Workplace etiquette: Revisiting restroom rules

One topic that workers always seem to have very spirited opinions about is workplace etiquette. Which makes sense – it can be tricky and complicated to negotiate different types of relationships with co-workers and supervisors.

And probably no workplace etiquette subject is as controversial as restroom etiquette. Some workers can get very irritated at how those “facilities” are used by others.

I thought we’d share a few simple requests that we’ve heard. If you’re in the midst of a job search, make sure you remember this when you land your new gig, so your new co-workers don’t have a reason to regret your arrival!

Workplace restroom rules to remember:

• Timing is everything.  Unless you have a key to your own executive washroom, chances are that dozens, if not hundreds of workers are sharing the same facilities. Visiting the restroom should be sort of like going to your dentist: Do what you have to do and get out – other people are waiting!
• This is not a library. Reading a newspaper or magazine cover to cover means you’re monopolizing loo time and denying someone else access. Make sure any reading materials you DO take with you aren’t left behind.
• It’s also not your desk. You shouldn’t be conducting business in the john. This means using your cell phone, PDA or Blackberry.
• Make sure you leave the facilities as you found them. Or in other words, don’t leave anything behind. (Ahem.) Don’t assume the automatic flushing devices will do it for you, either.
• Wash your hands. A recent American Society of Microbiology survey indicates that 77 percent of us wash our hands after using the bathroom. (Which means almost a quarter of us are NOT!) Interestingly enough, this article says that the spread of germs happens most frequently not from shared use of a toilet, but from unwashed hands spreading germs to your eyes and mouth.
• Don’t be social. Though a quick “hello” acknowledging a co-worker is fine, now is not the time to strike up a lengthy conversation. And if the facilities are full, don’t hang around waiting for them to open. Come back later or seek out other options.

And my two cents? One thing I know workers look for at any workplace is a ”quiet zone.” Even the best job can get us frazzled, and sometimes we need a place away from ringing phones, full inboxes, or the grind of an assembly line. When workplaces don’t have those quiet zones around, workers seem to take refuge in the bathroom – perhaps the only quiet, calm place they can find!