10 Rules of Professional Etiquette for the Digital Workplace
When you’re all alone, it’s easy to forget about manners. Being late for appointments and forgetting simple things like “please” and “thank you,” polite and well-mannered people can seem like complete assholes in the absence of personal contact. Isolation is to blame, but you don’t have to become a victim.
As we said earlier , “Being physically separated from your coworkers can make communication even stranger.” To be honest, “stranger” is probably too polite a word. After all, you don’t have to be marketing or managing social media at the brand level to make a career mistake.
Since 2005, telecommuting has grown by 103% in the US alone. But the digital workplace is still a relatively new medium. Figuring out the rules, let alone reminding yourself to follow them, can be challenging. Here are 10 professional rules for the digital workplace that everyone should remember. Keep in mind, however, that the purpose of this list is to apply it to yourself . Nobody likes police etiquette, whether online or offline.
Be on time
Early on time and late on time. This truism has guided professional etiquette for centuries, and punctuality is still the golden rule on the Internet.
Unfortunately, digital meetings come with their own unique set of time lag issues. Turn on your device, open the app you want, make sure your microphone and camera are working, turn off background bandwidth restrictions, raise your agenda along with any other important content – all of which can take you by surprise if you’re not ready.
In addition to preparation, it is worth highlighting one more tip : “remove notifications.” Never underestimate how deceiving it can be to simply check your email, texts, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn at moments leading to something really important.
Even without notifications, it is a mistake to think that you can log in and start work a minute before the call starts. Instead, “on time” means set at least 10 minutes before the scheduled start time of each meeting. Creating this buffer ensures that you don’t break anyone’s schedule with your own “technical difficulties.”
Get personal
Sticky notes and company-wide emails suck. With our already cluttered desks and mailboxes, there is no faster way to get something rejected as “not for me” than sending a long document addressed to every employee in the company or even every person on your team.
Direct, clear and concise email is a great starting point, but a truly personal approach means minimizing text as much as possible. Instead, opt for visual and interactive content such as pre-recorded video presentations when someone new joins a team or needs to use a new system.
Connecting with people is especially important when it comes to emotionally charged conversations and negative feedback. Black and white media such as email and chat are notorious for misunderstandings and misunderstandings. Whenever you need to deal with sensitive issues, choose the communication channels that bring you as close to real life as possible.
Execute
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you can shy away from a commitment just because you don’t come face to face with the mighty. Do what you say you are going to do when you say you will. As Robert Collier said, “Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out.”
Completion is not the most attractive trait in business, but it is important, and not only as an integral part of etiquette. Consistency, as Eric Holzkloe explains in this article at Inc , allows measurement, builds accountability, strengthens your reputation, and makes you meaningful to others.
If for some reason you are unable to complete the promised tasks on time, a quick email or (even better) a call to inform you that there will be a delay is much better than keeping your colleagues waiting indefinitely while you deal with the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Being the person your team can count on is invaluable, especially in remote work situations.
Set clear expectations
Along with plain old laziness, one of the main reasons shutting down is a problem for remote, digital workers is that people are often vague about their commitments or requests in the first place. Don’t be the person who says, “Let’s go over this,” in an email or chat with five other coworkers.
This is where the observer effect comes into play. When no one is singled out, no one takes responsibility. Whenever you find yourself in this position, keep these two truths in mind:
Everyone’s work is nobody’s work. No time limit means no time limit.
How important are clear expectations to a healthy relationship? On an interpersonal basis, the key to long-distance intimate relationships lies in managing expectations . Happiness is “not necessarily [about] how far apart you are or how little you see your partners. It’s more about the mismatch between your expectations for the relationship and the reality of the current situation. “
Clear expectations mean tasks are assigned individually, results are agreed in writing, and deadlines are agreed from the start.
Answer regularly
The total number of emails worldwide is currently 205.6 billion per day. Business email accounts for 112.5 billion. At work alone, that means about 122 emails that you have to deal with on a daily basis. While mailbox zero may not be available to you, overloading is not a reason to ignore the messages you receive from coworkers, especially if you are a telecommuter or digital worker.
If you need help, John Rampton’s blog suggests creating folders or shortcuts and leaving email requests there until you can answer. This is very similar to the old “trustee trio” method of organizing incoming messages. This is especially useful for email requests to which you know you are going to say no. Jeff Weiner describes seven ways you can manage your email without being ruled by it ; Chief among them is the serious trick: “If you want to receive fewer emails, send fewer emails.”
However, the key to responding regularly is simply to communicate your overload . There is a huge difference between being silent, saying, “I’ll come back to this later,” and saying , “I can’t get to this now because … but I’ll come back to you [a specific day].”
If you are unable to process your request immediately, please respond in a few seconds and let your coworkers know.
Keep everything in one place
If you’ve ever had to look at a coworker’s physical files while they’re gone, or worse, after they quit, you know it hurts. Digitally, the experience is just as excruciating.
It’s not just about etiquette, it’s also about productivity, and it’s important that you – and your team – use similar tools. Dropbox is a favorite of storage fans, Slack is my chat app, and Memit is a new web clipper that integrates directly with cloud storage so you can stick to the “one place” rule without losing the look of your tools. like Evernote .
If you want to make it easier to manage your workflow online, try Trello, or for more complex tasks, Asana . What’s more, check out The Sticker Mule Guide to Asana for exactly how to make this platform work for your remote team’s needs. Whatever tools you choose, remember: less is more.
Explain why yes or why no
Digital or in person, never underestimate the power of “because”.
A classic study by a Harvard psychology professor found that people were 33% more likely to agree with someone who had used a copier before when they explained the reason for their request. Amazingly, the “because” power persisted even when the reason was redundant: “Can I use Xerox because I need to make copies ?”
The takeaway is clear: people are much more likely to understand, empathize, and agree with you when you explain the reasons for their actions .
In fact, next to “you” and answering the question: “What is this for me?” Because is the second most compelling word in the English language.
If you are a subordinate, explain why is the most respectful way of rejecting a request or suggesting an alternative course of action. If you are a leader, an explanation of why shows that you are not just an online dictator, give commands and say no at will.
Use Emoji wisely 😉
The 2015 Word of the Year of the Oxford Dictionary was not a word at all. It was like this:
Officially named “Face with Tears of Joy,” Oxford chose it because it was the most used emoji in 2015. And that says something, considering that global emoji use only tripled from 2014 to 2015.
But are emoticons a violation of professional, business etiquette? Yes and no. Daniel Thay has described the positive aspects of professional emoticons beautifully :
As it turns out, emoji is a serious business in the world of visual communications. They are capable of communicating emotions directly and realistically when we cannot do it face to face. As childish as the emoticons seem, it’s time to take part in the program.
However, emojis require wisdom. The Atlantic sets the following rule : “Do not use them with your boss or client unless they first use it and set it up as a standard practice.”
In other words, the safest way is to stick to the basics. Avoid winking, which may sound flirty, and only use others when there is clear context and meaning will not be skewed. When in doubt, leave this aside.
Be specific
Although we have touched on this issue, it is worth clarifying the specifics . When it comes to digital communication, never leave anything to chance or personal interpretation. Keep it simple and to the point. More words means more confusion.
Here’s a great example of a gruesome yet incredibly common business letter from Henneke Duistermaat’s guide to writing persuasive letters :
In the email, force yourself to clearly state your request and urgent details in the first paragraph. When someone looks at an email, especially on the road, they usually just read the first couple of sentences and skim the rest.
Also use the VNO formula: Verb + Noun + Object. For example, don’t bury your query in four paragraphs and use phrases like:
- “Please let me know …”
- “I would like to connect you with …”
- “You can contact me by …”
Instead, be polite and just say, “Please reply to this email and I will install a quick demo at your convenience.”
Do the same for your colleagues. Instead of “Can you call Tom?” be specific: “Please call Tom at EOD tomorrow to confirm the layouts will be ready by the 21st.”
Finally, specificity equals singularity. As I noted in Fast Company : “Make sure your post contains one request – and only one request.”
Say “Please” and “Thank you”
Finally, if you think that “please” and “thank you” are meaningless additions to this list, you will be surprised to learn how easy it is to forget these short phrases when you are in a virtual conversation. When you’re typing from a mobile device or sending a quick email on the go, you’re so busy storing words that you might think they aren’t as important as they are in real-life conversation, but they are.
In verbal communication, you can style your speech in tone. Unfortunately, tone is much more difficult to convey in writing, so please, and thank you, take the long way.
Moreover, the gratitude must be timely, personal and specific. As Jacqueline Smith explains in Business Insider , “You must send thank-you notes within 24 hours, and you must send separate letters to everyone you want to thank.”
After all, digital etiquette shouldn’t confuse, kill your personality, or rob you of your enjoyment. However, it is even more important that people who are constantly online or work remotely and far from their colleagues can become a master.