9 out of 10 Office Workers Say "Please Follow Office Etiquette"
From Nail Care to Speakerphone Calls in the Office
[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] "Isn't it polite to cover your mouth with your sleeve when coughing?"
Kim Mo (27), an office worker who has been employed for 5 months, said, "These days, I'm even afraid to come to work because of the new coronavirus. But a colleague keeps coughing without covering their mouth with their hand or sleeve."
He continued, "Everyone is sensitive because of the new coronavirus, but the person involved seems indifferent. However, the ones who suffer because of this are the coworkers who work together."
It has been found that many office workers are stressed due to colleagues who do not observe etiquette in the office. Etiquette refers to the basic manners that must be observed in social life. Some workers choose to overlook their colleagues' bad manners without any particular sanctions rather than pointing them out.
More than half of office workers reported feeling uncomfortable because of colleagues who do not observe etiquette. On the 5th, a survey conducted by the job portal Incruit together with the direct interview part-time job app Albacoal on 1,089 office workers found that 77.3% of respondents said there are colleagues or bosses at their workplace who do not observe basic etiquette.
In particular, 96.7% of respondents answered that workplace etiquette must be strictly observed, while only 3.3% said it is okay not to observe etiquette.
A (29), an office worker with 3 years of experience, said, "I'm struggling because of a colleague's cigarette smell," adding, "They go out to smoke once every hour. When they come back to their seat, the cigarette smell lingers. I wish they would wait until the smell dissipates before coming back to the office."
He continued, "It seems they don't even make the minimum effort to get rid of the smell. Because of the cigarette smell, I feel like I'm exposed to secondhand smoke every day."
B (29), who was hired through the public recruitment last year, also said, "I was shocked to see someone clipping their nails in the office. I don't understand it. They could do it in their personal space, but bringing nail clippers to the company and clipping nails here is incomprehensible," raising his voice.
B added, "Every time I hear the sound of nail clipping, I get nervous. I hope people observe at least basic manners in the office."
However, some office workers reportedly did not take any particular action against their colleagues' bad manners. According to a survey of 1,150 office workers by the job portal Saramin, 43% of respondents said they "just endure" colleagues who do not observe etiquette. Passive responses such as "avoiding the place" (19.6%) and "talking about it later during meals or company gatherings" (9.2%) followed.
C (27), an office worker, said, "My boss always keeps his phone on sound mode. I can understand that, but he always uses speakerphone, which is a nuisance," complaining, "The office space isn't even large, so when he talks loudly, everyone can hear the conversation."
He added, "Since he's my boss, I can't point it out. My coworkers are also dissatisfied but can't say anything."
Experts suggest that bad manners of colleagues should be reported to those around you. In a report titled "Gentlemen in the Workplace, Can They Succeed?" published by POSCO Research Institute in 2017, it was stated, "Although many people cover up bad manners due to various reasons such as the offender's work ability, connections with influential people, or fear of retaliation, it is necessary to inform supervisors, audit organizations, or others around to prevent more victims."
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