How to make a new pot of coffee and 8 other office rules we’ve forgotten

Our home offices might be fantastic, but our workplace desks, meeting rooms, and kitchenettes have been calling out to us like sirens calling out to sailors. Across the country, organizations are reopening their offices and welcoming employees back to the workplace. We’re excited to get back — not as enthusiastic as the people in this great ad from EXTRA gum. That’s another level.

But these aren’t the same workplaces that we left over 500 days ago. Organizations have made changes to keep employees, vendors, and customers safe. Directional signs are in place in hallways and stairwells to maintain social distancing. Elevator capacities have been reduced or changed to one direction. And sadly, the days of leftovers in the kitchen might be at an end.

Offices and workplaces might look different, but many of the ground rules are still the same. It’s been a while since we’ve shared a coffee pot, and we’re here with a refresher on nine pieces of office etiquette that will make going back to the workplace great for everyone.

Meeting and meeting room etiquette

Back to the office means back to the eternal quest for finding a meeting room for the correct number of people at the right time — and the one with the good whiteboard too. Making meetings and meeting rooms work can be done, as long as we all remember:

• Before scheduling a meeting, ask yourself this question — “could this meeting be an email?” As we’ve worked from home, asynchronous communications over chat apps and email have shown us that we can most likely ask questions if we need to rather than bring people into a room.

• No one likes being the person who has to interrupt a meeting that’s gone past its end time. It’s a great idea to schedule your meetings for 25 or 55 minutes to give your meeting attendees a chance to collect their things and return the room to how you found it before the next meeting begins.

• Many workplaces are moving to a hybrid workplace model where not everyone will be in the office simultaneously. When you’re setting up your next meeting invite, consider adding the following information:

  1. Include a link to Zoom, Teams, or Hangout for the meeting in addition to the meeting room.

  2. Always include basic details on what the meeting is about and what the expected outcomes or action items of the meeting will be.

  3. If it’s available, include a link to shared documentation with details and any pre-meeting notes.

Around the office kitchen

Ah, the good old office kitchen with its collection of branded mugs from conferences past. Working from home has meant we’ve put our Mr. Coffees through more brewing hours than they were designed for, so it’s a good thing your trusty commercial coffee brewer is ready and waiting for you. Hopefully, someone threw out the grounds before they locked the door in 2020. Speaking of coffee grounds:

• If you’ve walked by a coffee brewer and heard swearing, it was probably a coworker finding an empty pot. Nothing can improve your karma like being the type of officemate who brews a new pot of coffee when they take the last cup. 

• Making and eating all your meals at home has meant more kitchen cleanups — so take that energy into the office. Don’t let someone in your office become an “office parent.” Wash your dishes or load the dishwasher, take your Tupperware home instead of leaving it in the fridge, and most importantly — when you’re done with your coffee, clean your mug.

Around the office

Working from home has meant more distractions for many employees. You might be sharing a space with a partner who’s also working from home or managing online learning for your children, all while trying to get your tasks completed. Going back to the office might seem like there will be less, but remembering how to interact with other humans in an office will take a little bit of work. 

• Everyone is different when it comes to being “heads down.” Some workers wear their headphones to signal they’re deep into a task. Others find a quiet space away from people to get focused. Before you need to, ask your colleagues what they need to get their best work done.

• Seinfeld was right - close-talking was never ok. Even more so now, keeping physically distant is still critical to help reduce more cases of COVID-19.

• PC Load Letter. We all know what needs to be done — no, not smashing the printer. Fill the photocopier or printer with more paper after printing a large job.

• We don’t need any heroes around the office — if you’re sick, stay home. We’ve all come into work with a runny nose or cough because an important project was due. But now, “just a cold” is no excuse. If you’re a people manager, you must normalize taking a sick day when you’re sick. 

Making your workplace one for all employees

On a serious note, your employees have different feelings and expectations about returning to the workplace. You’ve done the work to make it a safe workplace, but make sure you make it a welcoming, rewarding, and appreciative one too.

Our expectations for how people might feel are irrelevant — we need to meet each other where we are and support each other as best as possible with an open mind.

Jim Moss, Leader Community Impact and Growth + Executive Director of WorkWell, YMCA of Three Rivers