Workplace manners on the decline.

• Position: Your Life - Brief Article

A few more "pleases" and "thank yous" in the office would definitely be welcome, a survey by Office-Team, a Menlo Park, Calif.-based staffing service specializing in highly skilled administrative professionals, suggests. Forty-four percent of workers polled said the level of professional courtesy at work has decreased over the past five years.

"In today's fast-paced business environment, it's not unusual for people to pay less attention to matters of workplace etiquette and protocol," indicates Liz Hubler, Office Team executive director. "But time spent showing consideration for others is a smart career investment. People have long memories when it comes to how you treat them; and the courtesy you extend will be noticed and reciprocated." She offers the following courtesy "checkpoints":

* Do you value others' time? Never assume a coworker is less busy than you. Show respect by sticking to project deadlines, returning messages promptly, and arriving on time to meetings.

* Do you...