1. Open Office Workplace
Etiquette & Protocols
(Moving from “I” space to “We” space)
© 2014 Arocordis Design

2. Goals & Purpose
VERMONT LEAGUE OF CITIES & TOWNS
• Cultivating
engagement and
community
• Foster shared
behavior and
expectations
• Enhancing
collaboration and
productivity
• Encourage wellness
© 2014 Arocordis Design

3. You Have Moved In
Now What?
VERMONT LEAGUE OF CITIES & TOWNS
© 2014 Arocordis Design

4. Issues You May Be Facing
• Safety & security
• Open office ground
rules
• Scheduling
• Confidentiality &
Privacy Concerns
• Noise & smells
• Distractions &
interruptions
• Sharing
• Cleanliness
© 2014 Arocordis Design

5. Cultivating the Protocols
VERMONT LEAGUE OF CITIES & TOWNS
• How and where are
they captured? Cheat
sheets? Online?
• Open and often
communication
• Revisit them on a
reoccurring basis.
How loose or precise to make them?
© 2014 Arocordis Design

6. Protocols to Consider
• Safety & security
• Open office etiquette
• In Shared Work Areas
• At workstations
• At meetings
• Business service
areas
• Eating & food
• Visibility in and out of
the office
(a place to start the conversation)
© 2014 Arocordis Design

7. Safety & Security
• Emergency
procedures
• Evacuation Routes
• How and when to
unlock doors
• How access cards
work
• Visitors/Guests
• Afterhours and
weekends
procedures,
expectations
© 2014 Arocordis Design

8. Open Office Etiquette
• Behaviors & signaling
• Privacy &
interruptions –
clearing throat etc.
• Controlling &
awareness of sounds
• Do not use speaker
phones in public
spaces or work areas.
• Avoid excessive
perfume or cologne,
air fresheners etc.
(A few concepts to consider)
© 2014 Arocordis Design

9. Open Office Etiquette
• Share charging areas
with other team
members.
• Keep technology
sounds low
• Keep tech gadgets
and toys business
appropriate.
(Technologically Speaking)
© 2014 Arocordis Design

10. Shared Work Areas
• Common areas are
shared spaces.
• If a quick
conversation turns
lengthy move
elsewhere.
• Small talk is fine
within natural limits.
• Speak in moderate
tones.
• Return furniture to
original layout.
(Backyards, Shared File tops, Library)
© 2014 Arocordis Design

11. Shared Work Areas
• Stand-up meetings
work if at consistent
times and places.
• Take care in opening
& closing drawers
and doors.
• Leave things as you
found them.
• Working in more
public shared work
areas signals
interruptions are ok.
(Backyards, Shared File tops, Library)
© 2014 Arocordis Design

12. Within Work Stations
• Leave your work
space neat and tidy
at the end of each
day.
• When away from
desk for long periods:
• Lock your screen to
limit confidentiality
breaches.
• Transfer phone to
your new location.
• Snacks and drinks Ok.
(Your personal space is still “We space”)
© 2014 Arocordis Design

13. Within Work Stations
• Non-verbal body
signals communicate
easily.
• Be respectful and
thoughtful of your
neighbors: Respect
their personal space.
• Lengthy phone calls
or conference calls:
Schedule in advance
in conf. or huddle
room.
(Your personal space is still “We space”)
© 2014 Arocordis Design

14. Within Work Stations
• Please avoid strong
colognes, perfumes
or strong scents.
• Speak quietly but
clearly in deference
to others nearby.
• Personal devices on
silent mode, or
vibrate. No ring, no
ding, or click alerts.
(Your personal space is still “We space”)
© 2014 Arocordis Design

15. Within Work Stations
• Don’t cell yell.
People often speak
3X louder on cell
phones.
• If a coworker's
behavior infringes
upon your ability to
do your job, address
it directly with your
colleague.
(Your personal space is still “We space”)
© 2014 Arocordis Design

16. Within Work Stations
• Put a Do Not
Disturb sign out
• Wear sound
canceling
headphones
• Colorful earmuffs
• Use other
accessories to
indicate “do not
disturb” or
“heads down
focus time”
(Do Not Disturb Signaling)
© 2014 Arocordis Design

17. Within Meetings
• Limit meetings in
open areas. Keep
voices moderate, if
grow louder, take to
a nearby huddle,
meeting room.
• Start and end on
time.
• Have an agenda and
clear meeting goal
(sent in invites)
© 2014 Arocordis Design

18. Conference Rooms
• Use Room Wizard or
Outlook scheduling.
• Hosts plan ahead to
ensure needed
equipment working,
available, handouts
ready, collaboration
tools, snacks &
drinks.
• Use each other’s
names when talking
© 2014 Arocordis Design

19. Conference Rooms
• If urgent matter
arises, step out, deal
with it privately.
• Don’t be a clock-
watcher.
• Text or emailing
during a meeting is
disrespectful. Stay
focused on the
people in room.
© 2014 Arocordis Design

20. Conference Rooms
• Silence phones and
devices during
meetings.
• Erase white boards,
remove wall charts.
• Clean up food and
drink, other items
when done.
• Return furniture to
original layout.
© 2014 Arocordis Design

21. Huddle Rooms
• Use Room Wizard or
shared outlook to
schedule.
• Limit use to four
hours.
• A closed door
indicates “do not
disturb”.
• Return it to the way
you found it.
© 2014 Arocordis Design

22. Video & Teleprescence
• On video calls, clean
up visible clutter
around you, dress
appropriately, have
good lighting of face
or faces if a group.
• Speak clearly so you
and others if in group
can be heard.
• Use body language &
facial expressions
appropriately.
© 2014 Arocordis Design

23. Business Areas
• Retrieve mail &
printouts in timely
manner.
• When making copies,
please reset the
machine when thru.
• Refill paper trays,
staplers, other
devices when empty.
• Contact admin team
when supplies low
(Shared Printer, Copiers, Filing, Mail Spaces)
© 2014 Arocordis Design

24. Eating & Food in General
• Use shared kitchen
for eating meals and
snacks.
• Avoid eating lunch at
desk where possible.
• Don’t bringing strong
smelling food into
shared work areas
and workstations.
© 2014 Arocordis Design

25. Café & Kitchen Area
• Working in public
group space signals
to colleagues
interruptions are ok.
• Keep the refrigerator
clean
• Remove stored food
in a timely manner
• Do not leave personal
items behind.
© 2014 Arocordis Design

26. Café & Kitchen Area
• Your father or
mother doesn’t work
here.
• Clean up after your-
self always.
• No sink disposal.
• Dispose of your
empty bottles, cups,
bags in the kitchen.
• Fruit-flies are bad in
the open office.
© 2014 Arocordis Design

27. Visibility in the Office
• Visual cues &
signals, signage
• Use Room Wizards;
whether quick drop-
in meeting, or in-
advance.
• Talk to one another
whether face to face
or calls rather than
emailing. (Mix it up
at least)
(It’s designed to promote interaction)
© 2014 Arocordis Design

28. Visibility in the Office
• Keep your Outlook
schedule up to date!
(Search parties are
no fun!)
• Determine needed
notice for staff
working off-site,
including -
telecommuting.
• Plan ahead for your
absence, delegate
tasks.
(Both on and off site, electronic and more)
© 2014 Arocordis Design

29. Physical Wellbeing
• Vary your work-
surface position
throughout the day.
• Move around a bit
every 20 minutes.
• Adjust, tinker with
tables, seating
ergonomic features.
• Position task lighting
effectively.
• Leverage face to face
interactions, socialize
© 2014 Arocordis Design

30. Workstation Setup Basics

31. Standup Stations Setup
• Sturdy shoes
• Stand on Gel mat or
softer surface.
• Allow room for palms
to rest on support on
desk.
• Remember to move
around, look up
occasionally.
© 2014 Arocordis Design

32. Don’t Come in When Sick
• Being sick in the
office doesn’t help
anyone.
• Call or contact your
manager.
• Make arrangements
to shift work duties
as needed. Or…
• Telecommute instead
as comfortable.
• Take care of yourself
Return when better!
© 2014 Arocordis Design

33. Introverts & Extroverts
• Be cognizant of your
own work style and
others around you.
• It’s a behavioral
continuum.
• Self-advocate either
way.
• Knowledge around
this is empowering.
© 2014 Arocordis Design

34. Some Inspiration
• Model the behavior
you would like to see.
• Innovation starts
with you.
• Failing is better than
not trying new
things.
• Be flexible in your
thinking, be adaptive,
proactive.
© 2014 Arocordis Design

35. Summing Up:
• This is a work in
progress!
• Decide what is right
for your community.
• Remember whether
in office, on-line or
off site, you
represent your firm.
• Your actions speak
louder than words!
(You have only just begun!)
© 2014 Arocordis Design

36. Summing Up:
(What is the big picture again?)
• Cultivating
engagement and
community
• Fostering shared
behavior and
expectations
• Enhancing
collaboration and
productivity
• Encourage wellness
© 2014 Arocordis Design

37. Learning Resources
(Cultivating a high performing work community)
• Steelcase TV
• http://360.steelcase.com/w
hite-papers/
• Collaboration for Dummies.
IBM.
• Office Etiquette 101,
Haworth
• Sitting all Day, worse for you
than you might think via
(Heidi Joyce)
• The Next Office – Steelcase
• Cubicle Ettiquette, Or How
to Survive Life in the Cube,
Library Worklife
• Generations at Work –
Herman Miller
• Introverts & Extroverts at
Work - Melbabanson
© 2014 Arocordis Design

38. cultivating inspiring places and spaces
88 Phillips Rd. Montpelier, VT 05602 | www.arocordis.com | 802-448-0056 voice
Attribution&Thanks:
Steelcase
Red Thread
Herman Miller, Inc.
Haworth
Teknion
World of Work
Thank-you!