The question of when to leave your office or sign off at the end of a workday might seem like one better suited for your lawyer, but as these etiquette experts tell Parade, etiquette is part of everyday life—including your sign-off time.
“The fundamentally important core values that we use to assess good etiquette at Emily Post are consideration, respect and honesty,” Senning adds. “And I put that accountability and honoring of time contracts under that honesty component and also under a consideration component."
And as the boundary between your career and personal life gets blurred more and more, good etiquette has become crucial to maintaining a work-life balance.
So with all that said, let's settle this once and for all: is it bad to leave work right when your shift ends? What is the appropriate time to leave work for the day?
When Time Should You Leave Work for the Day, According to Etiquette Experts?
Both Dulebohn and Senning agree that the appropriate time to leave work for the day depends on your individual situation.
The biggest indicator, however, for whether or not it's appropriate to leave right when your shift ends, is your type of employment—salaried vs. paid hourly.
The Argument for Leaving Right When Your Shift Ends
“For an hourly employee, there is integrity. You give someone the work time that they've billed for,” Senning says.
As an hourly worker, unless you're being paid overtime, you shouldn't be clocking out late. That said, there are some grey areas. For example, if you have a job that requires wearing a uniform, does the time you take to change out of (or into) your work clothes count as part of your shift? There's an easy answer: just ask!
“Whether the change time is considered part of your work time or not, that's an answer that your shift supervisor will have for you,” Senning explains, adding, “That's not as much an etiquette question as it is a policy.”
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“Salaried workers are responsible for the work that they do,” explains Senning. “How you manage your time is a much subtler question because it's not necessarily about accounting for that 40 hours as much as accounting for the work being done.”
“Be respectful and do not leave your work area in a big mess,” she says, adding that it shows you're “a good office mate.”
“Any lack of clarity around that expectation I think is well worth a direct conversation with whoever you're accountable to,” he says.Related: 10 Best Phrases To Shut Down Workplace Gossip, According to Therapists
1. Leaving early while your teammates are still working
Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule if you have personal commitments or appointments to uphold, but generally, it's good etiquette to stay if your help is needed.
2. Leaving work without saying goodbye
It might feel easier to just sneak out of the office unnoticed, but making the effort to say goodbye to your co-workers and manager is something both Dulebohn and Senning agree on.
According to Senning, goodbyes at the end of the workday are easy ways to ensure “a positive social interaction” between you and your co-workers, which is key if you want to move up in the workplace.
Remote or online workers should still make an effort to say goodbye when they sign off for the day. Not only is it good etiquette, it's also a way of subtly setting boundaries in the modern “always on” workplace.Related: If You Answer ‘Yes’ to Any of These 5 Questions, You’re Probably Undervalued at Work, Says a Psychologist
The Golden Rule for Figuring Out When It’s Okay for You To Leave Work for the Day
The real golden rule for figuring out when it's okay for you to head out for the day is all about where you work.
With wages stagnant and the gap between one's personal and professional life narrowing, it can be difficult to determine where good workplace etiquette ends and exploitation begins, especially if you have a work culture that encourages staying past the end of your shift.
At that point, it's up to you to determine what you're willing to do for the job.Up Next:
Related: This Is the No. 1 Sneaky Sign of Workplace Burnout To Look Out for Before It's Too Late, According to Career Counselors
Sources:
Daniel Post Senning is an etiquette expert with The Emily Post Institute. He co-hosts the Awesome Etiquette podcast and is the author of Emily Post's Manners in a Digital World: Living Well Online.Heidi Dulebohn is an etiquette expert and coach who teaches etiquette worldwide.Hence then, the article about is it actually bad to leave work right when your shift ends etiquette experts weigh in was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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