Home / Non-Accredited / Workplace Essentials & Personal Effectiveness / Behave in a Professional Manner in a Business Environment (3 days)
Quick Look Course Summary:Behave in a Professional Manner in a Business Environment (3 days)
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Length: 3 day(s)
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Price (at your venue): 1 Person R 14,997 EX VAT 3 Person R 11,205 EX VAT 10 Person R 8,042 EX VAT
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Certification Type:Non-Accredited
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Locations & Venues: Off-site or in-house. We train in all major city centres throughout South Africa.
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Behave in a Professional Manner in a Business Environment (3 days)
New and developing staff learn what professional behaviour looks like in practice – and how to check and improve their own.
Many workplace problems are about conduct rather than skill: arriving late, leaving the workstation without telling anyone, careless talk about confidential matters, or a poor first impression with a client. This workplace professionalism training sets clear expectations and gives staff the knowledge and habits to meet them.
Over three days delegates learn how to conduct themselves in a business environment, read body language in a business context, deal professionally with colleagues and customers, and assess their own behaviour honestly. Topics include honouring working hours, keeping colleagues informed about work in progress, leave and absence, a positive attitude, accountability and responsibility, ethics and confidentiality – including the basics of handling personal information under POPIA.
The course is practical and discussion-based, with case studies and role-plays on everyday situations and a structured self-assessment on the final day. Delegates finish with a personal development plan they can review with their manager. It is a sound starting point for new employees, graduates and interns entering a business or financial services environment for the first time.
Why this course
For your organisation
- Clear, shared expectations of conduct for new and existing staff
- Fewer attendance, absence and communication problems
- Better protection of confidential and personal information
- A more professional impression on clients and visitors
For your delegates
- A clear picture of what professional behaviour looks like
- Skills to read and use body language at work
- Confidence in dealing with colleagues, managers and customers
- A self-assessment and a personal development plan
What delegates will be able to do
- Explain what is expected of you in a business environment and why
- Honour working hours and follow procedures for leave, absence and time away from your workstation
- Keep colleagues and managers informed about work in progress and commitments
- Show a positive attitude, accountability and responsibility in daily work
- Handle confidential and personal information appropriately
- Interpret body language and adjust your own in business situations
- Deal professionally with internal and external customers
- Assess your own professional behaviour and plan specific improvements
Who should attend
New employees, graduates, interns and junior staff entering a business or financial services environment, and existing employees whose managers want to reset expectations of workplace conduct. Delegates need basic reading and writing skills; no prior training is needed.
Course outline
Day 1 – Professional conduct at work
The business environment and your place in it
- How organisations are structured and who your internal and external customers are
- Why professional behaviour matters to the business and to your career
- Codes of conduct, policies and procedures
- Unwritten rules: workplace culture and expectations
- Working hours and leave in outline under the BCEA, as general guidance and not legal advice
Time, attendance and reliability
- Honouring working hours and being punctual
- Applying for leave and reporting absence correctly
- Letting colleagues know when you are away from your workstation
- Keeping colleagues and managers informed about work in progress
- Meeting deadlines and keeping commitments
Attitude, accountability and responsibility
- What a positive attitude looks like in practice
- Taking ownership of your work and your mistakes
- Responsibility versus blame
- Using initiative within your role
- Case studies
Ethics and confidentiality
- Honesty, fairness and integrity at work
- Confidential business information and how to protect it
- Personal information and POPIA in everyday work, as general guidance
- Conflicts of interest, gifts and favours
- Raising concerns about unethical behaviour through the right channels
Day 2 – Dealing with people
Body language in a business context
- Posture, gestures, eye contact and facial expression
- Personal space in a diverse workplace
- Reading signs of agreement, interest, impatience and discomfort
- Matching your body language to your message
- Cultural differences in non-verbal communication in South Africa
Communicating professionally
- Greeting and introducing yourself and others
- Speaking and listening with respect
- Telephone, email and messaging conduct
- Professional appearance and dress codes
- Choosing the right channel for the message
Internal and external customers
- Treating colleagues as internal customers
- First impressions with clients and visitors
- Handling complaints and difficult people calmly
- Keeping promises and following up
Working with colleagues
- Respecting diversity of culture, language, age and gender
- Etiquette in shared spaces and meetings
- Disagreeing professionally
- Staying out of gossip and office politics
- Boundaries between professional and personal relationships
Day 3 – Assessing and improving your own behaviour
Self-assessment
- Rating your own professional behaviour against a checklist
- Asking for and using feedback from colleagues and managers
- Identifying strengths and areas to improve
- Reflecting on real workplace situations
Role-plays and case studies
- Arriving late for a client meeting
- A colleague shares confidential information
- An angry customer at reception
- Feedback from the group and the facilitator
Professional behaviour under pressure
- Managing frustration and stress at work
- Social media and your professional reputation
- Behaviour at work functions and off-site events
- What would you do? Quick-fire scenarios
Personal development plan
- Setting goals for your professional behaviour
- Practical steps and the support you need
- Tracking progress with your manager
- Presenting your plan, evaluation and close
How it is delivered
Three days, 08:30-16:00. In person at your offices anywhere in South Africa, at a BOTI venue, or live online. One delegate or a group of up to 20; examples can follow your own code of conduct and leave procedure. Workbook, case studies, self-assessment and a development plan included. We deliver it at your offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and anywhere else in South Africa, at a BOTI venue in Johannesburg, or live online for teams in different places.
What our clients say
“The course was efficiently scheduled and planned around our timetable. We were impressed by both the quality of training and the Facilitators.”
“We have been very impressed with their service and rollout of the training.”
“We were particularly impressed by the quality of facilitation and the practical relevance of the content presented. The programme was delivered with professionalism, clarity, and a strong emphasis on real-world application”
Frequently asked questions
Can you run this course at our offices?
Yes. Most groups are trained at the client's premises anywhere in South Africa; we can also host it at a BOTI venue or deliver it live online.
How many people can attend?
From one delegate to groups of about 20. The price per delegate drops as the group grows – see the price table, or ask us for a quote.
Is it accredited?
No. It is a non-accredited short course and delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance.
Can it be part of our induction programme?
Yes. Many organisations use it for new staff, graduates and interns. The examples can be matched to your own code of conduct, leave procedure and confidentiality rules.
How is it different from Business Etiquette Training?
Business Etiquette Training is a one-day course on polish: introductions, dining, dress and correspondence. This three-day course covers the foundations of workplace conduct – attendance, accountability, ethics, confidentiality and dealing with people – and ends with a self-assessment and development plan.
Can you run this course in Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban?
Yes. We train on site at your offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and across South Africa, at a BOTI venue in Johannesburg, or live online so a team spread over several offices can attend together.
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Monday to Friday, 08:00–17:00. After hours, we reply on the next working day – or call 011 882 8853.