Course Overview for Workplace Etiquette, Common Courtesy & Professional Communication

In today’s workplace, technical knowledge and job competency alone are not enough to build a positive and productive working environment. The way employees communicate, behave, interact and respond to others can significantly influence teamwork, employee relationships, customer experience and the overall professional image of the organisation.

Workplace Etiquette, Common Courtesy & Professional Communication is a practical one-day programme designed to strengthen the everyday behaviours and communication skills that demonstrate professionalism at work. Participants will explore appropriate workplace etiquette, respectful communication, active listening, professional verbal and written communication, meeting and telephone etiquette, digital communication practices, and techniques for handling difficult conversations professionally.

Through interactive activities, workplace scenarios, roleplays and practical exercises, participants will learn how small changes in behaviour and communication can create greater respect, trust, cooperation and professionalism.

Ultimately, the programme aims to develop employees who communicate with clarity, behave with courtesy and represent the organisation with confidence and professionalism.

Course Objectives

This programme aims to equip participants with the essential workplace etiquette, courtesy and professional communication skills required to create respectful, positive and productive working relationships.

By the end of the programme, participants will be able to:

• Demonstrate appropriate workplace etiquette, courtesy and professional behaviour.
• Communicate clearly, respectfully and confidently with colleagues, customers and stakeholders.
• Practise active listening and use appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Apply professional etiquette when communicating through email, WhatsApp, telephone and meetings.
• Handle workplace disagreements and difficult conversations with greater professionalism.
• Recognise how everyday behaviour and communication influence teamwork, trust and organisational image.
• Build positive professional habits that contribute to a more respectful and collaborative workplace.

Who Should Attend

• New employees and newly joined staff
• Executives, officers and administrative staff
• Supervisors and team leaders
• Customer-facing employees
• Frontline and support staff
• Employees working across departments
• Employees who communicate frequently through email, WhatsApp, telephone and meetings
• Employees preparing for greater responsibilities
• Company directors and senior management personnel
• Compliance, risk management and legal officers
• Finance managers involved in employment cost and statutory compliance matters
• Employee representatives and union officials
• Anyone involved in drafting, reviewing, implementing or administering employment policies, contracts and workplace procedures

Methodology

• Interactive mini-lectures
• Workplace scenarios and case studies
• Roleplays and simulations
• Group discussions
• “Professional or Unprofessional?” activities
• Communication practice
• Email and WhatsApp Makeover
• Meeting and telephone simulations
• Peer feedback and reflection
• Personal action planning – Participants develop a START–STOP–CONTINUE action plan to translate learning into daily workplace practice.

Course Content

9:00 AM – 9:30 AM | Programme Overview and Objectives

Activities:

• Ice-Breaking: “What Does Professionalism Look Like?”
• Group Activity: The Etiquette Mirror

9:30 AM – 10:15 AM | Module 1: The Professional Workplace Mindset

“Your Position Gives You a Role; Your Behaviour Gives You a Reputation.”

1.1 Understanding Workplace Professionalism

• What is professionalism?
• Professionalism vs. technical competence
• Why good employees sometimes create poor workplace experiences
• The difference between being professional and merely looking professional
• Personal behaviour as part of organisational reputation

1.2 The 5 Dimensions of Professional Behaviour – P.R.I.D.E.

• P – Professionalism
• R – Respect
• I – Integrity
• D – Discipline
• E – Empathy

1.3 The “Me vs. We” Mindset

Moving from:

“I have completed my task.”

To:

“Have I helped the team achieve the outcome?”

Activity 3: Group Activity – Professional or Unprofessional?

10:15 AM – 11:00 AM | Module 2: Workplace Etiquette & Common Courtesy

“Small Courtesies Create Big Workplace Differences.”

2.1 The Golden Rules of Workplace Courtesy

• Greet people appropriately
• Say “please” and “thank you”
• Acknowledge people when they speak
• Respect personal space
• Avoid unnecessary interruptions
• Be considerate of shared spaces
• Keep commitments
• Respond to requests appropriately
• Apologise when necessary
• Give credit to others

2.2 Everyday Workplace Etiquette

Office Etiquette

• Entering someone’s workspace
• Borrowing items
• Using common facilities
• Noise levels
• Eating at workstations
• Personal conversations
• Privacy and confidentiality

Time Etiquette

• Being punctual
• Meeting deadlines
• Informing others when delayed
• Respecting other people’s time

Appearance Etiquette

• Appropriate workplace attire
• Personal grooming
• Hygiene
• Dressing according to workplace expectations

2.3 “Please, Thank You & Sorry”

When to use:

• Please
• Thank you
• Excuse me
• Sorry
• I appreciate it
• May I…?
• Could you…?

Activity: Courtesy Makeover

Participants are given rude or blunt workplace statements and transform them into professional alternatives.

11:00 AM – 11:15 AM | Tea Break

11:15 AM – 12:15 PM | Module 3: Professional Verbal Communication

“Say It Clearly. Say It Respectfully. Say It Professionally.”

3.1 The 7 Cs of Professional Communication

1. Clear
2. Concise
3. Correct
4. Complete
5. Concrete
6. Considerate
7. Courteous

3.2 Tone Matters

The same words can create completely different reactions depending on tone.

3.3 Avoiding Workplace Communication Traps

Avoid:

• “You always…”
• “You never…”
• “That’s your problem.”
• “I don’t care.”
• “It’s not my job.”
• “I already told you.”
• “You should know this.”
• “Whatever.”

Replace them with:

• “Let me clarify.”
• “Let’s see how we can resolve this.”
• “I’ll check and get back to you.”
• “Could you help me understand the issue?”
• “Let me explain this another way.”

Activity: From Blunt to Brilliant

12:15 PM – 1:00 PM | Module 4: Listening, Respect & Communication Awareness

“Professional Communication Begins When We Stop Listening to Reply and Start Listening to Understand.”

4.1 Active Listening

The difference between:

Hearing → Listening → Understanding → Responding

4.2 The L.E.A.P. Listening Model

• L – Listen without interrupting
• E – Empathise with the speaker
• A – Ask clarifying questions
• P – Paraphrase and confirm

4.3 The Art of Asking Questions

Use:

• Open questions
• Clarifying questions
• Confirming questions
• Probing questions

4.4 Non-Verbal Communication

Participants explore:

• Eye contact
• Facial expression
• Posture
• Gestures
• Personal space
• Voice volume
• Tone
• Silence

Activity: Communication Without Words

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Lunch Break

2:00 PM – 2:50 PM | Module 5: Email, WhatsApp & Digital Communication Etiquette

“Digital Messages Are Still Professional Conversations.”

5.1 Professional Email Etiquette

• Appropriate subject lines
• Professional greetings
• Purpose of email
• Clear requests
• Attachments
• CC vs. BCC
• Replying appropriately
• Email signatures
• Response time
• Confidential information
• Avoiding unnecessary “Reply All”

5.2 The Professional Email Structure

Subject → Greeting → Purpose → Details → Required Action → Deadline → Closing

5.3 WhatsApp / Instant Messaging Etiquette

• When WhatsApp is appropriate
• When email is better
• Avoiding excessive messages
• Avoiding “Hi” without context
• Respecting working hours
• Voice notes
• Emojis
• Group-chat etiquette
• Forwarding information responsibly

5.4 Digital Tone

Activity: Fix My Message

2:50 PM – 3:40 PM | Module 6: Meeting, Telephone & Workplace Interaction

“Every Interaction Is an Opportunity to Demonstrate Professionalism.”

6.1 Meeting Etiquette

Before the Meeting

• Be prepared
• Read the agenda
• Bring required information
• Arrive on time

During the Meeting

• Listen
• Avoid interruptions
• Stay focused
• Respect different opinions
• Keep comments relevant
• Avoid side conversations

After the Meeting

• Clarify actions
• Confirm responsibilities
• Respect deadlines

Activity: The Bad Meeting

6.2 Telephone Etiquette – The P.R.O. Call Structure

• P – Prepare
• R – Respond professionally
• O – Offer assistance / next action

Cover:

• Answering professionally
• Introducing yourself
• Identifying the caller
• Active listening
• Taking messages
• Transferring calls
• Putting callers on hold
• Handling difficult callers
• Ending conversations professionally

Activity: Roleplay

3:40 PM – 3:55 PM | Tea Break

3:55 PM – 4:35 PM | Module 7: Difficult Conversations, Courtesy & Conflict

“Being Professional Is Easy When Things Are Easy; Your Character Shows When Things Are Difficult.”

7.1 Managing Emotional Reactions

Understand:

Trigger → Emotion → Reaction → Consequence

7.2 Professional Disagreement

Teach participants to separate:

Person ≠ Problem

7.3 Giving Corrective Feedback Respectfully

Use:

Situation → Behaviour → Impact → Next Step

7.4 Handling Difficult People

Situations:

• Angry colleague
• Defensive employee
• Passive-aggressive behaviour
• Uncooperative colleague
• Constant complainer
• Colleague who interrupts
• Colleague who speaks disrespectfully

Roleplay: Professional vs. Reactive

Participants experience the same difficult situation twice:

• Round 1: Reactive response
• Round 2: Professional response

Then compare the outcomes.

4:35 PM – 5:00 PM | Module 8: Professional Image & Personal Action Plan

“Your Professional Reputation Is Built One Interaction at a Time.”

8.1 Your Personal Professional Brand

Ask:

“What do people experience when they work with me?”

Participants assess themselves in:

• Courtesy
• Communication
• Reliability
• Respect
• Responsiveness
• Appearance
• Attitude
• Teamwork
• Emotional control

8.2 The 10 Professional Habits

Participants identify their commitment to:

1. Be punctual
2. Listen actively
3. Speak respectfully
4. Respond appropriately
5. Keep commitments
6. Respect other people’s time
7. Control emotional reactions
8. Communicate clearly
9. Take responsibility
10. Treat everyone with dignity

The Professional Workplace Challenge

Teams receive a workplace scenario containing multiple problems.

Example Scenario

A staff member:

• Arrives late for a meeting
• Does not greet colleagues
• Checks WhatsApp during the meeting
• Interrupts another employee
• Says “That’s not my job”
• Sends a rude WhatsApp message
• Leaves without confirming the next action

Teams must identify:

1. What went wrong?
2. Which etiquette principle was violated?
3. What should the person have done?
4. What could be the impact on colleagues, customers or the company?
5. What professional response should replace the behaviour?

Reviews and Feedback

Topics covered:

• Reflection and Learning Review
• Questions and Answers

Activity 9: START – STOP – CHANGE – CONTINUE Action Plan