People Are Back In The Office, Worst Social Etiquettes Are Showing Up Says an HR Pro

By Moon Harper

Apr 18, 2024 05:24 AM EDT

Worst Social Etiquettes — (Photo : Unsplash/Chris )

Workers return to the office, and certain undesirable behaviors occur along with them.

At Epignosis, a software learning company, employees working remotely for years did not respect the shared office spaces upon their return. To address this issue, the company, which has a workforce consisting of 30% remote and 70% hybrid employees, developed an office etiquette guide. Christina Gialleli, the director of people operations at Epignosis, stated that all existing and new employees must undergo training on this guide.

Addressing The Lack of Consideration for Others

The initiative aims to address Gialleli's most common etiquette mistake: a lack of consideration for others in the workplace environment. Gialleli emphasizes that offices are currently bustling with activity, and common issues include individuals speaking loudly in areas designated for concentrated work or taking personal calls in open spaces.

Another significant issue Gialleli highlights is untidy workspaces, noting that what may seem like common sense behaviors are proving to be major problems. Gialleli explains that individuals struggle with transitioning from working independently in their home office to sharing space in a communal workplace. One example she provides is leaving dirty dishes from lunch on one's desk to be cleaned up at the end of the day.

The issue becomes more pronounced for teams utilizing hot-desking rather than having assigned spaces for employees, according to Gialleli. Leaving behind a clutter of used coffee cups is unsightly for your desk neighbor and poses a problem for the next person who uses the space.

The Epignosis employees now need to undergo training on an office etiquette guide to tackle reminders about cleaning up after oneself in the communal kitchen and refraining from adjusting the air conditioning to freezing temperatures.

Fostering Mindfulness in Hybrid Workplaces

Being mindful is crucial in hybrid workplaces, where employees may not always be physically present in the same room. Otherwise, teams may easily slip into issues of proximity bias, where individuals in the office are given preferential treatment for certain tasks and meetings simply because they are physically present, says Gialleli.

According to data from Epignosis, one of the most sought-after courses it provides is on the proper etiquette for hosting hybrid meetings, which is the biggest pain point and area for improvement in today's hybrid workplace.

Ensure that the appropriate office facilities with the necessary technology are booked so remote workers can actively participate.
Setting an agenda before the meeting to ensure everyone has the same information.
Sending the meeting request to accommodate those with a more flexible working schedule.
Following up with a written summary and action items after a meeting for everyone to work on.

Gialleli recommends capturing any important information shared outside of formal meetings that remote workers should be aware of and sharing that information through written messages.