Office etiquette training covers many concepts that should be common sense. It’s not always that simple. When we encounter situations that are awkward or uncomfortable, we freeze and don’t know how to handle them. Or we look away, cringe, or choose to gossip and joke about the occurrence.

Learners will enjoy HSI’s new series on Office Etiquette. The style pays homage to the popular TV Series “The Office.” Look for the Dwight bobblehead, Prison Mike’s purple bandana, and Pam’s Jelly Belly dispenser among many other “Easter Eggs.” Our strategy in this series is to hold the learner’s attention with our “Office” spoofs while delivering practical and helpful advice in a microlearning format. Here are a few highlights from each of the four courses:

Appearance

The first course in our office etiquette training series gives learners advice on how to talk to a coworker about an awkward situation like having food in their teeth or toilet paper on their shoe. I imagine it’s the same advice if a coworker has dried nasal mucus in their nose. (I just couldn’t use the “b” word in a corporate blog, but you know what I am talking about. That is more awkward than blueberries in your teeth!)

It may seem surprising that this needs to be covered in a training video, but it is not appropriate to clip or paint your nails (finger or toes) at work. Similarly, it’s not proper etiquette to walk around the office barefooted unless you are a lifeguard or yoga instructor.

Environment

This course is valuable for people who work in a shared space, cubicle, or open layout. It covers etiquette for private conversations, speakerphone use, and privacy. (Look for Dwight and the stapler in the yellow Jell-O mold!)

There is a section in the video that discusses appropriate office decor and what the cleanliness of your desk says about you. Honestly, I laughed out loud when I saw they had filmed my desk as an example of a messy desk. Complete with my personal Dwight bobblehead, brown banana, ZooFriends stuffed Orangutang, and can of WD40!

Food

Have you ever used the french vanilla pump creamer in the office kitchen only to later notice the expiration date was two years ago? (True story) Maybe your office needs a clean fridge policy. We discuss that in this video.

Have you or your co-workers ever eaten their tuna or egg salad sandwich at their desk? If so, this video will help to explain why that is insensitive to those around you. We also cover microwave and popcorn etiquette, food trash disposal, and gum chewing.

Interactions

This video covers the etiquette in a variety of workplace situations.

• Conversations in an open office layout
• Meeting protocol
• Finding personal content on the shared printer
• Behavior at social work events (featuring “It is your birthday” vignette complete with brown, silver, and black balloons)

The overarching theme in all four office etiquette training videos is to be considerate of your co-workers. I can tell you that all of the HSI employees had fun filming and we hope your learners enjoy the courses while learning some helpful tips. You can watch clips from all four courses in this series to get a preview of the fun.

Additional Fun Training from HSI

Not only can office etiquette training be fun, but HSI makes many soft skills training topics interesting and enjoyable. We have a unique style to our microlearning videos. Check out our cybersecurity training videos, specifically “Types of Malware.” Our designer created a cast of cartoon characters reminiscent of the movie Dick Tracy.

Our course on “Surviving Poor Decisions” features a Survivor TV show and Cast Away movie theme. As the video plays, the presenter looks more disheveled and his beard appears to grow to represent the impact the bad decision has the longer you take to address it.

Additional Resources

• You can view clips from all four courses in our Office Etiquette training series. Request a free trial and you can access our full library.
• If you decide to begin a search for off-the-shelf training videos like ours, you should check out one of our most popular blogs "How to Buy eLearning Content for Your LMS (And Not Regret It Later)."
• To learn more about our approach in creating microlearning videos, download our white paper "The Science Behind Microlearning."
• Adding a few videos that are fun or funny can add some new energy to your training program. We provide more ideas in our blog "7 Ways to Revitalize Your Employee Training Program."