Manners in the Workplace

The latest status symbol in China isn’t a luxury car or innovative gadget. In China people are paying to learn Western manners. Manners are something we pick up from our environment; they’re a cultural phenomenon. The well –to-do in China are realizing the impact that globally accepted manners can have on their business transactions.

How we behave and interact with those around us directly affects the company we work for on a daily basis. Most of us don’t think about how we should act in a business setting, we tend to have preconceived notions that we adhere to. However, when we come across someone that doesn’t quite fit the roll of “workplace appropriate” we almost immediately take notice. Some people feel apprehensive when dealing with those they consider to be rude, blunt, or demanding. Due to those feelings situations can arise that cause hostility or awkwardness, and these types of issues can cause barriers that interrupt the flow of work.

The Chinese are taking this to a higher level, they’re taking steps to make it easier for them to communicate and interact with people in the world market. While rudeness is defined differently depending on where you’re from, the Chinese are adopting manners that are socially more acceptable in the West (which seems extremely polite to me).

To read more about this issue please click the link:

http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20150219-the-latest-chinese-status-symbol

Written by: Sara Sunday