You need to be formal and productive when you’re on the clock. Be careful not to engage in any of these unprofessional work behaviors because they may just be costing you that promotion you want.
Advancing in your career often depends not only on your skills and accomplishments, but also on your professional conduct. Avoid these 12 unprofessional work behaviors when climbing the career ladder.
1. Poor Time Management
Being consistently late to work or meetings suggests a lack of respect for your colleagues and their time. Good time management is crucial and shows that you can be relied upon. and it’s also a professional way to show you’re dedicated to the work.
2. Ineffective Communication
Failure to communicate clearly and efficiently can lead to misunderstandings and errors. Don’t refer to your boss as bro. Instead, use professional language when speaking and writing any work correspondence.
3. Neglecting Email Etiquette
Some unprofessional work behaviors are more blatantly disrespectful as others. Ignoring email etiquette is a small thing that you may do that could be ruining your chances of a promotion. This includes everything from not responding in a timely manner to sounding short or overly blunt in your exchanges.
4. Resistance to Feedback
It’s hard to talk to someone who’s overly defensive. Plus, dismissing feedback can make you come across as arrogant and lacking a willingness to improve. These are key qualities that are generally valued in leadership roles.
5. Excessive Complaining
Break out the world’s smallest violin. Constantly complaining or being negative can come across as unprofessional. Plus, your poor attitude can drain team morale. Constructive criticism is valuable, but incessant complaining is one of those unprofessional work behaviors you need to avoid.
6. Gossiping
Participating in or starting gossip not only harms your reputation, but also contributes to a divisive atmosphere at work. People who get promoted are the ones who know how to unify a team and work well with everyone. You’ll come across as a poor candidate if you constantly gossip about others.
7. Misusing Social Media
Get off Instagram or TikTok when you’re on the clock. You also shouldn’t use the company social media for inappropriately posting anything offensive or personal. These unprofessional work behaviors show poor judgment.
8. Poor Attire Choices
Work isn’t the time to wear your favorite band tee. Dressing inappropriately for your workplace can indicate a lack of seriousness or misunderstanding of the company culture. You don’t want to engage in unprofessional work behaviors that hurt your chances of being promoted. Dress the part.
9. Lack of Initiative
Are you lazy? Not taking initiative can make you seem unambitious or disinterested. Employers value employees who seek out opportunities to improve and contribute beyond their regular duties.
10. Not Respecting Privacy
Sharing confidential information or discussing private details about colleagues shows a lack of integrity and professionalism, which are crucial for leadership roles. You could be hurting your chances of a promotion if you’re a known blabbermouth.
11. Inconsistent Work Quality
Producing work that is often incomplete or substandard can signal that you’re not putting in the effort needed to progress to a higher position. Companies want to promote employees who are always going above and beyond in their work.
12. Poor Conflict Resolution Skills
Being unable to manage conflicts effectively can be a major drawback. It’s important to handle disputes professionally and constructively to demonstrate leadership potential.
Work Hard
Avoiding these unprofessional work behaviors can improve your image and increase your chances of being considered for a promotion. Plus, you’ll come across as someone likeable and reliable on the work team. It’s not just about doing your job well, but also about how you conduct yourself in the workplace.
Read More:
3 Tips to Help You Land That Next Promotion
Beyond the Paycheck: 10 Jobs with the Worst Work-Life Balance
Alyssa Serio has been a writer and editor since graduating from Aurora University in 2014. In her free time, she loves reading, playing volleyball, and watching any horror movie (even the bad ones) with her husband.