then keep the call as short as possible.

  

Send Grammatically Correct Emails

Sending professional emails that contain grammatical errors or slang language

is absolutely unacceptable. Make sure that the emails you send out are

grammatically correct and free of spelling errors.

Maintaining business etiquette at the work place is absolutely necessary for

professionals. It will help them go a long way and increase their goodwill in

the company as well as amongst clients. To sum up the do’s and don’ts in the

office environment here is a short list to keep in mind:

 
Do’s
 Stand up when being introduced

 Show your gratitude

 Point with an open palm

 Watch your tone and mind your tongue

 Knock before entering a colleagues or seniors cabin

 Stay away from gossip

 Be punctual

 Dress as per the office dress code

  Eat only in the office lunchroom

 Limit or avoid personal calls

 When dealing with international customers and clients keep clients in

mind

 Send grammatically correct emails

 
    Don’ts
 Say thank you more than twice in a conversation

 Cross your legs while sitting in a meeting

 Interrupt

 Pull out chairs for others

 Leave a corporate party or event before your senior

 Bother colleagues on weekends

These are the basic and general business etiquettes that are applicable in most

organizations across the globe. However do keep in mind there may be

certain parts of the world where additional rules are applicable that may not
be a part of this generalized list. For instance in Japan it is mandatory for all

employees to take off their footwear before entering the work place.

If you hold a senior post in the organization, ensure that strict disciplinary

action is taken against those employees who break the rules of business

etiquette. A circular or notice can be sent out to all the employees in a

company to inform them about what is acceptable and unacceptable in the

organization.

There are a wide range of books available on the subject of business etiquette.

If you are looking to read further on the matter here is a list of books you

should consider getting.

 Work Well With Others – Ross McCammon

 Modern Manners – Dorothea Johnson

 New Rules At Work – Barbara Pachter

 Complete Business Etiquette Handbook – Barbara Pachter and Marjorie

Brody
Some of these books are international best sellers. They can be referred to to

brush up your business etiquette skills. Besides this there are also several PDF

files on business etiquette as well as e-books that you can download. They

give you all the information you can possibly require on the subject.

There are numerous professional institutes that also provide

thorough business etiquette training. These institutes conduct workshops,

classes and courses that train the attendees for business etiquette.

There are also an extensive range of seminars conducted by authors who have

written business etiquette books. Often the organization itself conducts an

internal business etiquette seminar to brief the employees on what behavior is

acceptable and what behavior is intolerable in the office. In such seminars

there are several business etiquette games and activities that are played and

conducted.

If you are looking to set up your own company, make sure that you stick to

these business etiquette rules. When juniors and employees see their bosses

behave in a certain manner, they are most likely to adopt the same practices.
Clients and customers also find it easier to trust and work with companies that

follow comply by the rules of business etiquette. If you find that in your

organization some of the employees are behaving out of line, conduct a

business etiquette seminar within the office.You can also consider calling a

business etiquette expert to etiquette guide your employees during the

seminar.

Business etiquette is not only applicable in the organization but also when you

are sitting for an interview. A large number of organizations across the globe

pay close attention to the business etiquette of prospective employees and

interviewees before hiring them on the team.

If you wish to make a strong, positive and impactful impression on an

interviewer make sure you brush up on your business etiquette knowledge

and apply the same rules on the day of your interview.People who are well

mannered and follow the rules of business etiquette are more likely to get the

job they are interviewing for.

Here’s a list of things you can do to brush up on your business etiquette:

  Read books on business etiquette

 Attend business etiquette seminars and courses

 Observe other people in the organization, particularly people who are

highly respected

 Read PDF files on business etiquette

 Read magazine articles on business etiquette

If you wish to be a successful business person and run a successful company

make sure that you stick to the rule of business etiquette. Follow them and

encourage colleagues and subordinates to do the same.

Make sure you evaluate the business etiquette that prospective employees

exhibit before you hire them because hiring someone who lacks business

etiquette can be extremely detrimental to the reputation and goodwill  of your

organization.

Don’t be afraid to correct employees in your organization who misbehave in

anyway  or break the rules of business etiquette. Business etiquette in an

organization is as important as marketing or advertising.

1. Small talk is awesome. It’s not a waste of time. It's the early part of a dance
where you feel each other out, get to know each other when the stakes are
low, and establish a common bond. Don’t skip it.

2. What do you really want? If you don’t know that, you can’t communicate it.

3. It's OK to say no. You can do it politely, you don't have to be mean, but you
decide what you want to do. Use this: “I really appreciate the offer, but I’m
going to have to pass. I’m forcing myself to stay focused on X. Again, I’m
flattered, and thank you for the offer.”

4. You have communication patterns from childhood that you don’t even
know about. Ask a good friend, “What are my verbal tics?” Listen and thank
them. This is really hard. It’s also one of the best ways to improve.

5. Dream teacher: Pick someone you admire, study their social skills, and try to
apply one thing. Is that weird? Maybe. What’s weirder: Never trying to improve
your social skills at all.

6. How come everyone says, “I’m socially awkward” or “I have social

anxiety” these days? Unless you have a diagnosed condition, please shut the
hell up. You can improve your social skills and it will change your life. And if
you are diagnosed, you can still improve. Here’s one example. 

7. Being good at social skills means being open about what the other person
wants. Being masterful means sometimes not even having to ask.

8. Social skills are like BO. If you even suspect yours are bad … they're terrible.
If you’ve never thought about it before … well, everyone could use a little help.

9. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is STHU. Shut The Heck Up.

10. If they dish it out, ain’t nothing wrong with dishing it back.

11. People love learning patterns about themselves that they didn’t know.
Love, love, love it. This is why astrology is so popular.

12. Most people either dominate a conversation by talking 80% of the time, or
delegate responsibility by only talking 20%. Which one are you?

13. Be interested. People like to talk about themselves. If you want to be

perceived as a social genius, just ask people questions about themselves.

14. SPEAK UP IN LOUD LOCATIONS.

15. Oh, you’re shy and life is hard? Boohoo. I have hairy toes and slightly
crooked teeth. You can improve your social skills. 
16. Yes, men and women communicate differently. Acknowledge it, learn it,
master it. 

17. Don't be so serious all the time. If you’re at a bar talking about philosophy
and the meaning of life and our existential risk from climate change … give it a
rest. Sometimes people just want to have a drink and chill. 

18. You can find something interesting about everyone. But some people are
just boring.

19. Elite-level social skill: Making fun of yourself with just the right amount of
charm.