The Office Is No Place for You to Be a Slob

If you wouldn’t do it at home, don’t do it where you work.

A pile of dirty dishes sat in the sink. Above it, a sign read, “There is no maid service and your mother doesn’t work here. Clean your own dishes.”

This was in the breakroom where I worked at the time. It was an active, friendly place during breaks, but that activity didn’t extend to people cleaning up after themselves.

What were people thinking? Were they thinking? Well, they were undoubtedly thinking about themselves. They stopped to eat and at least put the dishes in the sink.

The note was not well-received by most, probably the guilty, and it was torn down. I found it funny. Hey, sometimes the truth hurts, but we all need to hear it.

It’s surprising when people fail to live up to what we feel are the norms of respectful behavior, and the workplace provides abundant examples.

Here are a few basic rules of etiquette for the office.

Yes, I’m optimistic that we will actually go back to them someday during my current lifetime.

Food

In the Refrigerator

Label and date any food you put in the refrigerator. A thick, black Sharpie will do. This way, people know the food is not for common consumption. If someone is hungry and you leave them guessing, you might lose your lunch.

Or snack.

Make sure your food is sealed and throw it away or take it home if it’s expiring. No one plans on doing it for you.

Heating Food

The biggest offender here is stinky food. There are certain things, like fish, that will give the entire office an unpleasant smell. For hours. There’s no reason everyone should suffer from the smell of your food.

It’s not like you can open the windows in most places, and some people are very sensitive to smell. So if your food stinks, please make another choice.

Cover any food that you put into a microwave. Even a paper towel will keep the splatter off the top and sides. But if you happen to splatter anyway, wipe down the microwave immediately before it dries and hardens.

If you’re lucky enough to have a stovetop, clean, dry, and return pans to their proper shelf. The same goes for cooking sheets. Of course, remember to shut off the oven.

Cleaning up

Breakroom

Unless you need to soak something to get burned food off, don’t leave your dishes soaking in the sink.

Put the trash in the trash and the recycling in the recycling.

Never put food in the recycling bins. Yes, this sounds stupid, but it’s happened in my office, and then we had to put up with the smell of garbage. Better to be thorough than assume people have common sense or consideration.

As you know, many do not.

Conference Room

Unless cleaners pick-up after conferences, remove papers, food, etc. and throw them away on the way out.

Your trash and garbage won’t magically disappear and food left out overnight might attract some unwanted guests.

It happens.

Bathroom

Top of the list, FLUSH. Twice if needed. Don’t leave anything behind.

Wash your hands, throw paper towels into the trash. If it’s getting full, make the extra effort to push it down and don’t leave anything on the floor. Don’t leave puddles on the counter as anyone who leans against it will get their clothes wet.

It’s not a good way to go through the day.

Get in and out as quickly as possible. Have conversations elsewhere. The bathroom isn’t the proper venue for a meeting.

Supply Closets

Whether it’s the office supply or breakroom closet, take note if you use the last of something. Tell the person who is in charge of ordering that the item needs to be restocked.

The courteous thing to do is to remember that someone else will be needing the things that you need. If you grab the last fork from the draw and you need to get yourself one, take a second to put a new box in the break room.

If You’re Sick, Stay Home

How we all loved being just sick enough to stay home from school when we were kids. Why is it we can’t enjoy a day off now?

Although many offices are empty due to COVID, there are other reasons we should stay home and away from the general public.

So please, if you’re not feeling well, spend the day in bed recharging your batteries and restoring your health, mental or physical.

It’s healthy for you, and it’s healthy for anyone else you might come into contact with.

Yes, please do not share your germs. Or viruses.

When you’re in the office, or any other place other than home, you are in public and you need to be circumspect. Whatever you do, or don’t do, affects the people around you.

Make sure it’s in a positive way. They need to get their work done as much as you do.

And remember, your mother isn’t there to clean up after you.