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May 29, 2015 at 01:06 PM
Did you ever stop to think that your coworkers, their stories, and the space you inhabit are in essence a microcosm of society as a whole? Because most of us will spend significant portions of our lives with our coworkers — not to mention meeting potential clients — it is imperative that we abide by basic rules of human decency.
You won’t find anything in this article against wearing Hawaiian shirts outside of the Aloha state. What you will find is a list of no-nos that you should never dare try at the office … like wearing said shirt, but dirty.
A word of caution: This article may not be suited for those who get queasy from reading about nail clippings. You’ve been warned!
10. The smelly monster in the fridge
We’ve all been there: opening the shared office fridge door to look for our leftover pizza when the smell hits you … hard. While bringing your lunch to work is a good way to save money and watch the calories, leaving it to become a moldy and smelly mess in the fridge is not a good idea. Someone has to throw it out, eventually. Plus, do you really want to anger the office gods?
How to stop it:
Leave yourself a sticky note or set a notification on your email inbox: “REMEMBER: FOOD IN FRIDGE.” Take it home and eat it for dinner. That way, you won’t waste any food.
If you’re the one reminding everyone, set up a calendar notification of when you’re going to clean out the fridge, so it happens on a regular basis.
9. The food thief
There’s nothing worse than going to the kitchen and finding out that your lunch is gone, Tupperware and all. Well, there is something worse: complaining about your stolen lunch, suspecting everyone, and then having a Facebook page set up offering a ransom in exchange for the stolen Tupperware.
The bottom line is that stealing is never a good idea.
How to stop it:
If you’re the thief, be a decent human being, do the right thing and bring in your own lunch. If you can’t do this, then you’re doomed for life. All thieves are eventually caught, especially now with the advances in security and itty-bitty cameras that aren’t visible, but that are definitely capable of documenting you grabbing that bacon PB&J that is not yours.
If you’re the lunchless, label your lunch. You can also buy anti-theft lunch bags (yes, these are real) to try to deter thieves. Or play a nasty prank on the thief: send out an email that the food they ate was recalled by the company who made it, which according to this Bloomberg article, has only worked once.
8. Clipping both finger and toe nails at work (ew!)
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse…yes, there are people who decide that their offices are nail salons.
How to stop it:
Have a private conversation with the “clipper” coworker and let them know that it bothers you, or ask your boss to send out an email about office etiquette and be specific about what’s accepted and what’s not tolerated.
7. Ladies putting on makeup at their desks
OK, so having a small mirror and lipgloss handy by your desk isn’t an offense, right? Yes, it is. Worse still is bringing the whole makeup bag or box to work. This is part of a grooming ritual, just like clipping your nails, and should be kept private, says the queen of etiquette, Emily Post.
How to stop it:
This one can also be addressed in that office-wide email that your boss will send about workplace etiquette. If you’re one of the ladies that does this, wake up earlier to put on your makeup or go au naturel. (We are all beautiful anyhow!)
6. Poor hygiene
If there’s one thing that really gives a bad impression, it is poor hygiene. While we won’t get into the details as to why one should always be clean and have no weird body smells, having poor hygiene can even get you in trouble with human resources.
How to stop it:
There is absolutely no excuse for having poor hygiene in public anywhere or any time. If you went to the gym to work out in the morning, make sure that you shower before hitting the office. Your coworkers might like you, but that doesn’t mean they have to stand your “natural musk.” We’re not in the Middle Ages anymore.
If you need help with how to handle this issue, this website has some good tips.
