One of the great traditions of working in an office is the annual Christmas party, a chance for everyone to celebrate the end of the working year and to socialise with colleagues and bosses.
December 15th 2008 |
Socialising | 1 Comment
I read an interesting
blog post about a worker who had been called "honey", "darling" and "baby" in the office and who wanted to know if it was acceptable.
Of all the taboo subjects, politics is probably the one most likely to lead to an argument. Your political beliefs say a lot about your personal values, and political discussions can quickly get heated. The office is probably not the best place to discuss politics, precisely because despite your beliefs, you still need to work with the colleagues you might fundamentally disagree with. If politics comes up in discussion, here are some things you can say to avoid getting involved:
Are you aggressive or submissive? Decisive or unsure? Here is a "not-so tongue in cheek" guide to four different handshake styles.
If you're starting a new job and want to make a good impression on your new colleagues, try these cultural tips!
June 10th 2008 |
Socialising
How can you politely say that you find something unacceptable if other people in your office are happy with it?
If you've just come back to work after a public holiday, or if your colleague has had a day off, it's considered friendly to talk about the holiday.
If someone offers to do something for you, how can you refuse? Just saying "No" is likely to offend the person making the offer. Here are some ways to politely refuse an offer.
In the UK, this Friday ("Good Friday") is a public holiday. The following Monday ("Easter Monday") is also a public holiday, which gives workers four days off in a row. Unlike at Christmas, people tend not to send Easter cards (except perhaps to family members), and many people use the four-day break to go away somewhere on holiday.
On a recent Sunday morning walk in the English countryside, everyone I passed said "Morning!" Children on their bikes, dog owners, elderly people going for a quiet stroll; everyone smiled and greeted each other. I didn't know anyone personally, but this made no difference.
