UK workforce wants less formality but more manners according to
new Royal Mail survey
16/04/2003
New research reveals workplace gaffes
infuriate
more than 10 million of the UKs workforce
ANSWERING mobile
phones in meetings, spelling mistakes and being put on hold are among the
major causes of office irritation in workplaces across the UK, according to
research released today by Royal Mail.
The study of 1,000 office workers
across the UK found that although people are glad that communication in the
workplace is becoming more informal, a basic level of courtesy is often
missing.
The survey revealed that the most annoying habit was people
answering mobile phones in meetings. It found that although this is now very
common with 93 per cent saying they had seen it happen it actually
infuriated 83 per cent of respondents.
58 per cent of people surveyed
claimed to have been put on hold in the middle of a business call due to a
client answering another call. Nearly three quarters of these were irritated or
infuriated by this.
Spelling mistakes also emerged as a source of
annoyance, with 86 per cent of respondents claiming to be extremely irritated by
them.
It is clear from the research that seemingly little things, such
as answering your mobile in a meeting, have a huge impact on the way people view
you in the workplace, explained Royal Mails Head of Consumer and Small
Business, Alison White. Even though there is a desire in the workplace for less
formality, and developments in technology mean there are more ways to
communicate, it is clear that people still place a very high value on basic
common courtesies.
One firm that has adopted strict guidelines on
communications is Steven
Loble Solicitors, a London-based law firm. Best
practice includes stringent checks on documents that go externally. Some clients
who constantly interrupt meetings with their mobiles are asked to switch them
off and only make calls during breaks.
Founder and principal Steven Loble
said, The research reveals that communicating effectively with clients is an
essential part of service provision. I believe that today, many people take
technology for granted and do not consider the content as carefully as they
should. As a result communication etiquette has been lost.
When setting
up Steven Loble Solicitors I decided that I wanted to put best practice in place
so that communicating effectively with our clients was consistent across the
firm. This includes a house style for documents. I had worked in law firms in
the past where communication was lower down the agenda and mistakes had been
made. My employees see the value of effective communications and believe, as I
do, that communicating effectively is at the heart of everything we
do.
The death of Yours Sincerely
The research also revealed that
there is a desire for increased informality in business communications. This is
most apparent in the case of letter writing, where 90 per cent said they address
letters Dear Sir/Madam or Dear Mr/Mrs but that 50 per cent actually prefer to
receive letters that are addressed Dear Christian name.
Likewise with
sign-offs, Best wishes (41 per cent) or Kind regards (35 per cent) were much
more popular than Yours Sincerely (11 per cent) and Yours Faithfully (12 per
cent).
The kiss of death
Another trend to emerge is that although
European greetings, such as kisses on the cheek, are becoming more common they
are not very popular. The figures revealed that although some people choose to
greet people with a kiss on one (11 per cent) or both cheeks (9 per cent), 86
percent felt this was an inappropriate form of business greeting. By contrast, a
handshake was favoured by 58 per cent of respondents.
SMS IRRIT8TION
but expected to grow
66 per cent of those surveyed felt that text messaging,
as a business communications tool is expected to grow in the future, however it
is not universally popular today. Currently, a quarter of people are using text
messaging for business use at work, yet employees do not currently like
receiving text messages from clients or customers. 37 per cent of people claimed
it was annoying and a further 28 per cent said it would surprise them to receive
a business related text message.
Alison White, Head of Consumer and Small
Business, Royal Mail said: The research has shown that there is a desire for
more informality in the workplace. There is a fine line businesses need to tread
if they are going to successfully communicate. Businesses need to ensure that
their communications include the basics of traditional courtesy if they are to
retain their customer base. Simple errors such as grammar and spelling mistakes,
answering a mobile phone in a meeting and putting a customer on hold can be a
huge turn off for a client and will ultimately cost businesses money.
We have developed the Business Seduction Guide to assist businesses
with the etiquette of modern business communications. Business communication has
become more informal, however, people still expect to be treated courteously.
Businesses need to be aware of the changing nature of communications and adopt
best practices accordingly.
Richard Wilson, business policy executive
at The Institute of Directors said: "Common courtesies, such as refraining from
answering a mobile phone in a meeting, attention to spelling and punctuation and
prompt response to letters of inquiry, are not just polite and accepted forms of
behaviour - they are also instrumental to good business performance. The
behaviour of management and staff can have a direct impact on customer loyalty
and make the difference between success and failure in attracting new business.
Royal Mail''''''''''''''''s research shows that too many people are either
ignorant or forgetful of good manners. Fortunately, the Royal
Mail''''''''''''''''s Business Seduction Guide reminds employers and employees
about the importance of good etiquette and how to practise it in a business
environment. Sensible businesses should subscribe to its recommendations."
The Business Seduction Guide has been launched by Royal Mail to assist
companies with the etiquette of modern business communication. Based on
extensive research with SMEs, consumers and people in workplaces throughout the
UK, the guide provides information and advice on business communications from
the initial introduction through to the mature stages of a business
relationship. For copies of the guide please visit: www.royalmail.com/seduction
.
Top Tips for avoiding workplace communication gaffes:
Never
answer mobile phones in a meeting unless otherwise agreed
Never put someone
on hold when another telephone call comes through that you think could be more
important unless you have explained beforehand
Always check for any
spelling or grammatical errors before sending a document out to internal or
external audiences
Avoid sending business related text messages
Greet
people with a handshake; only kiss on the cheek if the other person instigates
it
- Ends -
