Kill 'Em With Kindness

     Playing nice at work may have its benefits. In a Robert Half survey, 48% of workers said that being nice

 to co-workers may help carry you through the ranks in the workplace. Another 41% said that proper

 etiquette also plays an important role in the workplace.

     The survey was developed by staffing firm Robert Half International. It was conducted by an independent

 research firm and is based on interviews with more than 430 workers 18 years of age or older and

 employed in office environments. Workers were asked, “In your opinion, to what extent does being

 courteous to coworkers positively impact a person’s career prospects?” In their answers, 48% said

"Greatly, it can accelerate advancement." 41% said "Somewhat, but skills play a greater role." 10% said it

 has no impact at all, its who and what you know, and 1% did not know.
    
“In most cases, a minor etiquette slip up won’t be career-limiting if you quickly acknowledge it and learn from

 your mistake,” said Brett Good, a senior district president for Robert Half International. “But continual

 missteps have a cumulative effect that can chip away at your professional reputation and get in the way of

 advancement.”

     Robert Half has four etiquette tips to use in the workplace. These include; Good Language: potty mouth

 language such as swear words, politically incorrect jokes, and off- color comments should be avoided.

 When you wonder if you should say something or not, that’s your internal voice telling you to zip it. Play it

 safe and watch your words. Avoiding Conflicts Publicly: Harshly criticizing colleagues in front of others or

 gossiping behind their backs typically only makes you look bad. Address problems with coworkers head-

on, but do it respectfully and in private. Taking a Deep Breath: Although coworkers may do things that

 irritate you, take a minute to collect your thoughts before raising your voice or firing off a rude email. Losing

 your cool will exacerbate your problems. Finally, Get Ready Before Work : Confine your grooming

 activities to your home, or at least the restroom. The goal is to win over — not offend — your fellow

 employees.
     In my case, I have seen behavior play a role in the workplace as far as how employees are treated. I have

 witnesses people talking poorly of their co-workers to other co-workers, and have seen conflicts arise

 because of it. In one situation two employees got caught in a verbal disagreement that they put on display for

 everyone to witness. Both parties involved in the disagreement ended up getting disciplinary action and

 looking petty in front of their fellow co-workers. In another situation, one employee lost his cool over a

 disagreement and started yelling and shouting obscenities for everyone to see. This actually led to his

 immediate termination on the spot.

     I believe that good work behavior and a good attitude will carry you far in the workplace, and in life as

 well. I think it is important to have the necessary skills and requirements to advance in the workplace, but

 those alone might not always be enough. If you can't demonstrate the ability to get along and work with your

 fellow co-workers, future employers will be leery of hiring you. I think that a positive attitude and good

 work behavior are two very important attributes to have in the workplace.