This paper discusses business communication etiquette standards while focusing specifically on verbal communication, nonverbal communication, telephone (to include cell phones and text messaging) communication, and email communication. Each of the aforementioned communications categories are defined and explored, and the etiquette standards for each are explained and related to employees, businesses, and interactions with customers, clients, and fellow employees. Business Communication Etiquette Introduction Technological advances and the expanding scope of businesses have Increased both consumer and business awareness.
This manifestation has caused organizations and society to explore and redefine standard business communication etiquette (Koru, 2012). Some rules may seem obvious and recognizable, while others have borrowed similar standards from less current forms of communication (I. E. Cell phones borrowed from telephones), but one fact remains true: etiquette standards exist because they need to. Without a standard of communication at work, employees may cause themselves, and therefore the business, to come across as rude and uncouth in a society that offers many options for customers to do business with.
Internally, etiquette is still vital for ensuring civility and accurate communication between employees and departments. Communication is more than a simple exchange of words, there are a myriad of other factors that affect the way the speaker presents his or her message and the way the receiver decodes said message. In spite of technological advancements. 90% of employees believe that significant conversations should take place in person (Etiquette of modern communication, 2005), but that is not always possible in the business world.
Business communication practices must be very versatile in order to successfully interact with there employees, departments, or even international cultures. Employees must be able to learn and utilize suitable skills to help them communicate professionally and politely, and to help their chances of becoming a successful employee In any business. Business communications can be verbal or nonverbal; over the telephone or face-to-face; and through email or text message, but whichever technique is used, it must be appropriate for the situation and inline with etiquette standards.
Verbal Communication Interaction that makes use of spoken words, or verbal communication, is a vital ND Integral component of the business world (Oral communication, 201 1). Oral communications can encompass everything from face-to-face meetings to telephone calls, and in any business, the ability to effectively communicate verbally is a highly valued and demand employee trait (Murphy et. Al. , 1997). Effective communication is not as cut and dry as it may seem. Being able to accurately relay a message is definitely the goal, but factors like interpersonal and conversational skills also play a part.
Clear, accurate, and considerate oral business communications can save time, void alienation, and build goodwill toward management and the business. Face-to- Whether giving a speech or speaking to a coworker, effective face-to-face communications is highly dependent upon proper salutations, word choice, and a clear understanding of the message. Just as an employee would do when composing an email, oral communications typically begin with an introduction, which is followed by the main message or discussion, and ends with a conclusion.
Keeping a message concise is a good way to ensure that any communication, verbal or otherwise, will be received correctly. The old adage about speeches “Tell them what you are going to ell them, tell them, and then tell them what you told them,” can also be applied to business face-to-face conversations (Oral communication, 2011). Even though it may not be proper etiquette to condescend to a coworker by using the terms “in conclusion,” it is necessary both the listener’s and the speaker’s Jobs to ensure the message was received correctly.
Telephone A popular saying in call centers that have no face-to-face communication with customers or fellow employees explains that it is important to smile even though the person on the other end of the phone cannot see it because they will be able to hear t. While it is obviously impossible to hear an expression, it certainly changes the speaker’s tone of voice. Surprisingly, an employee’s appearance (I. E. Dress code) can affect the morale or a business, and call centers have even shown productivity improvement after the implementation of a smart dress code (Brown, 2010).
Most of the etiquette standards that are tied to business telephone conversations are relatively obvious. For instance, if one employee walks in on another employee having a telephone conversation, the interrupting employee should offer to come jack later and the conversing employee should keep remain attentive to the person on the other end of the phone conversation. Furthermore, it is not proper etiquette to ignore calls, especially business calls; if the phone rings you must answer it (York, 2005). Call waiting is no different, even though it has been referred to as “organized rudeness,” but it does not have to be.
Like all things business, following the standards set by society allows employees to approach call waiting with politeness by excusing oneself or asking permission from the first caller, and apologizing for the inconvenience (Edwards & Edwards, 1989). On the other hand, when calling others, it is proper to ask the recipient if it is a convenient time for him or her to talk, rather than blurting out the nature of the call. However, if the employee is inconvenienced by a call, he or she should politely inform the caller that he or she cannot talk at this time, and make arrangements to speak later (York, 2005).
Cell phones use at work has become extremely controversial. Some employers have strict rules limiting cell phone use to breaks, while others are more vague. If an employer fails to provide his or her employees with mobile phone use guidelines, it is p to the employee to base his or her decisions upon basic etiquette standards. For instance, in locations or situations where it would be inconvenient to receive a phone call, it would be appropriate to silence or turn it off (York, 2005).
Additionally, even though cell phones may feel more informal than a landlines, when dealing with business it is best to stick to the traditional etiquette standards. Obscenity In every environment, including businesses, there is at least one person that uses language that would cause Mine to blush. Profanity in the workplace has been employees either believe that they will not face negative consequences if they use inappropriate language, or they take it for granted that other employees or clients will not be offended.
Even though “curse words, sexual references, and crude colloquialisms” (Langford, 2005) have become commonplace in offices and boardrooms, it is still considered poor etiquette, not to mention offensive, to use such language. These choices in language do little to enhance communications, and only serve to shock the listeners. Nonverbal Communication Nonverbal communication is an extremely important and often overlooked impotent of professional communication, and can be broken down into two categories: Paraguayan and kinesics.
Paraguayan describes speech modifications like quality of the speaker’s voice and hesitations while speaking, as well as visualization like whistling, shushing, or other nonverbal sounds. Kinesics, on the other hand, refers to all movements of the speaker’s body (Key, 1975). Being able to completely understand all aspects of nonverbal communication can allow employees to get a message across accurately, and interpret incoming messages appropriately (Nonverbal communication, 2011).
Everything from an employee’s appearance, body language, and tone can affect the message that he or she is trying to get across, and a culture’s etiquette typically dictates how these outputs will most likely be received. For instance if a supervisor asked any employee if he or she got to work on time and was met with rolling eyes and a sarcastic “yeah,” the supervisor would understand that even though the employee affirmed his or her promptness, the reality was that the employee did not show up on time. This is a strong example of how, without nonverbal communication, the receivers of messages are not getting a clear communication.
American culture and etiquette standards typically view sarcasm and overly emotional, aggressive, or passive aggressive communications as unacceptable. The main goal when communicating at work is to convey a clear and concise message to the recipient. This can be achieved by avoiding cynicism, mockery, rude facial expressions, and inappropriate sounds. Additionally, an employees appearance can influence his or her communication by affecting the listener’s attitudes toward the employee and his or her message (Nonverbal communication, 2011).
Email “Every email should tackle one topic and that topic should be the subject nine” (Spineless, 2009). This is an extremely important, and often overlooked, communication etiquette rule. Whether business related or not, professional emails should always relate to the subject line for three reasons: future referencing and accessibility, simplicity, and to avoid confusion. Another hot-button topic is the reply- all command. Anyone who has worked in a position that requires the use of email has witnessed the unsuccessful use of reply-all.
Business etiquette requires the use of reply-all sparingly, and when used, irrelevant recipients should be removed (Spineless, 2009). Additionally, blind carbon copies (Bcc) should generally be avoided because they have been known to cause conflict and bruised egos when a previously unknown recipient has been discovered. The promptness off response should also be considered. While the timeshare has often been debated, a good rule of thumb is to respond within eight business hours, but the sooner the better (McMullen, 2008). DOD idea to utilize the out of office function if possible. Perhaps most importantly, before sending any email, the message should be reread and any grammar or spelling errors should be corrected. When emailing individuals outside of an organization, special steps should be taken to ensure that proper etiquette techniques have been applied. For instance, internal Jargon should be avoided, and full signatures identifying the sender and his or her contact information should be included.
Special care should also be taken to ensure that the email is properly encrypted and secured, or that all sensitive information has been removed before sending an external email. Internal or external, one rule remains true; never ignore an email that solicits a reply. Not only is it rude, but also the lack of response can cause unfortunate ramifications to the business and the businesses’ relationships. Text Messages As of 2005, 60% of employees believed that text messaging was not suitable for a work environment (Etiquette of modern communication, 2005).
While this percentage is bound to change significantly as time passes and technology improves, there is still a stigma surrounding the informality of text messaging. It may never be considered good etiquette to text a supervisor “going 2 b 18, 101,” but testing may still have its place in the business world. Seeking approval for projects from a busy executive who penis most of his or her time in meetings can be difficult, but a text message can be relatively quick and unobtrusive, if handled correctly.
Whether or not it would be considered bad etiquette for that executive to respond is another issue, but it is likely that he or she would be able to get away with it. If employers and employees have decided that text messaging is something that is allowable, it is important for those utilizing the convenient service to keep it light, do not expect immediate responses, utilize correct spelling and grammar, and avoid common (and uncommon for that matter abbreviations (Viscose, 2008), k? Cultural Differences As the saying goes: when in Rome, do as the Romans do.
Globalization and technological advancements have allowed professionals to communicate and work with people all over the world. While this has done wonders for businesses, it has caused a number of etiquette issues and conflicts between countries, and even cities. Through trial and error, and communication with international clients and coworkers, businessmen and businesswomen have learned that the only way to avoid etiquette issues is to do research on the culture before attempting to communicate with them (Spineless, 2009). The learning curve, however, can be quite steep.
Just like the United States, foreign societies are ever evolving, and etiquette trends and preferences are constantly changing. Cultural differences may even exist, on a much smaller, but still significant scale, between departments. Things like Jargon, work environment, and unspoken rules exist uniquely within departments, and have been known to cause avoidable communication issues. These friction-causing problems can be escaped or reduced by learning and adopting local practices. In order to do this, one must observe the communications and interactions amongst employees in there departments (Spineless, 2009).
Many distinct departmental preferences can be learned this way, which can help all employees communicate more effectively, professionally, and politely with other departments. Conclusion communicating effectively and with proper etiquette is always necessary. Higher- level employees set the standard for etiquette with the way they speak in person or over the phone, verbiage used in emails or written correspondence, and the way they communicate with customers or clients externally. Verbal or nonverbal, etiquette should be at the forefront of any employees mind when communicating with others.
The employees need to be cognizant of facial expressions, voice tones, and appearance, all the while communicating a message effectively. Business communication is so much more than a simple email or conversation, there are countless factors that can add to, or take away from, the success of employee interactions. Employees must be armed with superior communication and decoding skills in order to facilitate successful and efficient internal or external communications, that adhere to the etiquette standards set by society and their employers.
