10 Habits That Are Making You Look Highly Unprofessional At Work

The Office is a place where people, by virtue of shared goals and purposes, are required to exist in close proximity to one another and, for the gathering to be effective, certain basic principles of etiquette and professionalism need to be upheld. Going against these norms will cast you in a negative light, very possibly hurting your prospects and opportunities.

That being said, here is a list of ten habits you should steer clear of in order to maintain an air of professionalism:

1. Tardiness

Few things will mark you out for negative attention in the workplace like showing up late. It shows a lack of respect for the work being done as well as for the people you’re working with.

2. Not taking advice

They say the only stupid question is the one left unasked. What impresses people about asking questions is that it demonstrates a willingness to take direction and advice; the inverse, it so follows, holds true.

3. Disorganization

If you spend inordinate amounts of time on your feet- looking for a misplaced file, a missing stapler, or whatever it is, the impression you give is doing you no favours. Get organized!

4. Poor self-expression

You may have the most brilliant idea or suggestion in the company’s history on the tip of your tongue, but, if you can’t communicate it clearly you just come off as a know-it-all with nothing solid to contribute to the discussion.

5. Over-promising and Under-delivering

‘Don’t worry, I’ll have it done by Monday’, you said. When you commit yourself to meeting a certain goal or target, failure to do so paints you in a very negative light- as someone who’s incompetent and unlucky enough not to know it.

6. Inappropriate dressing

Nowadays, most office settings maintain a somewhat relaxed dress code, but that’s really no reason to show up on Monday morning looking like you’re all set for a barbeque!

7. Poor Hygiene and grooming

That moustache you’ve become attached to may be a big hit with the ladies, but before you get into the boardroom, it may be a good idea to ditch it.

8. Selling stuff

Looking to make some extra cash, huh? Here’s a tip for free: Keep it out of the office. Nobody likes it.

9. Personal calls

Okay, we get it- you lead a full, busy life- but do everyone around you a favour and, at least, pretend to have your mind in the office; they’ll appreciate it.

10. Calling in sick every so often

What many people seem oblivious to when it comes to calling in sick at the office is that 99% of the time, everyone will know you’re faking it, doing nothing for your credibility. Trust me, it counts come promotion season.