CONTENTS

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To familiarize with the common business rules To follow the behavioral culture at work places.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This report analyzes the different work cultures and business etiquettes that are to be followed in the corporate organizations. Though the business etiquettes differ from organization to organization, it is important to know some common rules of the game. There can be a number of specific instructions that a particular organization can offer to its employees but some basic rules are a reflection of one’s own personality and culture.

This report makes a summary of common business etiquettes and work culture that is followed in most organizations.

BACKGROUND

Today’s social, cultural and business etiquettes have evolved from being extremely conservative to a more modernized and less formal in our presentation of self as well as work.

With the advancement in technology and work culture, methods of communication have changed drastically. It is important to keep ourselves abreast with all the changes in the business world regarding business etiquettes and work culture.

It has often been observed that individual and social culture differs from area, organization and individual. It is important to follow a common code of conduct in general terms. Though the organizational culture may vary from individual organizations, this report is a general observation.

METHODOLOGY

During the tenure of the research, we have collected data from several books, internet and interacted with faculty in organizational behavior from KSOM.

After extensive research on the topic, we have concluded some important points that is a layman’s understanding of business etiquettes at work places.

BUSINESS ETIQUETTE

1. INTRODUCTION

It goes without saying that good business etiquette should be practiced in all business relations. We all want to receive courteous and fair treatment. In fact, this is the way we human beings prefer to act. Even so, the current literature has much to say about among email participants.

Not only are the rules different in the world of business etiquette, the entire approach is different because the business world is structured differently from social or family worlds. It is critical to understand this different way of thinking about relationships and behavior and how it applies to our dealings with our superiors, our colleagues and our subordinates.

Knowing the accepted ways of doing things – what to say, how to dress, and how to react in various situations-is vitally important and becomes even more important the higher we rise in the ranks.

And management now values manners in the work place as never before. More and more firms are organizing in-house training in etiquettes for their employees. Career minded executives are finding a connection between civility and success.

1.01THE GOLDEN RULES

Showing that we care for the feelings of others in the way we behave in business organizations can be encapsulated in the word “IMPACT”, which summarizes the golden rules:

I integrity act in an honest and truthful way

M manners never be selfish, boorish or indisciplined

P personality communicate your own values, attitudes and opinions

A appearance always present yourself to best advantage

C consideration sees you from the other person’s standpoint

T tact think before you speak

Integrity is the demonstration by what we do and say that we are an honest, truthful and trustworthy person. A reputation for integrity is slowly gained but quickly lost. Much business houses are grind to a halt if there was not a basic, positive assumption about people’s integrity. It is tested when the

individual or his company is provoked or tempted to act less than honestly. It is a golden rule of good business behavior that our integrity should be unquestioned- no amount of camouflage can disguise its lack.

MANNERS are the patterns of behavior that indicate to the person we are dealing with whether we can be relied on to act correctly and fairly when he does business with us. If he thinks that we are boorish, selfish or undisciplined, our relationship is unlikely to prosper .Equally, if we speak or act in a racist or sexist way, or show disloyalty to our company or colleagues, our manners will be seen as unacceptable. Good manners involve taking positive action to make the other person feel good about our relationship with him.

Our own personality is what we can uniquely offer the business we work in. Our aim to ensure that the way we behave gives the best possible opportunity for our qualities to be appreciated.

Our appearance may not be our most valuable asset, but it should never be a liability! Being well groomed ,wearing appropriate clothes, standing and sitting in a good posture and taking care of ourselves physically , are all vital elements in making and sustaining a good impression on our business colleagues.

TACT is the last, but not the least, of the golden rules because it should be the gatekeeper. Protecting us from thoughtless words and action. Everyone in business knows the temptation to react immediately to some provocation or to take some perceived advantage, and the regret that follows if we act at on impulse. Tact is not just about putting unpleasant matters in an acceptable way. It involves careful thought for the interests of others and only then choosing the most acceptable form of expression. The subtext of this golden rule is that when in doubt we should say nothing!

So it is vital to know the rules of business etiquette, and the first thing we should know is that these rules have a different foundation. However, relationships in the business world have always been based primarily on rank, much like any military system. Rank, or the degree of power vested in different individuals, gives a business organization the structure it needs to function effectively.

4.0 DATA ANALYSIS

Chapter 1

4.00 Business culture

This is the area of business relationships where so many people get off on the wrong foot and then shoot themselves in the other foot. Knowing the rules is critical. It makes one more relaxed and confident.

The most important thing about an introduction is to “just do it.” If one doesn’t, people around him/her end up feeling invisible. Another important thing is that Americans expect three things when they meet people: eye contact, a smile, and a hand shake.

The person who is being introduced, or presented, “is last named.” Social etiquette is based on chivalry, so in a social situation, we defer to people based on sex and age. Business etiquette is different as it is based on hierarchy. Gender plays no role.

The rule is that persons of lesser authority are introduced to persons of greater authority.

One should always remember that eye contact is very important. The greater authority is to be looked and spoken to at first followed by the lesser authority.

4.01 Background Info

The introduction one makes should include a brief bit of information about those being introduced.This bit of information is useful as it gives the people being introduced some basis to begin their conversation. Once they have begun talking one can excuse himself/herself depending on the situation.

4.02 Introducing Business Functions

The host should meet and greet the guests at a business function upon their arrival. It’s his job to make them feel welcome. If this not possible or the host doesn’t know all of the guests, he may appoint other greeters so represent him.

In this case, the greeter himself introduces himself and escorts the guest to the host After he makes the introduction, he should move the guest along and introduce him to others or show him the buffet table or the bar. The idea is to leave the host free to greet other guests.

4.03 Introducing Oneself

It is helpful to others and important for one to introduce oneself promptly and appropriately.If one is at a business social function or with just a few people and is not introduced he/she should introduce himself/herself just as promptly as decently appropriate. If it looks as if the person who should introduce him/her isn’t going to, one has to take over.

4.04 Responding To Introductions

How one responds to being introduced by others is just as important as how makes an introduction.

If it’s an informal introduction one can simply respond with “Hello” keeping it brief and friendly.

Incase of a formal introduction a brief greeting followed by the person’s name would be appropriate.

4.05 Greetings

There are very definite rules for meeting and greeting people in the corporate culture. One’s mother was right when she gave the advice about “first impressions.”

4.06 Upstanding

One should stand up when being introduced. However, when newcomers arrive at a very large function, they are greeted only by those nearest them. If it is impossible for one to rise – at least he/she should lean forward or rise slightly so as not to appear distant.

When someone comes to visit at the office, one should come out from behind the desk unless the visitor is a co-worker or someone who comes to his/her office frequently in the course of the day. The frequency consideration comes into play even when a senior executive visits the office of a junior executive. If it’s a common occurrence, there’s no need to get up; however, one should certainly stop what one is doing and give full attention to the seniors.

4.07 Shaking Hands

A handshake leaves a very definite and often lasting impression, and in the business world, a handshake is the only appropriate physical contact for both men and women.

The proper shake has:

Comes with eye contact. Is firm but painless. Lasts about three seconds. Takes only two or three “pumps”. Starts and stops crisply. Doesn’t continue through the entire introduction.

One should keep his/her fingers together and thumb up. One should slide the web of his/her hand all the way to the web of the other person’s hand. Otherwise, someone ends up shaking hands with one’s fingers. Also, shaking web to web effectively prevents the other person, no matter how strong, from crunching one’s knuckles.

One should shake when:

Someone offers his/her hand to you. First meeting someone. Greeting guests. Greeting your host/hostess. Renewing an acquaintance. Saying good-bye.

4.08 Hugs and kisses

In general, hugs and kisses are inappropriate in any business environment. In fact, touching others in the workplace, whether they are of the same gender or not, is impolite, even if one feels that the other person is your pal. This includes patting on the back, putting one’s arm around someone, or putting one’s hand around the shoulder.

It is acceptable at a business/social function to kiss one’s spouse, if he happens to be getting along that day. Even then it should be kept casual and cursory.

4.09 The Name Game

People wince inwardly when someone mispronounces their names. It is a serious breach of business etiquette. If one is in doubt, he/she should apologetically ask for it. If one has a name that is difficult to pronounce, one should help the person who is trying to pronounce it. One should pronounce it clearly without making a big deal about it.

4.10 Coming Up Blank

It happens to everybody. If one is in a situation where it is up to him/her to make the introductions and he/she forgets the name of the person to be introduced, one should say something like, “I remember our chat at the Cezanne reception, but I’ve forgotten your name for the moment,” or “Please can you tell me your name again. I’m having a temporary memory lapse.” One should get the name, and go right ahead with the introduction. One should not make a big deal out of it by apologizing all over the place.

If one is not being introduced, and seems that the person has forgotten one’s name, he/she should jump right in; extend one’s hand, smile, and offer his/her name.

4.11 Titles

Because so much of the corporate culture is based on rank and status, titles are vitally important. One can’t refer to a senior vice president as a vice president or to the chief operating officer as the chief executive officer.

In the company of others, especially with people outside one’s firm, one’s should show his/her boss respect by addressing him or her formally as “Mr.” or “Ms. Smith.”

“Ms.” Is the appropriate address for woman in business, regardless of what she chooses to call herself in her private life. “Mrs.” and “Miss” imply social, marital, and sexual distinctions that have no place in the business arena.

Career-conscious people entering the business world must be aware of rules of behavior than they could expect to encounter in most social situations. It’s important to be aware of the sort of behavior that is expected in the world of work in order to be able to move within that world with confidence and ease.

Chapter 2

4.12 The job Interview

The basics of corporate etiquette begin with the job interview. A job interview is a situation in which how we look, what we say and do, and our overall demeanor may have a critical impact in future. And the person opposite you seems to have all the advantage. Recruiters and interviewers take courses to help them develop sophisticated screening methods.

Be Prepared

It is important to find out everything you can about the company before we interview. Reports and brochures may also be read. Also, if it is possible we can try to contact any person working in the organization before we go for the interview.

Some of the things we should find out about the company we are interviewing with are

The pronunciation and spelling of the name What the company does If it is a national and international company, as opposed to regional The size of the company The attitude towards women and minorities The general reputation The reputation for working condition and environment

Before your interview, we should also find out everything we can about ourselves. The important points are:

Education Volunteer work Honor and awards Interests, hobbies Why you want to work for the company What abilities you can bring to the company

The Interview

It is a good idea to dress conservatively for interviews. Dress can vary dramatically from company to company. Khakis and Docksiders might be the standard at one place, while wingtips and double-breasted suits are typical of another. When in doubts, it is perfectly fine to ask an employee or someone in Human resource about appropriate interview attire.

Upon arriving for our interview, we should enter the room, smile, and make eye contact with our interviewer. Then, wait until we are asked to be seated. During the meeting, we should not fidget or handle things on the others person’s desk. Also, listen carefully what we are being asked. We should not treat any question as unimportant. If a question is difficult, pause before answering. We should compose ourself finally, thank the interviewer cordially, and follow up with a note.

Bear in mind that our first interview with the company will probably be a “screening interview”. The purpose of this interview is to screen out the applicants. For instance, companies want to know if we are willing to relocate, If we have sufficient language skills, and if we fill other “requirements” or “prerequisites”

4.13 Business Attire

Never underestimate the critical importance of attire within the corporate culture. What we wear says a lot about us, and we can damage or even destroy our chances of success in business by dressing inappropriately. People, particularly our superior, are apt to conclude that the quality of our work will match the quality of our appearance.

If our organization has a dress code, observe both the letter and spirit of the code. This is something we have to learn right off the bat.

If there is no dress code, we can’t go far wrong by studying how those in senior management dress. We should not be afraid to ask.

Details

When it comes to dressing , the details are very bit as important as choosing the appropriate outfit. Careful attention must be paid to such details as shoes and jewelry. Sometimes it is the little thing that the people notice most and remember longest. The impression made by a carefully selected outfit can be ruined by one jarring detail, such as scuffed shoes or a missing button.

Jewelry:-It shouldn’t be obtrusive, and I shouldn’t jangle. Avoid wearing on the right hand, and you will feel much more relaxed about shaking hands because you won’t have to worry about ring s digging into finger. Wear a watch, even if your internal clock functions well.

Furs:- Don’t wear them in the business world. They signal “pretentious” more than successful.

Shoes:- They can shoot you in the foot. Fabric softener sheets give a quick shine and are easily kept in your desk or briefcase.

Briefcases:- Keep your briefcase polished and clean. It should not be over large nor should be over stuffed.

4.14 Business Appointments

When attending a business appointment, we should take off our topcoat, and if someone offers to hang it up, we should surrender it gladly.

4.15 Business Functions

When attending a special business function, our invitation will often specify the appropriate dress for the occasion in the lower light hand corner. If we have any doubts about what to wear, we can call the host.

Definitions of two type of business function as describe on invitations

Black tie formal means different things to different people all over the country. The correct term for “tuxedo” is “dinner jacket”. Black is always correct for men. White jackets are not . Women don’t have to wear gloves, and never should shake hand in them.

Informal is slightly less dressy than black tie. Men should wear a dark business suit, a white shirt, and a dark silk tie with a quite pattern. Women should wear a dressy suit in an evening fabric, a short cocktail dress, or a long skirt and blouse.

CHAPTER 3

4.16 Electronic etiquette

There was once a time when the area of etiquette was unheard, with all the advancement on today’s technology, electronic etiquette guideline has never been more necessary.

4.17 Telephone etiquette

Everyone knows how to use the telephone, but many people does not know how to use it to their best advantage.

When we speak to someone on the telephone, vocal quality counts for 70 percentages of the initial impression that we make and the word spoken count for 30 percentages. The person on the other end of the line bases his opinion not only what we say but how we say it and the tone of the voice,

When we are using the telephone then we should use our mouth for speaking only rather than chewing, eating or drinking.

4.18 Answering calls

Answer the telephone no later than second ring. We should identify our shelf with both our name and the company or the department.

We should always say “hello” rather than “hi”

It is up to us to determine how our telephone will be answered, not only by us but by members of our staff. We should let them know what we expect. We can try calling our own office to check up on this.

4.19 Placing a call

Place our calls whenever possible. If the person we are calling has to wait for us to come on the line, he will apt to think we consider our time is more important than his. Every business telephone call should begin with the caller introduction himself, identifying his company, and say for whom the call is intended. This enhances our chances of being put through promptly to the person that we are trying to reach, and we will sound confident and self contained.

Try to call when we know it’s convenient for the other person. If we call a business just before the closing time, we will be rushed and given half hearted attention at best.

If our call get disconnected somehow in the middle of the conversation, we should call back immediately-whatever the circumstances.

4.20 Closing a call

People remember the way telephone conversation end. At the end of our call, thanks the person for the call, and try to end the call on a positive note. We should never conclude by just saying, “See ya,” or “bye bye” we try to say good bye.

If we have chatty caller who is droning on too long, then we should say something like, “I’ll have to hang up now. My two o’clock appointment is here” or “much as I’d like to chat, I’m on a deadline at the moment. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

4.21 Addressing the secretary

The secretary who acts like a gatekeeper can become an ally if treated with consideration and respect.

The secretary’s name should be asked for from him or her or the receptionist present. It is advisable to use the secretary’s name while making interactions. This displays courtesy and confidence and gives an impression of good relations.

It is also advisable to establish a cordial relationship with the secretary over the telephone, this can be very helpful in getting information about the best time to call, et al. It is wiser to make the information clear to the secretary about the day, date and time of appointment or calling.

It may be at times that the caller is put on hold. Here one needs to be patient and resume talking in the same mode after the hold has been put off.

If a return call is expected, it is better to let the secretary know the best time to call in terms of availability. This return call timing has to be very specific, failing to which one has to restart the whole process again.

4.22 Voice mail etiquette

Voice mails are generally used within an organization to convey information. The drawback with this tool is that clients calling from outside find it extremely annoying.

Here we have a negative feeling right from the start, but this can be dealt with. The message on this medium should give the caller some choices like – leave a message, call another extension, or switch back to the receptionist. But too many messages will irritate the caller.

The messages left on the machine should have the journalists five Ws – who, what, when, where and why. This completes the information that a caller seeks.

4.23 The Fax

The information to be sent should have a cover sheet saying who it’s from, the number of pages and who it goes to.

4.24 Telephone Etiquettes

If the caller is not known to the receiver, it is essential that his credentials and the purpose of the call are established at the outset.

Telephone calls are intended to be dialogues and the caller should always provide the receiver with opportunities to comment or react to a statement.

It is usually the job of the receiver to wrap up the telephone conversation although the caller may nudge the receiver in that direction. The caller should be diplomatic about how this is done and it is important that the call finishes on a friendly and positive note.

4.25 Interrupted calls

If a call is cut off for whatever reason, it is courteous for the original caller to redial. If the receiver suspends the call it is his responsibility to redial. If in the later circumstance the call back is not made

within say 50 minute secretary should ring the original caller with an explanation and apology. Caller should not be put on hold by a receiver for anything more than a few seconds without explanation.

4.26 Good telephone manners

Callers should not be too familiar or casual with the receivers they have never met. Most people are comfortable with callers using their surnames on first contact and do not expect the deference of ‘sir’ or ‘madam’.

Personal matters are generally considered inappropriate for those in the junior ranks of an organization to be discussed with their seniors.

Always use ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ at appropriate points in business calls.

4.27 Receiving calls

One should receive call with a proper and pleasant tone. There should usually be a little pause in every word that is spoken.

4.28 Interrupting calls

Two common interruptions for a receiver are an internal call and an unexpected appearance of a colleague. The correct response to the first is to ask the caller to excuse the interruption and to resume with apology. The latter should be ignored unless the matter is urgent. if an interruption in the call is made, it is necessary to explain the reason to the caller.

4.29 Recording calls

Call should be recorded with the prior permission of the caller.

4.30 Conference calls

The facility to involve several people in a simultaneous telephone conference is extremely useful and the courtesy of such electronic meeting should be the same as those used when people meet face to face. it is bad manners for the users not to respect each and every member of the conference

5.0 CONCLUSION

Management now values manners in the work place as never before. More and more firms are organizing in-house training in etiquettes for their employees. Career minded executives are finding a connection between civility and success.

So it is vital to know the rules of business etiquette, and the first thing we should know is that these rules have a different foundation. However, relationships in the business world have always been based primarily on rank, much like any military system. Rank, or the degree of power vested in different individuals, gives a business organization the structure it needs to function effectively.

6.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sunday times Idiots hand book on Business etiquettes Business etiquettes by LESIKAR