Professionalism in the Caribbean is the same as professionalism for other business around the globe. There is no way around it. Regardless of the region, the way you approach your work, and the pride you take in the way you present yourself all contribute to success. There is a saying that goes “Cleanliness is close to Godliness” and regardless of your religious persuasion, good hygiene, and a pleasant appearance in the workplace all contribute to a lasting good impression.Appearance in the workplace is a non-verbal form of expression that is a highly valuable (yet unspoken trait) in the office. In this article we are going to look at how body language and overall cleanliness impact your personal success.
How do you stack up in this mix? Let’s break it down and see if you measure up.
Your appearance at work can boost your career.
As the saying goes: Actions speak louder than words. And to support the adage, they say that body language makes up 80% of an individual’s overall communication style. So, in the office, you want to be careful how you approach managers, junior members of staff, ancillary staff, or colleagues of the opposite sex at work as the wrong move can easily be misinterpreted for indiscretion. Professionals in the workplace may catch themselves “saying” things they don’t really mean because of carefree body language. Do you come into work feeling sluggish and with a lazy gait? Chances are everyone else will notice it too and assume that you are in a bad.
Not good for you if you are trying to excel at your job! In addition to this, proper peer to peer relationships can determine promotions, when dealing with a manager; or they can influence the opinions of team members and collaborators in group projects, which can affect reports on individual participation. Life wise, aggressive, sloppy, and inconsiderate body language can easily offend most people. Taking up too much space at the communal lunch table? Bursting through doors at the elevator? Then you may be pushing pass colleagues who you would’ve soured as a result. So, it is important that professionals bear politeness and consideration in mind when interacting with teams and colleagues.
Keeping it clean when it comes to the way you look
On an additional note, hygiene plays an important role in the way you are perceived as a professional in the office. Aside from good manners, verbal and non-verbal expression, hygiene and cleanliness perhaps are the unspoken yet most important aspect of maintaining a good impression in the office. The obvious aspects of fresh breath and smelling clean are given and highly important but personal appearance in hygiene also considers ironed clothes, polished shoes, neatly combed hair and hairstyles, as well as an organized work spaces as key for honoring self-respect when it comes to interoffice work relations. First impressions at work count as it helps to build good business etiquette but professionals practicing healthy habits and cleanliness make lasting impressions that, you guessed it, drive personal success. It is proven that employees who care about their personal appearance are more successful at work than others who don’t. It is not a matter just to dress accordingly to what the office dess code is, you need to take care of what your clothings express for yourself.
Professionals should adapt sensibly to their work surroundings and ask themselves questions, like: Am I more assertive or passive in high pressure situations? To better understand a team member’s personal working style and preferred approach. Where challenges still arise, employees can also consult with HR to dive deeper into safe neutral measures for handling difficult situations.
About body language and personal hygiene.
So, in summary, what qualifies as professional when in the workplace is a general awareness of body language, and personal hygiene. Not different from other parts of the world, to be honest. Employees need only be more considerate and pay closer attention to their own person to maintain a good and long-lasting impression. Making a good impression should not start and stop at first-time interactions, only. Having these kinds of conversations about personal appearance and hygiene in the office is difficult and It should come as no surprise too that no one, not even the best of us, wants to hear this kind of news. So, to prevent the embarrassment, take a step back and access your appearance at work and adjust to suit.
