Smiling at work?

[susan silva]

Think about this question.  I am not sure how long you have been sitting at your desk or if it a good or bad day, but use today as a guideline.  Are you a smiley person when people come up to you or .. straight to business, polite, but no smile  .. or (let's see if anyone admits this!) a grumpy leave me alone and do my business type person?  How do YOU  react to these types of people.


(personally I am a mix of smiles and straight to business depending how busy I am.  I try to be cheerful but there are days ...)

[gee4]

Of course I smile at work, what's not to smile about?   There are times when I'm busy but I still do my job in a professional manner.

I find people who don't smile rather rude, stand-offish and unapproachable.  Who wants to be like that??  You wouldn't get anywhere in life.

[jennika]

I would like to think most of the time I actually smile at people.  But if I actually look at myself, which I did for the past 30 minutes, I don't smile as much as I thought I do.  If you asked me at home, I would be I smile! but I realize I haven't smiled yet today.  Oh wait, I smiled at that first cup of coffee!  That will change the next time I see someone.  It is a small way to make a difference.  It is really true that smiling  can rub off on others.

[peaches2160]

I smile, no matter what.  Keep 'em guessing:)  Then to the point. 

[msmarieh]

I usually smile when people come to my desk.

However, that said, I used to sit in an open area where people were constantly walking by my desk with no intent of stopping to chat with me or request something, so I generally tuned them out and kept working, unless they actually stopped walking. I had a high level executive that used to walk by, and periodically say "smile!" as if I should sit I my desk all day like the Joker had come through and plastered a smile on my face that I couldn't remove. I found that quite insulting.

[gee4]

It has obviously been noted then you don't come across as happy.  People pick up on these things especially in work.

It takes 43 muscles to frown and only 17 to smile...try it

[msmarieh]

Not at all... My sunny disposition and ability to get along with my coworkers is a recurring theme on my performance reviews.

[Katie G]

Someone walking up to my desk in the normal traffic pattern where I can see them coming will of course get a smile and a greeting.

However, if I'm working on a complicated spreadsheet, or culling through a list by hand, or thinking of the right way to word a memo of a delicate nature, or listening to a recording to be transcribed (usually of a dreadful quality!), then I will most likely have a slight frown because that's what naturally happens when I am deep in thought/concentration. (Actually not even a frown, really, more like a slightly furrowed brow.) Still, if someone comes up to my desk and gets my attention in a polite manner, I will smile.

On the other hand, if I am in that "deep thought" place and some dope sneaks up behind me and just starts blabbing or reaching over my shoulder to put something in front of me, I'll be VERY unpleasantly startled and I'm afraid the smile will most likely go out the window unless there's an immediate apology from the offender.   I won't be *rude*, but they will mostly likely (after I've recovered) get  a very businesslike "May I help you?" as opposed to "Hello!  How are you today?  What can I do for you?"  (Particularly to the person who tapped me on the shoulder from behind as I was transcribing a recording of a board meeting.  I nearly jumped out of my skin!)

For what it's worth, I also do the "smile while you're on the phone" bit.  It does work!

[deskangel]

I'm a receptionist, and I've found that when I smile and greet people warmly, it puts our guests at ease and makes the check-in process easier. However, some days I've been treated so poorly that by the afternoon I just don't fell like smiling anymore! I try to remember to do it anyway.