PROFFESSIONALISM

AT WORK
 CONTENT:

• What is professionalism?
• Why is professionalism at work
important?
• Characteristics of professionalism
• How to show professionalism in the
workplace
• Examples of professional
behaviour at work
• Striving for professionalism in the
workplace is key to building trust and
respect as well as advancing within your
career.
• However, many people have different
perceptions of what professionalism in the
workplace means and how to effectively
display it.
• In this article, you can explore what
professionalism in the workplace is, why
it’s important and how you can boost your
own professionalism at your job.
 What is professionalism?

• Professionalism is how you display your

behaviour, attitude and level of skills in the
workplace.
• Being professional at work can be described in
many ways, with one of the most agreed-upon
definitions being a person’s ability to demonstrate
a conscientious, courteous and business-oriented
manner while on the job.
• Professionalism is typically always expected
within the workplace and is a quality that all
employees should strive to embrace and exhibit.
 Why is professionalism at work
important?

• Professionalism in the workplace is important for

several reasons and can be beneficial to
employees and employers in all industries.
• This behaviour is a necessary component to the
long-term success of both a company as a whole
and its workers.
• By establishing the expectation of professionalism
at work, a company can reap the many benefits
that come with professional behaviour.
The following are a few of the many benefits
that professionalism at work can provide:

• Encouragement for employee improvement.

• A business environment where professionalism is
encouraged and practiced can boost overall
employee success and motivation.
• When employees see co-workers striving to their
best and acting in a professional manner, they are
more likely to do the same.
• Workers who perform professionally are more
likely to have better success with clients and
complete their work in an efficient and competent
way.
• Established and understood boundaries.
• When a company clearly outlines their expectations
for professionalism in the workplace, employees are
more likely to respect and fulfil these expectations.
• For example, if your company has straightforward
professional dress code expectations that are
defined in the employee manual, workers are less
likely to show up to the office in jeans and flip flops
and more likely to dress professionally.
• Establishing clear boundaries for the level of
professionalism that is desired makes it easy for
employees to act in an appropriate and professional
manner.
• Boosted workplace respect.
• Employees who act in a professional way
and work in an environment that
encourages professionalism are much
more likely to respect both each other and
the leaders of the company.
• This can help to minimize overall
workplace conflict and help to quickly
deescalate conflict when it does arise.
Characteristics of professionalism

• The ways in which you conduct

yourself as an employee, manager or
business owner are key to your
overall professionalism and how
others perceive you in the workplace.
• Here are a few of the most important
characteristics that individuals who
exhibit professionalism share:
A professional demeanor

• Your demeanour can play a large part

in your overall professionalism and
how professionally you are perceived
by others in and out of the workplace.
• Maintaining a confident and respectful
demeanour without being arrogant or
brash can convey your
professionalism.
• Also, remaining calm and level-headed
even during tense situations can go a
long way to demonstrate your
dedication to remaining professional at
work.
 Reliability

• Being able to be counted on in the workplace is

another characteristic of professional individuals.
• When you say you will perform a task by a certain
date, it’s important to follow through.
• If you discover that you can’t complete a job by the
deadline, be sure to let your manager or superior
know ahead of time so they can make the
necessary arrangements.
• Being reliable at work can let others know they can
count on you and boost the respect that co-workers
and superiors have for you as a professional.
 Accountability
• Taking responsibility for mistakes you have
made shows your credibility and honesty.
• Not only are you demonstrating that you
know why you are responsible, but also
what you will do to fix things.
• By choosing not to be reactive and
choosing to hold yourself accountable, you
show others your commitment to
professionalism as well as reinforcing that
you can be trusted and counted on.
 Proper communication etiquette

• How you talk on the phone, send emails or

otherwise communicate in the workplace is a
key factor in your professional behaviour.
• Speaking in a polite and formal tone and
keeping email correspondence professional
and well-written are all characteristics of
professionalism at work.
 A well-kept appearance

• Choosing to keep a neat appearance and dress

professionally is another important component
of displaying professionalism at work.
• For example, many company leaders will wear
suits every day to demonstrate their level of
professionalism and commitment to portraying
this to workers and customers alike.
 How to show professionalism in the
workplace
• Professionalism in the workplace is something
that must be practiced daily if you want to
increase your level of respectability and trust.

• Here are some ways you can show

professionalism at work on a daily basis:
 1. First, arrive on time

• Arriving on time shows how serious and

committed you are.
• Whether you have a scheduled
appointment or are simply arriving for work
in the morning, getting there at the agreed-
upon or expected time portrays your
dedication to being professional.
• It also shows that you are able to manage
time well and managers can trust in your
punctuality.
2. Second, dress appropriately

• If your company has a dress code, be sure to always

follow this.
• For example, if your organization asks that
employees dress in a business casual way, strive to
wear nice pants or a skirt and an appropriate top that
has been ironed every day.
• Even if other employees do not maintain the dress
code, you should be considerate of your company’s
wishes and abide by the rules to demonstrate
professionalism.
3. Third, become an expert at your job

• In order to serve clients and your company, you

should be as knowledgeable as possible in your
field.
• Decide to study hard and learn anything that you
have not had the chance to learn.
• Knowing how to perform your job efficiently,
effectively and in an expert manner portrays your
dedication to not only your position but also your
overall professionalism.
 4. Fourth, practice basic
manners

• As simple as it may seem, using basic manners

such as saying ‘please,’ ‘thank you’ and ‘excuse
me’ can show professionalism at work.
• If you are not used to using these terms, begin
practicing them in your day-to-day life so that
they become a normal part of your working
vocabulary.
5. Last, commit yourself to workplace ethics

• Ethics are unwritten rules that help you decide between

right and wrong in the workplace.
• Abiding by workplace ethics can show that you are
dedicated to remaining professional in all situations and
that you are able to make important and sometimes
challenging ethical decisions.
• An example of practicing workplace ethics includes
asking for help when you don’t know how to complete a
task rather than risking completing it in a subpar way.
• Another example is reporting instances of ethical
violations when you witness these situations in the
workplace.
Examples of professional behaviour at work

Example:

• You have a disagreement with a co-worker on

how to best complete a project.
• The co-worker has upset you and refuses to
hear your ideas as to how the project should
be done.
• Rather than gossiping about your co-worker to
others or sending your co-worker an
unprofessional email, you ask to speak with
your manager in private about the best way to
address the situation.
 Example:
• You have a meeting with your
manager that is set to begin at 9
a.m.
• Rather than arriving exactly at 9
a.m., you arrive no later than
8:45 a.m. to prepare for the
meeting and go over your notes.
 Example:
• You have made a mistake on a project
that will impact when the project is able to
be turned in.
• Instead of trying to place the blame on
other members of your team who are also
working on the project, you approach your
manager and let them know that you have
made a mistake.
• You then ask your manager what you can
do to fix the mistake and let them know
that you will strive to ensure it doesn’t
happen again.
 Example:

• In a meeting, you raise your hand to share

an educated opinion on what is being
discussed.
• You keep your share to a few minutes so
that others in the meeting will also have
the opportunity to provide input.
THANK YOU
SO MUCH
FOR
YOUR
ATTENTION