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Special Reports
Recruiting And Training
Newbies Get Training on Workplace Behavior
Business executives are complaining that many newcomers to the workplace
do not know the appropriate behavior for the office, said one trainer.
Kate Zabriskie, the founder of Business Training Works Inc. here, said, "What was once common sense is no
longer that common. The problems we see range from inappropriate cell phone use to inappropriate office party behavior."
Her firm offers a course called "Work Experience: How to Act So People Think You Have It."
She said, "We've spent the last five years working with all sorts of organizations to identify common problems
and we've synthesized the learning points into a solid training program. "Our goal is to flatten the learning
curve and save new hires from the many mistakes their peers will probably make."
Among the advice given to course attendees: * You're not in a dorm. You are in an office. Nonverbal messages such
as posture and dress impact how others see you. Pay attention to what's going on in your environment. In most workplaces,
you should cover tattoos, ditch excessive jewelry and keep flamboyance to a minimum. * Bring a pen and a notebook
to every meeting you attend, and avoid the urge to doodle or otherwise look distracted. Hello Kitty, pink paper
or other cutesy stationary should be left at home. * If you don't know different forks have different purposes,
or if you just don't care, you should. Table manners still count and you never know who may be watching you.
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