1 Appropriate and Respectful Conduct

Be Appropriate

Avoid oversharing personal or family information with your coworkers or boss.

2dreaming bear. (2025, January 28). Why oversharing at work hurts you: Tips you need [Video]. YouTube.

Be careful what you say and post about work (Mind Tools Content Team, n.d.). A best practice is avoiding discussing work-related issues with people outside your closest family and friends; even then, you should be cautious. Word can spread like wildfire, and you wouldn’t want to lose your job over hearsay. Refrain from complaining about work and posting negative work-related content on social media. Despite your privacy settings, you can’t be sure that that information won’t get back to your employers or colleagues.

Be Presentable and Dress Appropriately

Always maintain a level of professionalism through your work attire, hygiene, and visual presentation (Piccirilli, 2018). Take note of the workplace dress code; until you have a better idea of what it is, take a conservative and simple approach to dress. Even if your workplace is more casual in nature, it is important to come to work clean, neat, and well-groomed. If you are representing yourself professionally, you are also helping the employer to be seen in a professional light.

Be Punctual and Respectful

Consistently showing up for work and showing up on time indicates that you’re serious about your job. It’s important not only to be punctual about arriving at work but also to be on time for meetings and follow the prescribed times for breaks or other scheduled work gatherings. If you know you will be late, be courteous: pick up the phone or email and let your employer know when you will be there (always offer to reschedule if that is more convenient for others). When you are able to meet your commitments, it tells an employer that they can depend on you.

Stay Calm in Stressful Situations and Manage Disappointment

Emotional intelligence is a highly-valued trait in both the career world and everyday life. Read this article to learn how to improve your emotional intelligence. Robert Half (2016) mentions a number of practical applications of this highly-valued trait, such as accepting the fact that life is not fair and finding joy in your coworkers’ successes instead of coveting them.

The Mind Tools Content Team (n.d.) explains that two vital components of emotional intelligence are becoming more self-aware to understand your own emotions and using active listening skills to learn empathy.

Resilience is closely related to emotional intelligence.

MindToolsVideos. (2018, September 29). Emotional intelligence in the workplace [Video]. YouTube.

Chapter Review

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