As the very concept of work undergoes a metamorphosis under the impact of technology, several researches have been examining what work has meant to people and what it does to their identities. Considerable research is being done on the history as well as on the sociology of work. Many concepts, such as achievement motivation, entrepreneurship, perceived control, conservatism and even authoritarianism an attitude to money, leisure, success have come to the forefront in the process.

The residents of Darwin (NT, Australia) and Colombo (Sri Lanka were tested for cultural differences in the attitude towards work. The results suggest that people from non-Western cultures endorse a work ethic defined as "respect for, admiration of, and willingness to take part in hard work" more strongly than do people from Western cultures. But pro-leisure is not seen to be the opposite of pro-work.

Most religions and most cultures are found to have a common concept of work ethic defined as a commitment to hard work and excellence. Hard work is seen as an end in itself and even as morally correct. What is different is the belief that there is a direct relationship between hard work and success. Australians endorse this statement, Sri Lankans do not. In countries where hard work does not necessarily lead to a good life, it is in spite of the fact that in Buddhism as well as Hinduism there is an emphasis on self-reliance and independence. Right attitudes are only a part of the complex mosaic of factors that lead to economic development of nations. And, ultimately, it is this that results in the social perception of the value of work.

At a time when serious discussions are taking place on whether technology will result in an era of "end of work" and the content of work changes, it is obvious that there would be concomitant changes in the concept of the work place. The nature of the organization and the relationships that constitute the workplace is changing as more and more people and organizations take to contingent work.

Employee perceptions

A study by Jeongkoo Yoon and Jun-Cheon Lim (Ajou University, South Korea) titled "Organisational Support in the Workplace" investigates the reasons for some employees perceiving that they get greater support than others form the same set of supervisions and co-workers.

The results indicate cultural differences and unlike Americans, who tend to view support more in terms of an economic exchange, Koreans often view support as an integral part of social roles and relationships. In fact, Korean organizations seldom allow individual employees to express their individual feelings and dispositions freely in the workplace, but collectively expression is encouraged.

An interesting finding is that old and male employees in Korean work organizations receive more organizational support than do young or female employees. Perhaps this is true of all Asian cultures, including our own. Reservation of seats on the Board of Directors of companies is just an indication of the widespread prevalence of the "glass ceiling" syndrome.

Evolution of a freer atmosphere

World over the concept of a lateral hierarchy without many go betweens is emerging. The numbers of staff assigned to a job also have decreased with the skill convergence prevalent today. And though professionalism, speed and efficiency have multiplied, a workplace signifies much more than just a place where 'work' goes on. As people are involved, it is a kind of society, just as a village or a family is. Since we spend one-third of our time in the workplace nearly everyday, it is important to ensure that we find happiness in our workplace, and preferably grow with it from time to time. After all, when we retire our life will still be closely related to it, through pension links, friends, memories and experiences.

Workplaces are communities that are associated with organizations, and in some way provide examples of the concept of the family. As a community, every workplace has its own culture, which is the common experience shared by all members, or passed on from one member to another. Members of the workplace community often have sets of rules and regulations special to themselves.

Within the workplace community, there are formal and informal organizations. The formal organizations will have a pattern, with lines of communication, levels for making decisions and perhaps different clusters of employees. Within the formal organizations, there will be an informal pattern of communication between colleagues, friends, lunchtime groups, sports groups, and other social contacts. Members of these groups may have gathered to fulfill a need, or may have developed to get results, as the formal official ways do not seem to work well in the organization.

In your workplace, you may be seen as a member closely associated with a formal organization, or having significant influence to a particular informal group. As an individual, you may also be marked off from other inferior or superior groups and accorded a different amount of prestige. For instance, you may be a white collar that distinguished you from blue collar or production workers. You may be a skilled and trained professional as compared to those semi-skilled and do not possess high qualifications.

In other words, your job positioning, the amount of money it carries, its place in the organization's hierarchy, the skill or responsibility required, the nature of the work - all these can affect your status, or the way other members of the workplace view you in their social setting.

Besides, through your job and how you do your work - your honesty, pleasantness, initiatives, willingness to help, being a reliable source of information, how you act as a union member or a manager, can affect your status. Notice that the first set of factors go with the job, the second set comes from your own behavior, and they both depend on how different people rate these characteristics.

By viewing workplace as community, an employee shares the mindset, corporate goals and visions with other members. You tend to abide by the rules set forth by the management and resist disciplinary wrongdoings by members in the community. From the organization's point of view, you may want to join groups that are of your interest, and develop close relationships with other members within the same group. As a member of the family, you may even find a sense of belonging that enables you to safeguard the well being of the company, or sacrifice for other family members without even giving a second thought to it.

The vision of the management and its effectiveness in imparting responsibility to its staff are the prime factors that affect how an employee feels and how productive he is. Many companies are seeing their responsibility not in terms of ensuring long-term job security but "providing opportunities for personal and professional growth," changing the implicit contract from a guarantee of employment to a commitment to employability.

Such a change demolishes the core tenets of the strategy-structure -system doctrine, which instructs managers to minimize risk by controlling the idiosyncratic individual. Today's top-level managers recognize that the diversity of human skills and the unpredictability of the human spirit make possible initiative, creativity, and entrepreneurship. The most basic task of corporate leaders is to recapture those valuable human attributes by individualizing the corporation and adopting a management philosophy that is based on purpose, process and people.

The Little Extra That Helps You Go A Long Way.

As your career progresses, you develop skills which are respected and expected - professional etiquette which builds leadership, quality, business and careers. It refines skills needed for exceptional service. Without etiquette, you limit your potential, risk your image, and jeopardize relationships that are fundamental to business success.

Formerly perceived as a soft skill, busy, result-oriented professionals have found that professional etiquette influences their success because it differentiates them in a competitive market and enables them to be confident in a variety of settings with people from all walks of life.

When it comes to business introductions, remember you never get a second chance to make a first impression. This is your very first interaction with a potential client, customer, or contact. And generally, personal impressions are made within 20 - 30 seconds, upon meeting someone.

Here are some rules to follow when making introductions.

The most important point about introductions is to make them: Not doing so causes embarrassment and discomfort. As you say each person's name, make eye contact with that person. This makes them feel important, and allows you to maintain control of the introductions. The person to whom the introduction is made is mentioned first.

Introduce persons of lesser authority to persons of greater authority. For example, " Mr./Ms. Greater Authority, I would like to introduce you to Mr./Ms. Lesser Authority." However, a client ALWAYS takes precedence over anyone in your organization. "Mr./Ms. Client, this is our General Manager, Mr So and So." Gender does not affect the order of introductions.

Sometimes a tidbit of information about the person you are introducing is helpful to start new conversation. Once a conversation has begun and everyone seems at ease, you may excuse yourself. Be consistent using surnames. If you only know one person's first name, introduce everyone by their surname.

If no one introduces you, step in and introduce yourself. Always stand for introductions. Treat everyone equally in the workplace, if a man deserves a handshake, so does a woman. To shake hands properly, keep your thumb up and touch webs before wrapping the fingers around the other person's hand. Ensure your grip is medium to firm, avoiding both the "dead fish" handshake, as well as the "wrestler's grip" handshake. In a business setting, it does not matter who extends their hand first, but whoever does, takes control of the situation.

If you do happen to forget someone's name while making an introduction, remember that it happens to the best of us. Try putting people at ease versus concentrating on your own embarrassment. Remain calm. Be straightforward and tactful in admitting your memory lapse.

Once introduced to someone, say their name several times during the conversation. This helps you to remember it, and projects genuine interest in that person. When someone seems to have forgotten your name, just jump in, hand outstretched, a smile on your face, and offer your name.

Business etiquette gives you an edge over the others. People always remember a person who is manners are impeccable. And if you're learning, just remember there's no better way than observing those you admire.