Course Outcomes

This workplace etiquette course will:

  • Explain how expectations of workplace behavior and social behavior can differ.
  • Review to-dos and taboos of interacting with coworkers and customers.
  • Define appropriate workplace attire and the benefits of looking professional on the job.
  • Describe how organizational skills and effective time management can make or break a professional reputation.

Course Overview

This program is designed for people newly joining or recently returning to the workforce. It covers workplace expectations and acceptable behaviors: appropriate business dress and grooming, verbal communication, telephone skills, time management, and general professional deportment. This course can easily be adjusted to incorporate your organization’s specific challenges and policies. It is also well suited for organizations that have promoted from within and are challenged by inappropriate employee behavior.

Program Objectives

At this program’s conclusion, participants should be able to:

  • Define appropriate and inappropriate office behavior.
  • Describe appropriate office dress.
  • Demonstrate professional use of the telephone in a business environment whether they are answering the phone, transferring a call, placing a caller on hold, or leaving a voicemail message.
  • List steps for dealing with difficult people.
  • Identify and rephrase blunt wording for more professional communication.
  • Understand and demonstrate the use of to-do lists and the ABC prioritization technique.
  • Explain methods for handling typical office interruptions: visitors, phone calls, requests from the boss or subordinates.
  • Outline tactics for overcoming procrastination.
  • Develop an action plan to improve professionalism in work areas.

The following outline highlights some of the course’s key learning points. As part of your training program, we will modify content as needed to meet your business objectives. Upon request, we will provide you with a copy of the participant materials prior to the session(s).

Workshop Outline

Choices Not Chances: Social Versus Professional Behavior

This course begins with a fun and fast-paced discussion about basic business behavior.  Working through a series of interactive exercises, participants will identify behaviors appropriate for the workplace and those that detract from a professional environment. 

Know Where You’re Going: Setting Your Professional Sights

No matter where you work or what you do, it’s important to have a plan.  During this workshop segment, we will explore personal values, career mapping, and behaviors that “advertise” professionalism.  By the conclusion of this part of the program, participants should have a clear understanding of their workplace strengths, values, short-term goals, and how their behavioral choices influence how they are perceived by others.

Communication Know-How: Civility in Person, on the Phone, and Via Email

Few people want to sound rude or act in a way that alienates others.  However, countless times each day, someone somewhere in some workplace manages to communicate in a way that upsets, angers, or offends others.  This part of the program covers best practices for communicating in person, over the phone, and via email. 

On Time and On Track: Keys to Basic Time Management

Knowing what’s appropriate to say at work is only one piece of the professionalism puzzle.  If your workspace is a hazard zone, and you have difficulty completing tasks and managing your time, your professional reputation will suffer.  This seminar segment shares practical tips for getting “the right things” done when there is too much to do, prioritizing when there are multiple tasks at hand, managing work and home life, and setting achievable goals.

Dress for Success: Looking Your Best

If you don’t package yourself well, it’s difficult to convince others you are the confident and competent person your work product suggests.  In this final part of the course, we will examine the idea of personal branding and workplace appearance.  We will spend time discussing the difference between dress-code compliance and dressing for success and how to look great without breaking the bank.

Upon completion of the training program, participants should have a clear understanding of workplace etiquette and civility, best practices for communicating with others, basic time management, and how to look appropriate on the job.