When talking about professionalism, it is important to acknowledge that many aspects of what is considered 'professional' are based in white supremacist values, and the word and what it implies carries a deep history of racism and exclusion.
We use 'professionalism' as a way to explain what is expected of you during your time at Techtonica and what will be expected once you start your career in tech. Please feel free to reach out to any staff member if you would like to discuss why each of these topics are considered important traits for employees.
Techtonica is a simulated work environment representative of common tech industry offices. Program participants are expected to behave and interact with everyone associated with Techtonica in a way that matches what is expected in the tech workspace.
Why professionalism is important in the workplace:
- Creates Boundaries
- Creates an Atmosphere of Improvement
- Gives everyone a sense of Responsibility
- Mitigates Conflicts
- Leads to increased Job Satisfaction
- Personal Growth (imarticus.org)
Participants will be able to::
- Understand what is meant by "professionalism"
- Understand why professionalism is important both at Techtonica and in a work setting
- Understand what behaviors are expected of a professional
- Understand the accepted standards of professionalism
- The dictionary definition of a professional, and an interpretation of this definition
- Myths about behaving professionally
- What it means to behave professionally
- Why professionalism is valued
- Speaking professionally
- Dressing professionally
- Music in the workplace
- Research about wearing makeup at work
- Standards for arriving at work and leaving work
- Standards for the workday itself
- The Bias of ‘Professionalism’ Standards - article (10min read)
- Being Professional at Work (video)
- How to Deal with People You Don't Like at Work (video)
- Top 10 Tips for Early Career Professionals (video)
Why professionalism is important in the workplace:
- Creates Boundaries – Workers who conduct themselves professionally avoid crossing the line with subordinates, superiors, or clients
- Creates an Atmosphere of Improvement – A professional atmosphere is more conducive to success.
- Gives everyone a sense of Responsibility – In a professional atmosphere, an employee can handle a task, as well as see the larger purpose, and hence are able to own their actions and make appropriate decisions. One takes pride in performing the tasks assigned to them. This adds to the overall image of not only the employee but also showcases the values for which the organization stands.
- Mitigates Conflicts – Businesses that promote a professional atmosphere also make it easier to deal with diverse environments in which subordinates or even clients could have a difference of opinion, because they can agree to disagree and find common ground.
- Increased Job Satisfaction – Professionalism eliminates stress; and once that is taken care of, an employee can thrive in a healthy atmosphere, leading to enhanced performance.
- Personal Growth – Not only in terms of job advancement, but also to develop a certain dignity and pride in one’s work. You are appreciated for consistently good quality output, which builds your confidence and makes you a more secure person who is capable of handling difficult situations with refined emotional maturity. (imarticus.org)
The slides and video walkthrough follow along with this lesson. Be sure to view the rest of the materials section as well.
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How to be Professional in the Workplace
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Behave Professionally
- Professional behavior includes the quality of work (skills) and the ability to communicate effectively with managers, teammates and clients
- Maintaining their reputation and trust with colleagues
- How they are regarded in the industry by others tells about their professional behavior
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Speak Professionally- Don't use swear words and foul language in the workplace - Think before you speak, someone may be offended by something that you think is funny - Communicate with your colleagues in the primary language of your workplace
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Dress Professionally
- No Profanity / insensitive language/images on clothes
- When visible, pants should be neither tight nor baggy and should not be ripped, regardless of what's in fashion. Shorts should be as long as your fingertips when you stand with your arms straight down. Skirts shouldn't be shorter than a few inches above your knees
- Visible portions of clothes should be free from stains and wrinkles
- Workout clothes and pajamas are not allowed
- Shirts can be sleeveless, but they should fully cover bras and end below your pants' waistband
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Your Arrival at the Workplace
- If you have a planned absence or late arrival, notify the colleagues who will be affected by your absence as soon as you're aware of your absence or late arrival
- Arrive early enough so that you can give yourself time to get settled before the start of a workday or meeting
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Your Behavior during the Workday
- Do your best, try to avoid "stealing time," which means doing non-work things during the non-break hours in the workplace
- Don't complain much while you're stuck on something. Try to learn from your colleagues and experts how to find the solutions to a particular problem
- You should treat everyone respectfully even if you don't even like them
- Make sure you submit your assignments and tasks in a timely fashion. Make sure that you have enough skills and tools for the assigned task: if you don't, feel free to ask your colleagues and take their help
- If you can’t make a deadline, let those affected know as soon as you realize it
- Communication is key. Always let your manager and team know if something comes up or you need help!
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Your Departure from the Workplace
- A normal work day consists of 8 working hours; due to an hour for lunch (to be scheduled by you), expect to be present for a 9-hour period
- Try to leave after you finish your assigned task, if you can't complete everything then speak to your manager about resetting expectations for the task
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Music at an in-person Workplace
- Use headphones in the workplace, but if you are not using headphones then make sure no one can hear your music
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- "This is irrelevant to me right now because I'm not working as a software engineer yet. I'll start acting professionally once I'm hired." Many serious athletes "practice like they play", meaning they approach their practice and training with as much seriousness and intensity as they'd put in during a real game. This makes them well-prepared for game days. Techtonica has a similar approach, and participants are expected to "practice like they play."
- "If someone tells me to behave professionally, they are telling me to act more like a higher-income white person." If someone tells you to behave more professionally, they are referring to the (sometimes unwritten) behaviors outlined in this lesson. These behaviors are generally accepted across industries, roles, and employment types to be "professional".
- "Behaving professionally makes me appear weak." Behaving professionally demonstrates that you value your role, your team, and your employer and are conscientious.
- "I cannot be my authentic self and behave professionally." Being yourself and behaving professionally are not mutually exclusive. Sometimes, the "professional" you is one part of your true self who gets to come out at work, while other parts of your true self get to come out at other times.
- "It won't matter what I do or how I act because I'll just be a junior software engineer after Techtonica." Junior software engineers are valued team members and are held to the same standard of professionalism as everyone else at the company. Behaving professionally demonstrates that you value your role, your team, and your employer and are conscientious. Start your career off on good footing and with a good reputation.
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Find a partner. Take turns role-playing the following scenario: One of you is a team member and you need to tell your manager in person that you'll be missing a week of work next month. The other person is the manager and should communicate disappointment that the team member will be gone, but also express that you understand. Be sure to switch roles.
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Find a partner. Take turns role-playing the following scenario: One of you is a team member and you need to tell your manager in person that your project is likely not going to be finished by the agreed-upon deadline. The other person is the manager and should express unhappiness about this, but also work together to come up with a new, reasonable deadline or some other alternative (reduce the scope of the project or get help from a team member). Be sure to switch roles.
Write your reflections about this lesson. What, if any, of the concepts presented were new to you? Is there anything you disagree with? What did it feel like to deliver potentially bad news during the role play? Was this practice useful? Feel free to share other thoughts you have.