And it will be up to you to know what they are, backwards and forwards. People unknowingly sabotage their attempts to stay employed when they disregard the codes of conduct in an organization. Too often, there will be at least one clueless individual who will go over the top and do too much. On the other hand, others will treat a full time job like a part time position, and will spend time doing non-related work things while at work. Employees who compensate themselves by playing online poker or buying online vacations they can't really afford must be aware that there are eyes all over the place in the office. Somebody will always be watching.
If you want to hang on to your job, then follow these tried and tested rules of office etiquette.
Show Up at Work on Time
Unless you are self employed, and work out of your home, you will be expected to arrive at work at a specific time. Lateness can be tolerated by the boss up to a point, as long as they know about it in advance like if you have got an appointment to see the doctor/dentist etc. If you can't manage your time then your boss will not trust you to manage anything else, and one morning he/she will say that it's no longer necessary for you to show up at all.
Know and Respect the Chain of Command
It's like being in the military. You have a rank and so does everyone else. Going over somebody's head and doing a task that is normally not within your boundary of responsibility will make that person kind of irritable. They may feel their territory has been violated. It's great to be enthusiastic and hardworking but don't overdo it. If this goes too far this tactic will backfire and they may, instead of confronting you, go behind your back and complain directly to the boss.
Say No to Gossip
There you are with a couple of your office mates around the water cooler or coffee machine, chatting about nothing in particular. Before you know it the conversation takes a new and possibly dangerous turn. This can be extremely hard to stay away from. Sharing tidbits of interesting information about that special employee is harmless in small doses, but embellished suspicions and the often inevitable rumors can make it impossible to separate fact from fiction.
Gossip can come back to bite you in a big way. A politically minded employee with a nasty little scheme to get to the top can use this as an excuse to remove you from the company. All they would have to do is take their case to the HR department and tell them how rotten you are for spreading malicious lies.
Maintain a Respectable Distance from Your Colleagues and Boss
The people who share an office with you come to work for just one reason, to earn their living. Casually wandering over to somebody's cubicle and making random small talk will wear his/her patience rather thin. Some employees are fiercely territorial, and may react harshly to anyone who just drops by for a visit. Your boss will not be interested in being your best friend either, and you shouldn't try to change that.
Office Parties
Actually, attending one of these functions is not optional. If you don't show up, the message you're sending is that you don't want to be part of the team. Even if you're really not interested come and stay for at least thirty minutes. And while you're there, drink moderately, remember not to gossip and be on your best behaviour.
Recognizing your own behaviour and how it affects your colleagues is essential to staying employed. The office isn't a playground! Also, keep your ears and eyes open and look for opportunities to do a little extra. Be likeable and positive, and above all don't get involved in gossip. It makes people nervous and that's not the best thing to do in these tough economic times.
