Communication Etiquette: Etiquette in the Workplace

[LO-7] As the local manager of an international accounting fi rm, you place high priority on professional etiquette.

Not only does it communicate respect to your clients, it also instills confi dence in your fi rm by showing that you and your staff are aware of and able to meet the expectations of almost any audience. Earlier today, you took four recently hired college graduates to lunch with an important client. You’ve done this for years, and it’s usually an upbeat experience for everyone, but today’s lunch was a disaster.

One of the new employees made not one, not two, but three calls on his mobile phone during lunch. Another interrupted the client several times and even got into a mild argument. Th e third employee kept making sarcastic jokes about politics, making everyone at the table uncomfortable.

And the fourth showed up dressed like she was expecting to bale hay or work in coal mine, not have a business lunch in a posh restaurant. You’ve already called the client to apologize, but now you need to coach these employees on proper business etiquette. Draft a brief memo to these employees, explaining why etiquette is so important to the company’s success—and to their individual careers.