Office Snacking Etiquette
During a long day at the office, you need some tasty treats to help you keep up that energy. Follow Modern Manners Guy’s 3 tips proper office snack etiquette.
With the recent threat of Twinkies going the way of the dinosaurs, snacks have taken center stage in the media as something people can’t live without. “Give me fatty sugar treats or give me death!”
Let’s face it, regardless of where you work, everyone has a rough time getting through a full day without completely feeling wiped out. So what do we do? We snack. And now with the holiday season upon us, it seems like every day there is a large pile of tasty treats that flow into the office, begging to be eaten. This, my friends, is what the holidays are really about!
See also: Is Snacking Good or Bad?
But sometimes office snack behavior can get out of control. So before you get caught with your hand in the cookie jar, check out my top 3 Quick and Dirty Tips for workplace snack etiquette:
Tip #1: The Communal Snack Area
Many offices have a designated snack area. Sometimes it’s in the kitchen, or in an empty cube no one is using, or even just a small bowl on the boss’ desk. Snack areas are the office version of tailgating. People bring in treats and next thing you know, it’s an all-out party. “What about that 10 am conference call? Nah, who cares, JoAnn brought in homemade cupcakes!”
Remember, we are adults, not toddlers at a birthday party. And the office is a place of business, not the Golden Corral on “All You Can Eat Tuesdays.”
But with snacks come wrappers or plates or napkins or utensils, which all equal a lot of trash. Have you ever seen an office snack area after a big event? It looks like Armageddon, with smeared remnants of JoAnn’s cupcakes, and Steve’s apple turnover left in shambles as if savages just stormed through.
Apparently people forget their manners when it comes time to chow down. Some set up camp at that rogue desk housing the tasty snacks, leaving wrappers on the floor for the cleaning people to find. After all, that’s their job, right? No, it’s not. It’s a cleaning person’s job to clean up, but not scrape frosting off the walls because you couldn’t be bothered. Plus, it always shocks me when trash is left on tables or floors when there is a trashcan right in the area. Really, people?
When it comes to office snack etiquette, we must remember that we are adults, not toddlers at a birthday party. And the office is a place of business, not the Golden Corral on “All You Can Eat Tuesdays.” Yes, your fellow coworkers were nice enough to bring in tasty treats, but you must still maintain a certain level of professionalism.
After all, you wouldn’t show up to a meeting with a giant Doritos stain across your shirt, right? So why would you sabotage your space by leaving a mess? When you are snacking, be respectful of the office property and those around you. Use the trashcan. Wipe up something you spilled (or knocked over) and please, by all means, do not leave food out to rot and grow mold. Disgusting!
See also: How NOT to Show up Late at a Meeting
Tip #2: The Snack Thief
Here’s a quick checklist to find out if you are office snack thief:
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Do you wait until no one is around to grab a snack?
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Do you only eat and never contribute to the office snack stash?
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Do you dash in and out of the office snack area because you don’t want to be seen taking seconds or thirds?
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Have you hid food in your cube and not shared it with your coworkers, even when everyone else shares with you?
Are you reading this list and thinking to yourself, “Wait a second…I do that!”? If you answered ‘yes” to any of these questions, then congratulations, you are the office snack thief!
Granted, sometimes we are all guilty of one or two of these infractions. We’ve all snuck in for seconds or thirds, but everyone said they were done, so why not? Or maybe you were cheating on your diet and didn’t want to get caught with that extra piece of cake. That’s fine, I won’t judge you. Still, there are some people who time after time knowingly commit one or more of these and do not care to change. That is rude and that makes them office snack thieves.
An office is a place of sharing, not hoarding. If you have a large stack of printer paper you’ve been saving for when you run out, and your coworker needs some, you should share. If you have the only working stapler that doesn’t get jammed, you should let others borrow it. And if you are taking part in office snacking, you should do your best to give back. I’m not saying you need to bring in a box of rare truffles from the South of France, but you should contribute a little.
For example, there is a woman at my work who makes her office open to her entire group for coffee and treats, in which I gladly partake. However, I’m always ready and willing to help maintain the stash. Be it a couple of bucks for refills or even just picking up a box of something tasty at the store while grocery shopping.
See also: The Case for Meal Planning
And if you happen to be passing by an area of the office where you don’t work but the cookies are too delicious to skip, then just ask. I doubt anyone will mind sharing and maybe down the line, you will be offered snacks more often. However, make sure you don’t forget to return the favor.
Tip #3: Inappropriate Snacks
How many times have you been at your desk and thought to yourself, “What the – is that smell?”
Now, now, let’s all be adults here. I’m not talking about the gassy coworker across the aisle (although that is an issue I’ll touch on later), no I’m talking about that raunchy smell of snack food or microwaved contraption someone is eating.
Allow me paint a picture: You’re at your desk listening to the latest Modern Manners Guy episode, and right before you are about to comment on the Modern Manners Facebook page, you notice that a coworker has sidled up to your desk and is offering you fresh pork rinds. Now, I’m with you on bacon being delicious…but at work?
Bottom line for office snacks: Know your coworkers’ tastes before bringing in a questionable snack. And don’t roll your eyes, fried pork rinds ARE questionable.
I’m not going to sit here and say that you can’t snack on whatever you like. You have the right to eat whatever you want. But if you’re snacking on something just to pass the time and give you an extra boost in the afternoon, stick to something that isn’t a distraction to others. You don’t want to stink up the place with your fancy organic energy bars made of rare spices that are so potent, they clear not only your sinuses but your fellow coworkers down the hall. Or if you are snacking on something that you know a fellow coworker will get the dry heaves from, it’s best to keep that at home. Stick to the basics or just ask before you bring something in that may be offensive to some noses.
Do you have a great story about bad office snack etiquette? Post all the details in the comment section below or on the Modern Manners Guy Facebook page. And check out my new book Reply All…And Other Ways to Tank Your Career and learn how to quickly climb the ladder of success (without putting your foot in your mouth).
As always, if you have another manners question, I look forward to hearing from you at manners@quickanddirtytips.com. Follow me on Twitter @MannersQDT, and of course, check back next week for more Modern Manners Guy tips for a more polite life.
Office Workers Eating Cake, Woman Eating Cookies and Bacon images from Shutterstock