There are many misconceptions about professional and unprofessional work behaviours. Many believe that dressing makes us professional, but that concept is from the 1960s. Today, professionalism is judged by how you behave at your workplace, with your colleagues and others.
Do you know some of the behaviours you think are normal can cost your job? What are those behaviours? Check them out below:
The Top Most Unprofessional Work Behaviours
1. Gossiping About Colleagues
Though you feel tempted many times, still gossiping about coworkers with other coworkers shows a lack of respect and privacy. It represents you as you believe in gossiping more than you do your work. Also, if your colleagues confide you with their personal information, this does not mean you can tell it to your boss or any other coworker. This way, people around you may lose trust in you and eventually will avoid sharing anything with you.
The best thing at the workplace you can do is to support your colleagues if they trust you or ask for any advice from you. However, end that conversation at that point only. There is no need to discuss it with anyone at the workplace.
2. Politics King of Unprofessional Work Behaviours
Despite its flawed nature, this is everywhere. Individuals often get promoted based on who they know instead of what they know or can do better. The irony is that these people are the ones who seem to reach the top of their career ladder more quickly than those who avoid office politics. Preferring your or/and your friend’s interest before the organisation’s leads to subpar decisions.
Distributed power, an open and transparent culture, and leadership actively correcting this one of the major unprofessional work behaviours can help reverse this problem. Don’t butter up. Instead, work on your skills and abilities to ascend in your career.
3. Being Unresponsive
Ignoring work emails, calls, or messages from your boss may seem tempting, as you might think it’s your time, and you have the right to decide how you want to spend it. However, they may take it as unprofessional behaviour if you procrastinate more and take the whole day to respond during office hours. Your client may feel ignored and think of you as irresponsible, which may cost you a lot.
Quick responses to work emails and messages show that you are dependable and that you are interested in your work and care about it. The best way to do it is by dedicating 30 minutes of your workday to respond to work emails and messages. You may also need to divide it into two different time slots depending on how frequently you receive work emails or messages.
4. Being Fake
It’s strange, but fakeness is widely accepted (and promoted) in workplaces. This is an uncanny trend since it prevents the truth from coming out, which often results in unresolved problems and poor decision-making. Being fake is lying, and that is not right.
The best way to avoid this is to speak straight from your heart and mind and exactly what you think without eradicating the right to free speech. Be real. This is the best version you can offer to the world.
5. Not Keeping Promises
Individuals are expected to keep promises at a professional level. However, they fail to do so very often. Promises are related to seriousness. If you can not keep your promises, it shows that you are not serious about your commitment towards work and others. It also may denote that you are hesitant towards responsibilities or lack the seriousness needed for work, which is unprofessional.
Therefore, make promises only you can fulfil, except for some circumstances. Avoid babble-mouthing about things you cannot do or promises you cannot keep. Let things be transparent and as they are.
6. Poor Communication
Effective communication is essential for every working professional. Still, many individuals fail to communicate appropriately even after working in the industry for decades. Without a proper understanding of what the other person is saying, one cannot perform as per the expectations, the reason why experts emphasise active listening. Also, college graduates and many senior professionals find it taxing to form a coherent paragraph. Hence, there is a need to enhance the writing skills of individuals.
Since communication is an integral part of the job, everyone should take significant steps to improve their communication skills, which include taking formal writing and active listening courses, reading self-help books, and proactively seeking feedback from colleagues and mentors on listening and writing skills.
7. Not Giving 100%
When you look around, you may find many examples of workers not giving their hundred per cent. The reason could be doing what looks easy to do, not what is right. Most mature adults do what is best, irrespective of how hard it is. If they claim 100% of their paycheck, they own 100% of their work.
Hence, if you think you are not getting paid enough, you might need to reflect on yourself. Even after giving your hundred percent, if you are still unsatisfied with what you are getting, you might look for another opportunity or start a new business.
8. Lying and Stealing
Lying or stealing seems unprofessional. Still, many professionals do it regularly in small or unseemingly ways, which is wrong. Size does not matter when it comes to lying and stealing.
Although small lies and minor stealing often lead to loftier versions of both, the reason there is a need to avoid both in the first place. Not because both are considered unprofessional behaviours but unethical and illegal.
9. Ignoring Boundaries with Colleagues
In the office, it’s better to maintain all interactions professionally, whether you feel it’s fun or easy to interact informally. It’s normal to feel friendly and conversational with coworkers. One must avoid being too noisy or wasting much of their coworker’s time. Similarly, flirting with coworkers is not acceptable.
Always be aware of your actions during conversing with colleagues. There is always a line that you should not cross. The best way to do it is to keep a distance of at least 2 feet when interacting with coworkers. It feels more sophisticated, safe, and professional. Always create a sense of security and responsibility around you.
10. Being Aggressive
Sometimes, some project may become so important to you that you feel it should become a great success at any cost. And if anything goes wrong, you become aggressive, often ignoring what other team members have to say. However, aggression is not a solution. And, if your coworkers feel attacked, they may tune you out.
Besides, they may have some ideas you probably have missed. If you behave too forcefully, people may think you do not want to work with others, and they may not consider working with you or support you in future.
Conclusion: Avoid These Behaviours For a Successful Career
Being professional requires honesty, maturity, and self-awareness. So be self-aware of your actions, mature enough to understand others, and honest to take responsibility for the work you do at your workplace. Remark can help you find a workplace that values you and your efforts so that you can get ahead on your career journeys.