In an evolving work environment that is becoming more and more relaxed, there can be behaviors that are unfortunately unprofessional. It doesn't matter if your office is equipped with a coffee machine and a microwave in the break room or a pool table in the middle of it: there are rules and behaviors that apply within your professional environment and to which you must pay attention if you do not wish to put a brake on your development.

Today, even though you don't need to wear a tailored blazer to be considered professional and competent, your behavior matters more than ever... Yes, even if your job is cool and involves browsing the corridors with a schedule in hand

You've probably already heard about a bunch of obvious things to avoid, like meeting with co-workers, stealing office supplies, showing off your after-drinking face, and openly checking Facebook when there's imminent deadlines. These are fairly easy mistakes that you can easily avoid, with a little willpower.

However, some unprofessional behaviors are much more subtle. There may even be some annoying habits you picked up at school that seem harmless, but can make you look like an employee who lacks common sense.

In some offices, the line between what is correct and what is unprofessional is very thin. Being aware of these pitfalls can help you always maintain your best profile, even when you're totally overwhelmed and need at least five more cups of coffee to keep your eyes open.

To clear up any confusion about what is or is not professional, Mademoiselle Grenade gives you a short list of twelve behaviors to avoid or ban:

Make a comment about a colleague's looks or physical appearance

Whether positive or negative doesn't matter, comments about a coworker's personal appearance can put them in a difficult position. Whether it's simply for a woman "I really like this little black dress " or for a man "Your new haircut looks better like that" are certainly nice on your part but you never know if it won't risk to make the person being questioned feel uncomfortable. Try to stick to work-related questions when you're in the office and save those comments (if you have to make them) for a relaxing time outside.

Ask a personal question

Building relationships with coworkers is a great way to build a network, but not everyone is comfortable discussing their personal life in the office. Start a friendly open-ended question like "How was your weekend?" on Monday morning and gauge how comfortable your colleagues are with sharing personal details before bringing up yours. Avoid any questions that might annoy them or make them feel like they're being attacked.Another helpful hint: politics and religion are topics to avoid.

Flirting with a colleague

It's easy to develop a crush on a co-worker - you spend eight or more hours a day with them! No matter how present the new person is on your team, open flirting is a no-no. Your superiors will perceive this love affair as a personal distraction in your workplace. Even if you're totally thrilled with the vibe this situation generates and your workplace suddenly seems nicer, you never know if your playful interactions won't make your co-workers feel awkward or embarrassed. Plus, office chatter spreads faster than wildfires, and if something happens between you and your lover on the premises, everyone will know about it in no time. Finally, keep in mind that a breakup is not impossible and it can create some tension afterwards.

Being on your phone all the time

Right now, our attention is pulled in a million different directions at once. You may be perfectly capable of updating your Linkedin profile while wishing someone "happy birthday" on Facebook, but it can get very obnoxious if someone tries to get your attention. Muting the phone during a meeting (even a particularly boring one) will show your colleagues that they have your full attention, and it will be appreciated.

Share extremely personal stories

Need to take a day off to nurse a bad breakup or painful cramps? You can be honest with your supervisor, but the entire office doesn't need to know that. It's completely normal to get angry or emotional in the office, but communicating quietly is much more professional than an email detailing your feelings to all your colleagues. Save the display of drama for the right time – like brunch with friends on Sunday morning.

Get up and pay a little visit to colleagues

With the rise of so-called “open-plan” offices, people are less and less intimate at work. Establishing and respecting personal boundaries is important, especially if your computer and those of your colleagues are on top of each other. When it comes to touch, whether it's a harmless pat on the back or a caress on the shoulder, you never know how people will react. Unless your office colleague has given you consent to punch him every morning, keep your hands to yourself.

Posting personal information on social media…

As part of work requirements, social networks are increasingly used. However, if you always use one account for everything, you can prepare for the worst. Nothing is more awkward than reporting your absence to your employer while a colleague posts a photo of you partying the day before at the same time. Having a private account for friends and a public one for your personal contacts can help avoid any future mishaps - unless, of course, your job involves partying.

Use all kinds of excuses

Being consistent with commitments made is important to maintain an image of professionalism, but sometimes life can ruin even the most organized schedules. Your managers will accept that traffic jams or lack of sleep will cause you to be a few minutes late for work every now and then, but too many excuses can give them the impression that you're in a slacking phase. Blaming others or feigning ignorance can be just as bad, so it's best to limit incidents and take responsibility for your actions when necessary. You will appear ten times more professional.

The evocative look

We all, at one time or another, attend one of those incredibly boring meetings that last forever and where all we want to do is leave as quickly as possible. Raising your eyes or eyebrows at your office colleague across the room as a sign of solidarity can be tempting, but you never know who else might overhear these little signals. A supervisor may surprise you and interpret this negative body language as disengagement or disagreement, so it's best to tone down any audible sighs, yawns, and looks of frustration. If you have an unfavorable opinion about how things are handled, it is best to act like a team player and make an appointment to discuss it privately with your supervisor.

Gossip about colleagues

A juicy anecdote or office chatter may be the highlight of a sometimes dull workday, but breaking the news can have unintended consequences. To cultivate a professional image you must contribute to maintaining a healthy and pleasant work environment and thus be considered a loyal colleague. Small talk can turn out to be meaningless and lead to a problematic atmosphere in the office. Even if you have the juiciest information, it's best to keep it to yourself so it doesn't come back to bite you. Colleagues can very easily perceive you as untrustworthy or a bad collaborator. You know what they say: "If you can't say something nice..."

Use names or pseudonyms

People often use pet names as a sign of affection, but, for some people, these nicknames can come off as demeaning. When calling a colleague by anything other than their name, make sure it is not demeaning or comes across as condescending or overly familiar. Obviously, “mon chou”, “Titi” and “Boss” should be avoided. Even a flattering nickname can get tiring after a while. Just ask the poor soul who, to be useful one day, looked up something on Wikipedia and was given nicknames like “the nerd”, “prof”…for the rest of their career.

The coffee machine

It is a working comfort always appreciated for taking a break in the morning or afternoon. However, this should not become the best excuse for being absent from your workstation too regularly. Even less to put into practice all the errors cited above. The break at the coffee machine can be a moment of relaxation, conviviality and deepening of fruitful working relationships.