Inspired by our Annual Professional Presentation Week (February 12 – February 16, 2024), the CSE Team has created a blog series to highlight important topics related to the various aspects of professional presentation. These will be published throughout the month of February (because one week just isn’t enough!), so stay tuned for more awesome Professional Presentation Content.
Today Julie Miller, Director of Career Strategies, unveils some essential tips and knowledge about the complex, yet important, topic of understanding body language when navigating the professional world.
About Professional Presentation Week: Featuring several events and challenges related to various aspects of professional presentation, including: Professional Attire, Body Language, Interview Preparation, Online Presence, Networking Tips, The Video Interview, Small Talk Challenge, Personal Branding, and more!
Why Understanding Body Language Matters
If you’re a student at Brandeis International Business School, it’s quite likely you speak and/or understand more than one language. But do you know how to understand “body language,” and why it matters – especially in the workplace? Let’s take a look!
What is “body language”?
Oxford Reference defines body language as “(t)he movement and gestures of the body that communicate to another person non-verbally.”
If you observe children playing, you’d probably notice some of them experiencing happiness and others experiencing frustration. How did you know how they were feeling without them telling you? By their body language: A smiling face or excited jumping implies happiness; a frowning face or stomping away from others implies frustration. Those children are communicating via body language.
Body language is a sizable concept and can consist of several sub-categories. HelpGuide.org describes seven of the most common as: Facial expressions; Body movement and posture; Gestures; Eye contact; Touch; Space; and Voice.
Why does understanding body language matter in the workplace?
Understanding body language in the culture where you’re located is important for many reasons, including your ability to interpret non-verbal cues from others, and your awareness of how your body language may be interpreted by others. It’s particularly important to note that body language norms can vary by culture – and even within a culture, or across geographic regions. Body language norms in the US, for example, can vary within different regions of the US and may be both similar to and different from another culture.
Let’s get more specific to figure out how to manage all of this!
What are some examples of body language in the US workplace?
From my experience as a recruiter, hiring manager, and career advisor, here are very brief examples of the seven sub-categories of body language possible interpretations in the US workplace – or while interviewing:
Facial expressions: When interviewing or in a workplace conversation, smiling communicates your enthusiasm. Raising your eyebrows communicates interest in the conversation topic. A frown can communicate frustration/anger, but also focus/concentration, depending on the circumstances. Your facial expressions can partner with your verbal expression to communicate effectively in interviews and in the workplace.
Body movement and posture: There are many perspectives about sitting positions! Sitting with a straight back and leaning forward slightly suggests interest in the conversation and good energy. Leaning back your chair, however, can be interpreted less favorably as it can imply either passive listening or disinterest. You can be comfortable in many sitting positions – just remember to be aware of how your sitting posture is perceived in a professional setting.
Gestures: A handshake is a common way of greeting someone in a professional setting. Additionally, using hand gestures appropriately to emphasize spoken points is common in the workplace as well.
Eye contact: In the US, looking into the eyes of the person with whom you’re speaking – known as eye contact – is a polite indication of engagement and interest in the conversation.
Touch: Physical touch in the workplace – things like hugs – can be a complicated topic, so it’s generally a good strategy to limit touch to handshakes in the workplace and in interviews..
Space: In the US, the concept of respecting personal space is common – in other words, keeping some physical distance between you and another person in the workplace.
Voice: In an interview and in the workplace in general, it’s a good habit to modulate your voice to be not too loud but not too quiet. If you notice colleagues or interviewers asking you to repeat yourself, it may indicate that you’re speaking more quietly than your colleagues can hear. Conversely, consider lowering your voice if you notice colleagues or interviewers leaning back or stepping back when you’re speaking. Consider moving to a more private location if you’re having a conversation near a colleague who is trying to concentrate on their work.
What are some ways I can become more familiar with understanding body language norms of the US and in other countries?
It can be a challenge to think about all seven sub-categories of body language – but you’re probably already quite aware of the concept of body language and some of its norms.
US: A fun way to increase your familiarity with US body language norms is to watch TV shows or movies produced in a particular culture. Of course, “Hollywood” may or may not accurately represent cultural norms, but you’ll get the general idea!
US and international locations: GoinGlobal is a fun site to visit for clues about body language norms in the US and internationally. Within GoinGlobal, visit the “Living There > Cultural Advice” sections of the city- and country-pages that interest you. (Be sure to access GoinGlobal via Handshake > Career Center > Resources to access full content.)
In addition, here are a few publicly available articles that you might find helpful:
- How To Understand Body Language in the Workplace | Indeed
- 12 Body Language Tips For Career Success | Forbes
- How to Read Body Language in the United States | EnglishClass101.com Blog
Finally, bring your questions about body language in interviews and in the workplace to your Career Coach, who can help you navigate this interesting topic!
