Business Etiquette: 5 Basic Rules You Need to Know

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Business etiquette is crucial in the work environment, especially with the significant and rapid development we are witnessing today in various areas of professional or personal life.

This development led to an increase in the types of jobs and professions and, thus, to an increase in the number of employees. This was reflected in the increased art of job etiquette skills and protocols.

Indeed, Business etiquette or ethics has not changed. Etiquette always remains the same, but it has become more complex and challenging to practice in different work environments.

In this article, we will learn the difference between business etiquette and protocol, the basics of business etiquette and protocol, and some examples.

What is the difference between business etiquette and business protocols?

We can say that business etiquette is cultural rules and guidelines that guide the behaviour and actions of people in the workplace.

While work protocols are the basis of professional relationships between employees, by giving the work protocol the importance it deserves, you will have an exemplary and comfortable work environment for everyone, making it easier for you to manage all your employees.

All companies often know that no one is perfect, but respect is the key and crucial element in the company’s retention or layoff, as well as in selecting the right employee for a task. Therefore, respect is considered one of the most important etiquettes of business etiquette.

Indeed, no one wants to deal with any company or institution that does not care about the rules or does not attach importance to protocol and etiquette.

One of the differences between these two concepts is that business etiquette defines rules and instructions that guide professional relationships between two or more people. While the work protocol includes general rules that define the rights, duties and responsibilities of each person towards the other and the company in which he works. That is, we can say that work etiquette is part of work protocols.

Work protocols vary across cultures, industries, and countries. In some cultures, you may find that playing on your mobile phone while someone is talking violates work protocols, and the same behaviour may be expected in another culture.

Business etiquette is essential, but more critical is protocol. In most cases, breaching work protocols is more severe than breaching the rules of etiquette. Because if you break your work etiquette, you will be considered ignorant or naive. But if you break the work protocols, you may lose your job or a deal, or you may even go to prison if the flaw is big.

Remember well that constant breaches of Business etiquette and ignoring management advice may lead to losing your job.

The main types of business etiquette:

The basic types of Business etiquette differ in different cultures and countries, and all contribute to forming impressions of you. And now, we will highlight the most critical sections of Business etiquette that create positive and comfortable working relationships:

Workplace Etiquette

Workplace etiquette depends on the employee’s behaviour in the workplace, such as in offices, workshops, and others. This behaviour varies according to the culture, country and profession in which the employee works.

So what’s rude at one workplace may be expected at another.

For example, eating smelly food in your office may annoy your colleagues, while if you work in a restaurant, it will be considered normal.

For example, smoking in many workplaces is typical, but it can lead to severe hospital problems.

Before working in any company, you should read the company’s workplace etiquette and stick to it.

Workplace protocols consist of several general rules found in most companies. Here are the most prominent of them:

Greet everyone.
Respect common spaces, such as offices, bathrooms, kitchens, and breakroom *green room*and keep them clean and tidy. If you’re working remotely, shared spaces, such as shared programs, apps, or Google Drive folders, might be shared by default.
Eat only in permitted places. (e.g. breakroom).

Communication Etiquette

Human relations, in general, depend on communication, and in the workplace, there must be good communication between management and employees and between employees themselves. This means that everyone’s behaviour is appropriate for the company. Here is a list of the essential rules of communication etiquette:

Don’t talk too softly or loudly with your colleagues; use a gentle and audible tone.
Pay attention to your body language, and maintain eye contact.
Don’t get carried away in explaining ideas too much, but try to be clear and concise in your information.
As much as possible, try not to use the phone when someone is talking to you.
Try to open your email twice daily and reply to all messages if you can.
Avoid using question marks or exclamation points in messages and written conversations.
Check all messages for grammar and spelling before sending them.
Don’t talk about your personal life in the workplace or about politics and religion; try to have a good time with whoever is talking to you.

Table Manners and Meal Etiquette

Table etiquette and the basics of eating are not limited to knowing how to hold a fork and knife, but it goes beyond that to include several rules, including:

Before you start eating, put your napkin on your lap, and when you finish, fold it and place it to the left of the plate.
Do not talk while eating, and chew food without opening your mouth.
It is better to consider the price of the foods your colleagues eat, and to eat the same.
If you are eating at a shared table with co-workers, wait until everyone is seated to eat together.

Professional Meeting Etiquette

In all jobs and professions, there are periodic meetings, which may be within the company with management or other departments, and maybe with parties of external nature to the company. All of these meetings require participants to master a set of business etiquette rules, namely:

Attend the meeting and not be absent except for an emergency.
Pay attention to the person’s external appearance.
Wear neat and appropriate coloured clothing to attend the meeting.
If you are the meeting coordinator, you should send an invitation to everyone in advance of an appropriate time to prepare well for the meeting, whether it is a natural or virtual meeting.
Welcome each new team member, which is the perfect way to integrate them into the company’s community.
Avoid interrupting anyone while they are speaking.
If people from different countries are in the meeting or session, you must consider the different times and set the meeting time for each country.
If the meeting is remote, make sure to adhere to the factors and tools for For running a successful remote meeting, such as the quality of your Internet connection and the readiness of your tools before the start of the meeting, as well as make sure that no member of your family interrupts you during the meeting.

You may find that the previous rules are many, and difficult to apply all of them. In light of this, we advise you to attend a Business Etiquette and Protocol Training Course that will provide you with the basic skills and appropriate experience to master business etiquette and protocol.