Employees reveal ‘unspoken’ office rules everyone should know – from never microwaving fish food to always taking more than one sick day

The longer you spend in a corporate environment, the more you learn the laws of the land in that office – but some things are just universal rules.

Responding to emails quickly, cleaning up after yourself and avoiding gossip are some of the more commonly followed texts – but what about the texts that have become so commonplace that they are rarely discussed?

An intrigued Reddit user recently opened up a space for discussion among like-minded office workers in Britain.

Go to the social media site, Hungry_cake_7767 asked what they considered ‘unspoken’ codes of conduct.

“Not much gets done on Fridays and if you don’t want people to use your mug, don’t leave it in the kitchen cupboard,” they added, for example.

More than 350 people rushed to the comments to share their thoughts, with many bringing up their own experiences at work.

One person insisted not to engage in idle gossip while in the office because that person could also spread rumors about you.

A second employee suggested that employees who moaned too much would quickly ruin their reputations.

“Not complaining is a superpower,” they said. ‘Serious. Nothing makes you unpopular faster than constantly complaining (even if it’s justified).”

Another blow to people who complain about being cold when they haven’t bothered to put on a proper layer.

“Don’t complain that you’re cold unless you’re dressed warmly,” they said. “It’s generally easier to warm yourself up than to cool yourself down.”

Another admitted he was disgusted by the stains left in the bathroom by previous occupants, writing: ‘Don’t leave any nasty marks in the toilet bowl or on the toilet seat you dirty bastard.’

One office worker mentioned awkward encounters with the same colleague throughout the day and advised how to avoid making superficial small talk while on the road.

“The third time you walk past the same person on a workday, act as if you have something to say to him or her,” they emphasized. “Because nodding and saying ‘okay’ becomes difficult.”

‘For example: “Oh, what was that thing I wanted to ask, it’s gone, never mind, I’ll think about it later.”‘

However, many came together in the comments to agree on one particular unspoken rule: not microwaving or reheating very “odorous” foods, such as fish or other “smelly” ingredients.

“We had someone bring a frying pan and raw fish to cook for lunch,” said one, while another wrote: “I’m pretty sure a guy I worked with got fired for eating broccoli every day.” had set the microwave.’

Meeting etiquette was also a hot topic, with one staff member advising people not to start asking questions right at the end of the session, when everyone just wants to finish.

Another wrote: ‘When selecting meeting times, DO NOT choose (9am on Monday, between 12pm and 1pm, or after 3pm on Friday) or everyone will hate you.’

A fellow commenter gave some advice about sick days, saying that if you only take one, it will look “fishy” and that you should always have at least two days off.

And people were annoyed by people who were really sick but returned to work too early.

“Don’t go back until you really feel better,” they wrote. ‘If you come in a little sick, your colleagues will get sick and you will eventually get stuck.’

Another pro tip was to only answer emails during work hours, because not doing so “creates an expectation and creates resentment among coworkers.”

“It also creates a rod for your own back when you ask for support, and you become what is known as ‘too efficient at your job,'” one commenter wrote. “If you must, set it to scheduled sending.”

Meanwhile, last year an expert shared with Debrett’s etiquette bible her eight rules for working successfully in 2023, including never showing up to the office sick and dressing for the office, even if you’re working from home.

Liz Wyse said that with people ‘splitting their time between the office and home’ it is clear that the way we ‘behave at work’ has changed dramatically in recent years.

That’s why it’s important to know exactly how to navigate the new work environment.

Her tips included never coming to the office sick, avoiding eating during meetings, making sure you’re always dressed, and staying alert during video calls.

She also recommended making sure conversations end well, not multitasking, embracing long pauses and being aware of redirects.