05. Office Cubicle Etiquette
Gain valuable insight on co-existing in the office space with those who you spend most of your waking hours with with and who you do not want to unknowingly upset – your co-workers. Take this lesson to learn what is considered great when it comes to your workspace conduct and management, and what is downright terrible.
The scene opens with Anushka, her cubicle neighbor, coming from somewhere towards her cubicle. She catches sight of Tara walking down the aisle towards her desk. On the way, she very quietly stops and peers into her colleagues computer without him/her knowing. Then she startles them
Tara:
(with a broad smile)
“HEYY!
Colleague:
(Startled out of their wits)
(Tara points at the colleague’s screen and says something that looks like a question. Colleague nods with a fake smile. Once Tara moves on and her back is turned, the colleague smirks and exchanges knowing glances with his neighbors)
(Anushka notices this and moves to her seat. Tara joins her)
Tara and Anushka exchange glances and smiles and hellos. Tara immediately gets a call from her boyfriend.
Tara:
(Visibly excited and animated)
“HII Boo! Wassup, buttercup? (Conversation continues)(Tara is suppressing her conversation, but not very well. Anusha is uncomfortable being privy to the conversation. Tara hangs up…”Bye doll.” Tara reaches into her bag and pulls out an even bigger political logo than the one that’s currently on her desk. She replaces the logo. Anushka looks around to see if anyone else is seeing this too. Anushka then tries getting back to work, when Tara reaches into her bag, pulls out perfume and sprays it on herself. This is where Anushka decides enough is enough. She turns and confronts Tara)
Anushka:
Hey, Tara. Got a minute?
(Tara looks at Anuskha, smiles and nods)
I’m sorry, Tara. You might not like what I’m about to say, but I just have to say this. I can’t keep quiet any longer, and I can’t bear to hear others gossip about you.
Tara:
(unsure of what to say)
I…er…okay
Anushka:
(Smiles empathetically)
Listen, Anushka. That political party flag on your soft board…with all due respect to you and them…could you take it off please? No one like politics at work, and you’re just drawing the wrong kind of attention to yourself.
(laughs nervously and continues).
And, go easy on your perfume –please. It’s really strong, and I tend to get headaches with strong fragrances.
(Pauses and teases Tara with a smile)
And for heaven’s sake, step outside when you feel like you talk to your boyfriend over the phone. Your conversations can sometimes be quite…interesting, and a little distracting.
Lastly, try not to startle people when they’re working – you have a way of appearing out of thin air right behind them.
(Both of them laugh)
Anushka
(with concern)
“Are you okay? I hope I haven’t upset you too much .”
Tara
(smiles reassuringly)
No, thanks again.
Later that day, Tara was thinking to herself – “Phew! What a day! (thoughtful pause). I can’t blame Anushka. She’s my friend, and she was speaking her mind. So……others gossip about me, eh? Well, that’s interesting! But wait…what’s wrong with letting people know I support a particular political party? That’s just me. And this is MY cubicle. What I put up in my space is none of anyone else’s business. I don’t remember seeing any company policies on cubicle conduct. My perfume? – it’s a premium brand – not the cheap kind that most people use around here. Okay fine, maybe I might have been a little vocal with the BF on occasion, but what was that about ‘startling’ people? What the hell do people expect? Am I supposed to call in advance and make appointments with them?
If you can relate to what Tara is thinking, that’s understandable. It’s just her being defensiveness and that’s natural too. It’s unsettling when you know your reputation is on the line.
Truth is, though, that while at work, it’s important to follow basic cubicle etiquette in the interest of civic sense. Because even though it’s YOUR cubicle, and even though there may be no explicit company policies that cover cubicle mannerisms, if the content and conduct in your cubicle makes your workmates uncomfortable in any way, civic sense demands that YOU address it.
Fine. But how does one stay on everyone’s good side, at the workplace, of all places? Isn’t that asking for too much?
As it turns out, imbibing cubicle etiquette is actually easier than it appears. It’s simply a matter of sense and sensibility.
Let’s start with sense, or rather senses, shall we?
SightDecorating your cubicle can potentially brighten up your workday. Motivational quotes, a photo of your family and friends offer instant inspiration and perspective. It is best, however, to avoid adding elements of religion, distasteful or too many photos, political slogans, controversial social beliefs, and other such sensitive issues. You’ll just offend people or make them look at you suspiciously. Why unnecessarily make yourself a target for comments and put-downs? As a general rule, small, well-selected pictures, plants, and colorful desk accessories are a tasteful way of representing yourself in the workplace.
Next, etiquette demands that you don’t stare at others’ computer screens as you walk by their cubicles. That’s just annoying.
And finally, cleanliness counts. Keep your cubicle tidy and organised at all times.
Let’s move on to…
Smell
Few things are more disturbing than body odour at work, whoever be the culprit. So, keep a mild fragrance for yourself in your drawer, just in case, and limit the application. Perfumes and colognes shouldn’t be an all-out attack on people’s sense of smell. Save strong scents for parties.
There’s also the issue of consuming strong smelling foods at the workplace. But we’re going to cover that in detail in the next lesson.
Lastly, keep your shoes on especially if you’ve had an active day. You have every right to be comfortable at your cubicle, but no one likes having to endure that distinct odour of feet being aired while at work either. If you use air fresheners, follow the same rules as perfumes. Best not to be the cause of someone’s allergy attack, no?
Now, let’s talk about cubicle etiquette with regards to…
The Sense of Hearing
We’re not suggesting you communicate in whispers. That’ll just make you look dodgy. That said, speaking too loudly will make you look even worse. It’s best to speak in a low, library voice in a cubicle or open office environment. With long conversations, step out of your cubicle into an empty meeting room.
If you like listening to music, keep the volume low or use headphones. Your neighbors may get annoyed with background music (or noise) and may not share your music preferences. If you like your music loud, you should know that sometimes, people can hear an annoying, continuous buzzing, even if you’re on earphones. Watch it!
Avoid speakerphones – they typically project sound beyond your cubicle. Use headsets if you like going hands-free.
And now, for Sensibilities
Pretend every cubicle has a door.
Everyone should have the dignity of a door. Even if, as in the case of a cubicle, the door is an imaginary one. Don’t storm into others’ cubicles and make yourself at home right away.
When you approach someone’s cubicle, stand at the entrance, knock gently on the side wall, and say something like, “Hi. Sorry, I just a moment, please. I need to talk to you about…”
Don’t linger around or circle someone’s cubicle if they are busy with another colleague or on a phone call. Come back later.
These are fantastic ways to show that you’re not someone who takes liberties with people, assuming that just because you can see people, they’re available too.
Just because it’s accessible doesn’t make it public property.
People in offices sometimes ‘borrow’ items from other’s cubicles, especially if they’re out in the open sitting right on top of the person’s desk. Like staplers. For some obscure reason, this ‘borrowing’ is not perceived by most as an invasion of privacy. After all, the cubicle dweller doesn’t actually own the stapler — the company does — so that’s fine, no?
No!
The company loans stationery to its employees which makes the employees the default owners of the company’s stationery. The stationery is as much theirs, as is the family photo on their desk. So, ask first, and then wait for a reply before borrowing anything. Tell the lender of the item when to expect it back, and then bring the item back on time.
Don’t expect others to keep track of their neighbours.
If you’re looking for Ram, but can’t find him at his cubicle, don’t expect Greeshma to know where Ram is because she’s Ram’s neigbour. Also, Greeshma may not want to have a chat with you while you wait for Ram. So, don’t bother Greeshma any more than is strictly necessary. If you’ve been waiting for a while, leave a note for Ram and move on.
In Conclusion
You really want to be that person that people love having next door, or cubicle, to them. Good cubicle etiquette will go a long way in building your own professional brand. Get it wrong, and you become the office weirdo who gets spoken about in hushed whispers at water coolers.
The next time you pass through cubicle aisles in your office, remember that good cubicle etiquette is all about exercising a little grace and a lot of good sense.
Good luck with it!
Tara:
(with a broad smile)
“HEYY!
Colleague:
(Startled out of their wits)
(Tara points at the colleague’s screen and says something that looks like a question. Colleague nods with a fake smile. Once Tara moves on and her back is turned, the colleague smirks and exchanges knowing glances with his neighbors)
(Anushka notices this and moves to her seat. Tara joins her)
Tara and Anushka exchange glances and smiles and hellos. Tara immediately gets a call from her boyfriend.
Tara:
(Visibly excited and animated)
“HII Boo! Wassup, buttercup? (Conversation continues)(Tara is suppressing her conversation, but not very well. Anusha is uncomfortable being privy to the conversation. Tara hangs up…”Bye doll.” Tara reaches into her bag and pulls out an even bigger political logo than the one that’s currently on her desk. She replaces the logo. Anushka looks around to see if anyone else is seeing this too. Anushka then tries getting back to work, when Tara reaches into her bag, pulls out perfume and sprays it on herself. This is where Anushka decides enough is enough. She turns and confronts Tara)
Anushka:
Hey, Tara. Got a minute?
(Tara looks at Anuskha, smiles and nods)
I’m sorry, Tara. You might not like what I’m about to say, but I just have to say this. I can’t keep quiet any longer, and I can’t bear to hear others gossip about you.
Tara:
(unsure of what to say)
I…er…okay
Anushka:
(Smiles empathetically)
Listen, Anushka. That political party flag on your soft board…with all due respect to you and them…could you take it off please? No one like politics at work, and you’re just drawing the wrong kind of attention to yourself.
(laughs nervously and continues).
And, go easy on your perfume –please. It’s really strong, and I tend to get headaches with strong fragrances.
(Pauses and teases Tara with a smile)
And for heaven’s sake, step outside when you feel like you talk to your boyfriend over the phone. Your conversations can sometimes be quite…interesting, and a little distracting.
Lastly, try not to startle people when they’re working – you have a way of appearing out of thin air right behind them.
(Both of them laugh)
Anushka
(with concern)
“Are you okay? I hope I haven’t upset you too much .”
Tara
(smiles reassuringly)
No, thanks again.
Later that day, Tara was thinking to herself – “Phew! What a day! (thoughtful pause). I can’t blame Anushka. She’s my friend, and she was speaking her mind. So……others gossip about me, eh? Well, that’s interesting! But wait…what’s wrong with letting people know I support a particular political party? That’s just me. And this is MY cubicle. What I put up in my space is none of anyone else’s business. I don’t remember seeing any company policies on cubicle conduct. My perfume? – it’s a premium brand – not the cheap kind that most people use around here. Okay fine, maybe I might have been a little vocal with the BF on occasion, but what was that about ‘startling’ people? What the hell do people expect? Am I supposed to call in advance and make appointments with them?
If you can relate to what Tara is thinking, that’s understandable. It’s just her being defensiveness and that’s natural too. It’s unsettling when you know your reputation is on the line.
Truth is, though, that while at work, it’s important to follow basic cubicle etiquette in the interest of civic sense. Because even though it’s YOUR cubicle, and even though there may be no explicit company policies that cover cubicle mannerisms, if the content and conduct in your cubicle makes your workmates uncomfortable in any way, civic sense demands that YOU address it.
Fine. But how does one stay on everyone’s good side, at the workplace, of all places? Isn’t that asking for too much?
As it turns out, imbibing cubicle etiquette is actually easier than it appears. It’s simply a matter of sense and sensibility.
Let’s start with sense, or rather senses, shall we?
SightDecorating your cubicle can potentially brighten up your workday. Motivational quotes, a photo of your family and friends offer instant inspiration and perspective. It is best, however, to avoid adding elements of religion, distasteful or too many photos, political slogans, controversial social beliefs, and other such sensitive issues. You’ll just offend people or make them look at you suspiciously. Why unnecessarily make yourself a target for comments and put-downs? As a general rule, small, well-selected pictures, plants, and colorful desk accessories are a tasteful way of representing yourself in the workplace.
Next, etiquette demands that you don’t stare at others’ computer screens as you walk by their cubicles. That’s just annoying.
And finally, cleanliness counts. Keep your cubicle tidy and organised at all times.
Let’s move on to…
Smell
Few things are more disturbing than body odour at work, whoever be the culprit. So, keep a mild fragrance for yourself in your drawer, just in case, and limit the application. Perfumes and colognes shouldn’t be an all-out attack on people’s sense of smell. Save strong scents for parties.
There’s also the issue of consuming strong smelling foods at the workplace. But we’re going to cover that in detail in the next lesson.
Lastly, keep your shoes on especially if you’ve had an active day. You have every right to be comfortable at your cubicle, but no one likes having to endure that distinct odour of feet being aired while at work either. If you use air fresheners, follow the same rules as perfumes. Best not to be the cause of someone’s allergy attack, no?
Now, let’s talk about cubicle etiquette with regards to…
The Sense of Hearing
We’re not suggesting you communicate in whispers. That’ll just make you look dodgy. That said, speaking too loudly will make you look even worse. It’s best to speak in a low, library voice in a cubicle or open office environment. With long conversations, step out of your cubicle into an empty meeting room.
If you like listening to music, keep the volume low or use headphones. Your neighbors may get annoyed with background music (or noise) and may not share your music preferences. If you like your music loud, you should know that sometimes, people can hear an annoying, continuous buzzing, even if you’re on earphones. Watch it!
Avoid speakerphones – they typically project sound beyond your cubicle. Use headsets if you like going hands-free.
And now, for Sensibilities
Pretend every cubicle has a door.
Everyone should have the dignity of a door. Even if, as in the case of a cubicle, the door is an imaginary one. Don’t storm into others’ cubicles and make yourself at home right away.
When you approach someone’s cubicle, stand at the entrance, knock gently on the side wall, and say something like, “Hi. Sorry, I just a moment, please. I need to talk to you about…”
Don’t linger around or circle someone’s cubicle if they are busy with another colleague or on a phone call. Come back later.
These are fantastic ways to show that you’re not someone who takes liberties with people, assuming that just because you can see people, they’re available too.
Just because it’s accessible doesn’t make it public property.
People in offices sometimes ‘borrow’ items from other’s cubicles, especially if they’re out in the open sitting right on top of the person’s desk. Like staplers. For some obscure reason, this ‘borrowing’ is not perceived by most as an invasion of privacy. After all, the cubicle dweller doesn’t actually own the stapler — the company does — so that’s fine, no?
No!
The company loans stationery to its employees which makes the employees the default owners of the company’s stationery. The stationery is as much theirs, as is the family photo on their desk. So, ask first, and then wait for a reply before borrowing anything. Tell the lender of the item when to expect it back, and then bring the item back on time.
Don’t expect others to keep track of their neighbours.
If you’re looking for Ram, but can’t find him at his cubicle, don’t expect Greeshma to know where Ram is because she’s Ram’s neigbour. Also, Greeshma may not want to have a chat with you while you wait for Ram. So, don’t bother Greeshma any more than is strictly necessary. If you’ve been waiting for a while, leave a note for Ram and move on.
In Conclusion
You really want to be that person that people love having next door, or cubicle, to them. Good cubicle etiquette will go a long way in building your own professional brand. Get it wrong, and you become the office weirdo who gets spoken about in hushed whispers at water coolers.
The next time you pass through cubicle aisles in your office, remember that good cubicle etiquette is all about exercising a little grace and a lot of good sense.
Good luck with it!
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