COURSE OVERVIEW:
Welcome to the Principles of Business Etiquette course. This program will equip you with the professional behaviours, communication approaches, interpersonal skills, and organisational awareness necessary to interact confidently and respectfully in business settings. You will explore how etiquette influences workplace relationships, personal credibility, team cohesion, and the overall impression you create as a representative of your organisation. This course also examines how to manage meetings, greetings, conversations, attire, and technology etiquette with confidence and professionalism.
This course begins by examining what business etiquette is and why it is essential in modern workplaces. You will explore how business etiquette strengthens trust, prevents misunderstandings, and contributes to a respectful and productive organisational culture. This section explains how to make a strong first impression with colleagues and business associates, how to make it easy for others to start a conversation with you, and how to know whom to introduce first in professional environments. You will learn the value of a good handshake, how to offer a handshake that maintains proper distance, and how to manage unconventional handshakes when cultural or personal factors require adjustments. You will also explore how to turn social gaffes into positive experiences, why you should not say “I’m sorry” automatically, how to handle name lapses gracefully, and why using last names is preferred unless invited otherwise. This section concludes with guidance on negotiating business card exchanges flawlessly and managing common workplace attire issues.
The next learning area focuses on professional appearance and attire etiquette. You will explore how to recognise when to dress up or dress down, how to identify when your organisation may need a new dress policy, and why avoiding over-accessorising helps maintain a polished professional image. This section also examines why employers should clarify “business casual attire,” why organisational procedures are essential for resolving attire problems, and how to ensure your business casual style communicates professionalism and readiness.
A further part of the program explores telephone, remote communication, and meeting etiquette. You will learn how to make the right phone impression, why you must ask before placing someone on speakerphone, and how to observe proper conference call etiquette. This section also examines how to avoid common telephone faux pas, why personal calls must be limited when working from a home office, how to personalise your voicemail effectively, and how to leave phone messages that are clear, specific, and encourage timely responses. You will also explore why arriving too early for a meeting is not appropriate, what to do if you are going to be late, and how to respond when colleagues go off on tangents. This section further examines how to handle attacks during meetings with grace, why interrupting others (“stepping on sentences”) damages communication, and how to navigate long or “marathon” meetings with caution and professionalism.
By the end of this course you will be able to demonstrate polished business etiquette, communicate with confidence, manage conversations and meetings respectfully, maintain a professional appearance, handle communication technologies appropriately, and build strong, respectful relationships that enhance workplace collaboration and credibility.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
By the end of this course, you will be able to understand:
- What is business etiquette?
- The importance of business etiquette
- How to make a super first impression with colleagues and business associates?
- How to make it easy for others to start a conversation with you?
- How to know whom to introduce first?
- The value of a good handshake
- How to offer a good handshake that also maintains a proper distance?
- How to manage the unconventional handshake?
- How to turn a social gaffe into a positive experience?
- Why you should not say “I’m sorry” automatically?
- How to handle name lapses gracefully?
- Why you should use the last name unless invited to do otherwise?
- How to negotiate business card exchanges flawlessly?
- How to handle attire problems in the workplace?
- How to know when to dress up or dress down?
- How to know when it’s time for your organisation to adopt a new dress policy?
- Why avoid over accessorising?
- As an employer, why you should clarify “business casual attire”?
- Why refer to “Organisational procedures” to solve attire problems among subordinates?
- How to make sure your business casual dress says that you mean business?
- How to make the right phone impression?
- Why ask before putting someone on speakerphone?
- How to observe proper conference call etiquette?
- How to avoid the most common telephone faux pas?
- Why set limits to personal calls at your home office?
- How to personalise your voice mail?
- How to leave a phone message that is specific and ensures a timely response?
- Why you should never arrive too early for a meeting?
- What to do when you’re going to be late for a meeting?
- What to say when colleagues go off on tangents during a meeting?
- How to handle attacks during a meeting with grace?
- Why you should stop stepping on other people’s sentences?
- How to navigate marathon meetings with caution?
COURSE DURATION:
The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.
ASSESSMENT:
A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.
CERTIFICATION:
Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.