Making Etiquette Easy: Elevators

Image from www.newyorkcondoloft.com

They go up and down but the rules never change. Elevator etiquette is something anyone should have, especially if you’re a businessperson. We interface with our peers everyday on elevators, and one bad move there may translate to a lack of professionalism elsewhere. Here are some tips for riding right:

• Exit First: Always let outgoing passengers get off prior to entering the elevator. Most people understand this, but remarkably fewer actually do it.
• Don’t be Lazy: If you’ve only got one or two floors to travel and you’re in reasonably good shape, take the stairs. It can be aggravating for passengers who still have thirty floors to go and they have to stop twice for your quick in and out.
• Hold the Door: If you notice someone’s trying to make the elevator, hold the door for them. If you’ve been holding the door for a short bit waiting on colleagues or friends, don’t be disrespectful to the people already in the carriage and let your colleagues catch the next ride.
• Be Sick Solo: If you’re not well, wait for an empty carriage to arrive before getting on and contaminating others with your illness
• Keep your Space: People get very uncomfortable in elevators, which is only exacerbated by people getting too close to one another. Try to stay equidistant between passengers.
• Don’t expect someone to push your button for you. Once you’ve pushed yours, you should ask if you can hit a number for the other passengers, but don’t expect them to do it for you.

Making Etiquette Easy,

Susan K. Medina