By Maria Krowicki - Electronic Etiquette
In this day and age of modern technology, we can’t turn around without being connected to external sources - some way, some how - every minute of the day. Whether it be e-mail, cell phones, crackberries (Blackberries), I phone, I pod, I touch and all the other “I’s” in between, we are a communication melting pot.
What happens when all of these electronics get in the way of our everyday existence? Have we become SO engrossed in our world and the world around us, that we have forgotten the basic fundamentals of considerate behavior?
You can’t go anywhere – store, restaurant, church (yup, can’t make these things up) – without hearing cell phones ringing everywhere. We constantly need to be in touch. It’s the world in which we live in. BUT, when you answer the phone, does it need to be on speaker? Does every stranger in the place have to hear about your friend’s wild night? Mmmmm, I don’t think so. It’s best to skip the speakerphone option when in public. Save it for the privacy of your own home.
While we’re on the subject, please turn off the cell phone ringer when you are at work. Especially if you have a provocative or unusual ring tone. What you may find to be funny, may not be amusing to the person sitting next to you.
When attending meetings, seminars, etc., please leave the cell phone on your desk. Unless the President of the United States is trying to reach you, it really is rude and inconsiderate to the speaker trying to give a presentation while someone is incessantly texting. If I recall correctly, even President Obama had to give up his Blackberry. It is important to give the person speaking the attention and respect they deserve.
We all receive the e-mail chains that urge us to pass them along to nine of our friends within the next two minutes or something bad will happen on the fifth hour of the second day of the month. YIKES!!! Just say “No thank you” when you receive those types of e-mails. It takes away from productivity. I don’t think there has been proven documentation of anything bad happening to anyone from not forwarding a chain e-mail.
When sending messages from the work e-mail – strictly business. No need to send smiley faces or other emoticons. It takes away from the professionalism of the e-mail.
Following some of these simple etiquette tips would make Emily Post proud.
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Response to comment
Laura,
I agree with what you are saying. We choose to be in a state of constant connection. People feel that they need to be, while they really don't. This is why I wrote this, to make a point. I was being facetious.
Thank you for your comment.
Maria, HR Manager, New Jersey
Electronic Etiquette
You stated in your post, "We constantly need to be in touch. It’s the world in which we live in."
I don't believe that's true. We don't NEED to be in touch with everyone and everything they do all the time.
Many just choose to because they forgot how to say no, I have limits, I have personal time. I think we need to step back a bit and realize that we don't need to exchange constant electronic information with everyone about everything.
I mean, really - what exactly did you do before you had a cell phone? Granted, some don't remember what teen and adult life was like before this, but some of us do. Ask us - we'll tell you that we had to make that phone call before we left home and backed out of the driveway and actually paid attention to the road; we went to the pay phone at the restaurant, but only to check in with an ailing relative in the hospital who was just getting out of surgery; and we actually did pay attention in a meeting instead of playing with our phones/PDAs/iWhatevers - and the meeting didn't take all day because we were paying attention.