Professionalism used to be easy to spot and train. Suits, slacks, and dresses, a firm handshake, and being on time for your next in-person meeting. But the rules have changed, and not everyone knows what they are.
The shift to remote and hybrid work has redefined how we “show up” at work. It’s no longer just about dress codes or desk decorum. It’s about tone, timing, behavior on video calls, and even how you respond in a Slack thread. The line between casual and careless can feel blurry, and that confusion creates real challenges for employers trying to set standards and protect their brand.
If you’re a business owner, manager, or HR leader, you’ve probably felt the tension between giving employees freedom and helping them understand what professionalism still looks like.
But clarifying exactly what you want that to look like in your organization helps create attainable expectations and keeps everyone on the same page.
Why the Old Rules Don’t Always Apply
In the past five years, we’ve seen the most dramatic workplace changes in decades. Employees now:
- Work from home, from their phones, or across multiple time zones
- Join video meetings more often than in-person
- Communicate via tools like Slack, email, and project dashboards instead of traditional conversations
These new dynamics mean first impressions happen through a screen. Entire relationships form without a handshake. And professionalism has to translate across platforms and environments, something many employees have never been formally trained to do.
What Hasn’t Changed in Professionalism
While the packaging has evolved, the core principles of professionalism are still intact. These include:
- Respect: Being responsive, courteous, and considerate
- Reliability: Showing up on time and following through
- Intentionality: Putting effort into communication, appearance, and contribution
These values haven’t gone away or lost value. They just look different now.
The Modern “Look and Feel” of Professionalism
A few foundational ideas we need to make sure are clear for our teams:
Video Meeting Etiquette
- Dress appropriately for your role and industry, even if you’re remote. This will look different for every organization and team, and having this clearly documented makes a huge difference.
- Use good lighting and keep distractions minimal, especially when these meetings are client or vendor-facing.
- Be present and don’t multitask during meetings. If this is consistently happening, ask yourself if everyone really needs to be in every meeting they currently are.
Tone & Communication
- Use clear, concise, and thoughtful messaging, even in Slack or email. This represents the value you think the conversation has.
- Know when to switch from chat to a live conversation. Some things can easily be solved over a quick message, but others deserve a phone or video call. It’s important to know the difference.
- Avoid overusing casual tones, emojis, or shorthand unless it fits the context. Example: internal “water cooler” chats should be treated differently than your client-facing emails.
Appearance Across Settings
- “Business casual” might now mean clean, branded polos and hoodies instead of suits, but intentionality still matters. Set the expectation on what this looks like for your organization, so there is no confusion.
- In hybrid offices, dress should reflect your company’s client-facing or team-first values. Again, you have to set the precedent here so your employees aren’t left wondering.
- For customer-facing roles, a tidy, polished appearance still signals credibility. But again, what does that mean for your organization? Clarify and document it.
Why Guidance Around Professionalism Matters
When expectations aren’t clear, employees are left guessing. That can lead to awkward moments on Zoom, poorly written client messages, or even damage to your brand reputation. But it’s not about micromanaging but about equipping your team to succeed in today’s workplace environment.
And that starts with training.
Train for 2025’s Professional Standards
Our Professional Appearance and Behavior course was built to help you clarify and train your team for today’s standards. It’s designed to help employees understand:
- How to adapt their appearance and behavior for different work environments
- What professionalism means across digital platforms and in-person settings
- How to confidently represent themselves and your business
With real-world examples and clear takeaways, the course helps managers set the standard and employees meet it, no matter where or how they work.
Help Your Team Show Up With Confidence
Work has changed. So has professionalism. But when your employees know what’s expected, they can rise to meet the new standard.
Explore our Professional Appearance and Behavior course and many others like it with a free demo to set your team up for success.
