One by one, these small infractions seem banal: a day we forget to put the phone in silence and suddenly the song more tacky seventies echoes in the boardroom. Another day we cabrales a delicious sandwich for lunch, not realizing that the fellow next table arcade feel to smell the cheese. And perhaps, another day the eyes are going to the computer monitor, while a partner of the company tells us in detail the problems facing their relationship.

It may not seem more than a minor forgetfulness, but can lead to great resentment among people working together. “This works like a marriage: what are the details and you just popping irritating after a while,” says Jacqueline Whitmore, founder of EtiquetteExpert.com and author of Business Class (Business Class).

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Christine Pearson, a professor of management at Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale (Arizona) and coauthor of the book The Cost of Bad Behavior, (The cost of acting out), says that 96% of Americans say they have bad manners of others at work and 48% say they received discourteous treatment at least once a week.

Neglecting the forms may directly affect the profits of the company. According to studies by Pearson and his own colleagues, 48% of employees are not treated properly have intentionally reduced their productivity and 12% say that lack of manners of others caused them to leave their jobs. Poor education in the workplace costs businesses were nearly 50 000 U.S. dollars per worker. “The costs of some thoughtless words and actions, seemingly minor, can be enormous,” adds Christine Pearson.

However, one must know that most people do not want to be rude, says Peter Post, director of the Emily Post Institute and author of The Etiquette Advantage in Business (The advantage of keeping the tag at the office). According to Post, “Most employees do not pretend to be rude to their peers. Just want to like”.

The problem, he says, comes when people stop to evaluate their behavior from the perspective of others. The account executive can easily disconnect from the conversation of his companions probably did not realize that speaks so loudly they hear it two floors down. For its part, is furious she reached the kitchen and see the dirty dishes from the Director of IT: Is this guy thinks I’m his mother? Well no, I think, says Post. “He’s thinking:” The wash in a while, because it works my brain. “Is a case in which two people have a different opinion of what it means to behave properly,” explains Post.

High pressure, low education
Misunderstandings like this arise because many companies now are designed with plants of a single space or cubicles. “We work in increasingly narrow spaces, we hear the conversations of other people and smell the food of others” tells the writer Jacqueline Whitmore.

Technology also distracts us from growing. Sarah, a public relations director for Overland Park (Kansas) speaks of his frustration with a colleague who spends department meetings coupled to the BlackBerry. “The implication is that it is so important to be connected to the outside is more important than our weekly meeting or even the time of our vice president,” he complains.

Of course, the employee addicted to your Smartphone may not have realized how rude it is. Instead, you’re probably thinking you’re doing a fine job responding to the needs of their customers in real time. Beverly Langford, president of LMA Communication and author of The Etiquette Edge (The Edge of the label) says that the expectations of employees are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and the variety of ways to get in contact with them has made employees feel very overwhelmed, less worried about their ways.

“Today we are asked to do more with less,” says Langford. The technology, which was supposed to make life easier, has increased our productivity expectations. The deadlines are shorter and we are asked to manage multiple tasks and situations. ”

Higher pressure and information overload we are also becoming more irritable and make us jump with the guy who stopped us to ask a quick question. According to Langford, “Whenever there is a disruption, we have to start over.”

Resume Forms
Post recommends that, when we go to talk with a colleague by any conduct that disturbs us, the important thing is to focus on solving the problem and maintain the relationship, instead of downloading our anger against another person or embarrassing. Discuss with him privately, and let them know that if the situation were reversed would you want to speak too clearly. Ask the person if they knew that their actions could cause this effect: “Did you know the smell of anchovy pizza every day can be annoying?”. Then, between the two can find possible solutions.

To ensure that you are not going crazy with their peers, begin to study their own actions from the perspective of people who have around. Instead of writing an email with abbreviations to be used in a mobile message, for example, may arise if the result is easily understood by the recipient. Post suggests: “Make decisions that contribute to better relations, rather than just those that you find comfortable.”

However, even the more aware of everything that can make something happen by. Therefore, Pearson speaking with a colleague near about areas where it can improve. If you’re the boss, gather information through anonymous consultations among staff. You can also hire a coach who follow him around for a while.

And stop doing twenty things at the same time, Pearson recommends. That attitude is not only insulting to others, but also does not work: as studies show, do too many things at the same time reduces the effectiveness and efficiency.

Finally, remember to use code words like “please” “thank you” or “nothing”. “In many cases we are talking about small adjustments,” says Pearson. To simply say “Thank you, a great job” can make a crucial difference. “