Although the majority of hospitality professionals work directly in the hotel or restaurant and are guest-facing, there are still plenty of corporate opportunities! 

Whether you’re new to the corporate world, or coming back into an office after working from home for many years, it’s great to know what to expect and how to act professionally in an office setting. 

Post-COVID-19, many offices have become more casual and relaxed, which can also make it more confusing to know right from wrong in this environment. Here are some tips you can use to set a good impression and form strong connections! 

Limit looking at your phone

Our phones are a powerful tool, and a lot of us use it to keep us organized and successful. But, when you have work to get done, being on your phone for too long or too often will keep you from getting your work done on time, or even well. 

We all need brain breaks during an 8+ hour work day but make sure to not let it become too much of a distraction. If your manager or coworkers notice you on your phone too much, it may result in a bad performance review or even some type of write-up. 

When you are in meetings, whether in person or virtually, silence your phone and put it face down so you and others in the meeting are not distracted. 

Take phone calls in private 

We all get the occasional personal call at work. Maybe your child isn’t feeling well and needs to be picked up, or your prescription is ready, or your friend is going through a crisis. We’ve all been there. But your coworkers don’t need to hear your conversation. 

Step outside, or find a meeting room where you can have your conversation. 

Don’t gossip about others 

People ALWAYS find out what you say. No matter how frustrated you are, or if your other coworkers are doing it so you feel like they’re trustworthy, don’t take the chance. If a coworker walks up to you to gossip, let them know you are not comfortable being part of the conversation or change the subject completely. If you walk into a conversation where coworkers are gossiping, it’s best to excuse yourself and walk away. 

We all need to blow off some steam or talk about something that upsets us at work. If you need to, save it for outside of work and talk about it with people who will never be involved in your work life. 

Also, NEVER gossip about a coworker on Slack or Teams (or whichever platform your work uses) or in an email. You never know who will be able to see your chats. 

Knock before entering 

If you need to go ask a coworker a quick question or have a meeting with your boss in their office, it’s polite to knock before entering a room or a cubicle. This way, the person can wrap up their thought or what they are working on and give you their undivided attention. 

Stay home if you feel sick 

We’ve all done it… you wake up feeling a fever coming on but you don’t want to use a PTO day so you pull yourself together as best you can and go into the office. However, COVID taught us that if you ignore how you’re feeling and go in anyway, you can end up getting your entire team (or office) sick. 

Give your boss a quick call or email and see if you can work from home instead until you feel better, or if you have the PTO days to take off, take a rest day! 

Dress professionally 

How you dress can be a fun way to show off a bit of your personality, or even creativity, but keep in mind that you’re still at work and not the club on Friday night. 

Match the style of dress your coworkers have. If everyone wears jeans, t-shirts, and sneakers, then you can do the same, but if everyone wears suits or dresses with dress shoes, don’t show up in jeans and a hoodie. 

Don’t bring fish for lunch 

We’ve all heard horror stories, or maybe even dealt with a coworker who really enjoyed a tuna fish sandwich. You should of course enjoy eating your favorite foods, but try to keep in mind that you’re sharing a space with your coworkers, and not everyone wants to smell egg salad during lunch.