The New Netiquette: Survey Shows What We Think About Business Behavior
Our mothers and fathers taught us the importance of being polite to our neighbors and to each other. We learned how to eat properly at the dinner table and how to not chew gum at inappropriate times.
The world of online communications also requires proper etiquette in how we communicate. Of course, online, things here are a bit more complex.
With social media, do we "friend" our supervisor? What about email? Who do we "bcc" and who do we "cc"?
Email host Intermedia conducted a survey that offers some insight into what other professionals feel about these and other questions involving business behavior and online etiquette:
According to the survey, 81 percent of respondents said it is somewhat or completely inappropriate to take a conference call on a cell phone while in public. On the other hand, after-hours texting between colleagues isn’t seen as impolite, with over half saying it is okay to do so.
Bosses and social media, however, don’t mix: Two out of three people say it is inappropriate to connect with a boss on a social media platform such as Facebook.
Workers are also voting to keep “cute” out of the office: 66 percent say that it's not appropriate to use emoticons such as smiley faces in email and instant messages.
Almost no one likes a tattletale: 81 percent agree that copying a person’s boss on an email in order to gain leverage is inappropriate, preferring to first work out issues directly with coworkers.
Most people also think it's time to turn down those cell phone calls: While 71 percent of those in the 18-34 age range say it is inappropriate to take a conference call from a public place, that number skyrockets to 98 percent for those 55 and older.
Here are a few more guidelines that might help you:
- Understand the rules and policies of your office -- know the letter and intent of the law. You don’t want to get fired because you sent a Tweet or email that broke company rules.
- When sending any digital communication consider what the ramifications would be if that communication went public.
- Before pressing the “send button” on an email, fax, social media post, or any other communication breathe and think. Make sure that the communication is indeed going to its intended recipient.
- Before replying in anger or haste to a communication that gets you angry or annoyed, think about your response. In fact, you may want to “sleep on it” to ensure you really want to send the message you typed up in the heat of the moment.
