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Professionalism in the Workplace: An Important Element for Career Success byRUBEN BRITT JR.

Professionalism in the Workplace: An Important Element for Career Success

Ruben Britt, Jr.

Professionalism in the workplace is a particular form of business etiquette, which is an important element in achieving success in the workplace. It is the quintessential way professional businessmen and women conduct themselves. Business etiquette relies on tradition, social expectations and behavior standards. Although sound office manners may not be listed in your job description, they definitely play a crucial role in your career. Your career success will depend on your ability to incorporate business etiquette and life-long learning skills into your daily activities.

Life-long learning skills are those skills that have been honed and refined. They are retrievable on demand to negotiate effective outcomes. Employees gain valuable training through many vehicles including employer-training programs. In fact, employers spend over $40 billion dollars annually for employee training. We live in a skill-oriented society. Employees who do not continually seek opportunities inside and outside the workplace to constantly upgrade their skills are expendable. Occupations continue to increase their educational requirements with no end in sight. Employers want individuals who possess an array of transferable skills.

What are transferable skills?

Transferable skills are the set of skills that are transferable from one job to another. They may consist of the following:

Able to analyze information Managing/Supervising

Adaptability Negotiating/Arbitrating

Budget management Organizing

Communication Personal management

Computer literate Problem-solving

Critical thinking Processing information

Editing Public speaking

Fluent in another language Reading

Group effectiveness Researching

Interviewing Teaching/Instructing

Leadership Time management

Listening Writing

Listening and oral communication skills quickly rise to the top as vital skills because these skills encompass most of our daily activities at work. The average person spends 8.4% of communication time writing, 13.3% of reading, 23% speaking and 55% listening. Therefore, communication skills are crucial to success on the job. Furthermore, employers go to great lengths to identify adaptable team members.

Adaptability, personal management, group effectiveness and influence are major factors that attribute in one’s personal and professional development. Progressive businesses and organizations want individuals who are flexible and able to keep pace with new developments in technology, changes in the marketplace and new management practices. Employees who are innovative problem-solvers are highly sought after in today’s business world and are less likely to be the victim of budget cuts.

Personal management consists of an assortment of skills such as self-esteem, goal-setting and personal/career development. Self-esteem is necessary for employees to take pride in their work and goal setting helps motivate them to achieve stated objectives. It is important for you to learn how to advance within an organization and what opportunities exist outside your present employer.

Group effectiveness is another key element in the success of any organization. In today’s marketplace, it is imperative that workers understand and practice teamwork, negotiation, and interpersonal skills. Individuals who learn how to work effectively in groups are the backbone of progressive organizations that build successful businesses and programs. Aside from working effectively in groups, each person must institute their own influence in order to successfully contribute ideas to an organization. It is important to understand the organizational structure and informal networks in order to implement new ideas or complete certain tasks.

Success in the workplace will not be derived from your academic or technical knowledge or experience. It will be a direct result from your ability to utilize proper business etiquette and communicate effectively. Non-verbal communication actions such as handshakes, body language and eye contact are used instinctively to evaluate a person and form a first impression.

Business Do’s and Don’ts

Be careful with your appearance (proper hygiene and wearing the right clothes)
Be friendly (getting along with your supervisor and co-workers)
Learn the culture of the organization
Honor other people’s territory
Learn how to do your job and expand your knowledge
Communicate and listen
Don’t use regional or slang expressions
Utilize professional development programs
Punctuality and attendance
Keep an open mind
Follow through with work/projects assignments
Keep personal information to yourself
Be positive and supportive
Don’t borrow money
Try to solve your own problems
Don’t be in a too big a hurry to advance

In a tough economy you don’t want to become a victim of short-term employment because of inappropriate behavior in the workplace. Good office manners means good business and it also plays a crucial role in your career. If you know what to do, when to do it and how to do it with grace and style, you will have the competitive edge in the workplace. Professionalism in the workplace is understanding the employer’s expectations and setting personal goals.

Ruben Britt, Jr. is the Assistant Director of the Career and Academic Planning Center at

Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey and he is the author of Black and Powerful: The Career Guide for Tomorrow’s Top Leaders