Two of the main aspects in cubicle etiquette are privacy and respect. These etiquette rules should be followed by both workers inside the cubicle as well as those in the adjoining areas. The work cubicles may be an open space but those who work in it consider these areas as their individual offices. So it is essential to adhere to the following guidelines to promote a harmonious workplace area.

Talk softly

A loud voice can be very distracting, so you should be aware of the voice that you project. Keep your voice soft but clear.

Avoid using a speaker

This could be more distracting than talking loudly since the person on the next cubicle could very well hear your party's voice as well.

Let anything confidential stay confidential

Avoid discussing any confidential matters in the cubicle area. These places offer limited privacy, so it's better to talk things privately inside a board room or conference room. During cases wherein you need to discuss anything confidential on the telephone, borrow someone else's office and use the phone there before discussing anything important.

Set your answering machine on

Set your answering machine on when you're not at your desk. This would avoid your phone from ringing constantly and unattended, which could distract your neighbors. And remember to also bring your cell phone with you to lunch to avoid the same unattended ringing phone in the cubicle.

As much as possible set your personal calls to a minimum, particularly only during lunch or break times.

Do not interrupt your neighbor while at work

Do not interrupt a colleague while they're still on the phone talking, wait until the call has ended before approaching them. Do away with directly barging in someone else's cubicle without knocking or being asked to enter. Do not interrupt them if ever they look busy and preoccupied with work. Be respectful and courteous if you really need to interrupt them with something very important.

Don't use any screensavers with sounds

You may think your screensaver or background music sounds nice to your ears but you'll never know if it's noise to another person's ears. So, it's best to work in a quiet environment.

Pretend you're deaf

If ever you happen to listen to a confidential or private conversation, it's best to pretend that you didn't hear any of it, more so, not to share anything about it to others.

Avoid too much smell

Be considerate and do not wear too much scent or aftershave to work. You'll never know if your neighbor doesn't like how your perfume smells.

Do not eat anything with an overwhelming smell inside your cubicle, same goes with eating crunchy foods. Imagine how your neighbor will react if ever all those munching is heard and smelling that distracting food while they are busy with work.

Make a good impression

You should make sure that everything within the perimeter of your cubicle is kept clean and organized at all times. Everyone will likely see how organized or disorganized you are since your office is an open area, so keep everything neat and orderly.