Federal News Network Features Pamela Eyring’s Best Practices to Develop Soft Skills for the Federal Workforce
The workplace is decidedly more casual today than it was even a few years ago.
Undoubtedly inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic and the months of work-from-home dress codes and Zoom meetings, American workers are more likely to wear business casual clothing to work than ever before.
Collectively, nearly three-quarters of the workforce wears business casual attire or weekend wear to work, reflecting a significant shift in professional norms and a growing emphasis on comfort and convenience over traditional business attire.
This trend isn’t just reserved for the private sector. The federal workforce has also become more casual, with employees saying they dress for function, not form.
Of course, professionalism and etiquette are about more than just clothing. It’s about how you interact with others, including those with military rank, dignitary status, or executive authority, demonstrating respect, courtesy, and effective communication in all your engagements.
Demonstrating professional virtue is a tactical skill that people need to learn. And they can be taught.
As people relearn protocols around in-person interactions or organizations train and teach their cohort of younger employees who never formally learned these skills, there's an opportunity to cultivate a new generation of professionals who leverage professional etiquette to advance organizational, relational, and governmental objectives.
Read more in Federal News Network for the top 3 best practices to cultivate protocol and etiquette intelligence with the federal workforce, including the following tips:
#1 Provide Ongoing Training on Etiquette Protocol
#2 Model Desired Behavior and Professionalism
#3 Cultivate A Growth-Oriented Workplace
Professionals working within federal agencies, contractor companies and federal departments can take the lead in infusing civility back into the workforce serving the country. Set clear professional etiquette standards from Day 1, model etiquette standards from the top down, and cultivate a growth-oriented workplace so that organizations can effectively leverage soft skills to achieve their critical objectives.
