Ask Tero

Question:

My office space is a cubicle. What do I need to remember in order to have good cube etiquette?

Tero says:

Cubicle etiquette is extremely important. Relationships at work can be enhanced or jeopardized by cube behavior.

Here are some tips:

Avoid shouting over cubes to get someone's attention.
Set the volume of your telephone ringer on low and do not leave your cell phone on and unattended in your cube.
Treat the cube like an office with a door. Don't forget to knock before entering.
Never signal or try to get someone's attention when they are on the phone.
Avoid looking at colleague's computer screens.

Something else to consider regarding cube etiquette is privacy:

Ignore what you overhear, and do not repeat what is overheard.
Refrain from having private conversations in the cube - use a meeting room instead.
Keep personal phone calls to a minimum.

A few other things to think about are:

The smells, mess and noise of food. This can be distracting and offensive.
Decorate with taste. Choose photos and personal items that reflect your professionalism.

Establishing cube protocol is necessary to create a productive working environment