Cubicle Etiquette

CUBICLE ETIQUETTE
By Jill Bremer, AICI, CIP
PRIVACY

• Never enter someone's cubicle without permission. Behave as though cubicles have doors. Do not enter before you have eye contact "permission" from the occupant.
• Try not to sneak up behind someone in a cube. Announce yourself at their doorway or lightly knock on the wall.
• Post a sign or flag at your cube entrance to signal when you can be interrupted. Avoid making eye contact with people if you don't want to be interrupted.
• Don't "prairie-dog" over the tops of cubes or peek in as you walk past each one.
• Don't loiter outside someone's cube while you wait for him or her to finish a phone call. Come back at another time.
• Never read someone's computer screen or comment on conversations you've overheard. Resist answering a question you overheard asked in the cube next to you!
• Keep your hands off a cube dweller's desk. Just because there's no door doesn't mean you can help yourself to their paper clips.

PHONES

• Try to pick up your phone after one or two rings. Set the ringer volume at a low level.
• Limit the use of speakerphones. If you must use one, keep the volume as low as possible. Use a meeting room for conference calls.
• Watch your volume when talking on the phone. A headset can help keep your voice low.
• When you leave your cubicle, turn your phone ringer off and let it go to voicemail or forward your phone number to your new location.
• Never leave your cell phone behind in your cube without first turning it off or to vibrate.
• With personal or sensitive calls, be aware that your neighbors can hear your end of the conversation.

TALKING

• Use your "library voice".
• Don't talk through cube walls or congregate outside someone's cube. For impromptu meetings, go to a conference room or break room.
• Don't bring clients to your cube to meet with them. Go to an office or conference room.
• Don't yell across the "cube farm". Get up and move to the other person's location.

GENERAL NOISE

• Use email or instant messaging to communicate silently with your coworkers.
• Play radios at low volumes or use a headset.
• Set your PC volume to a low level and turn off screensaver sound effects.
• Set pagers to vibrate.
• Work out an arrangement with your neighbors to take lunch breaks at different times. This will give each of you some quiet time in your cube.
• Eat quietly. Avoid gum-popping, humming, slurping and pen tapping.

SMELLS

• A good rule of thumb is to never eat hot food at your desk. Food odors can bother your hungry or nauseous neighbors.
• Perfume and cologne should be avoided in a cubicle arrangement. Your neighbors may have allergies.
• Keep an air freshener handy.
• Keep your shoes on!