Guide to Coffee Shop Etiquette for Remote Workers
The do’s and don’ts for remote working in coffee shops
Let’s be real here. We all have things that annoy us, especially when trying to concentrate or get on with our day. Coffee shops have a stimulating atmosphere and offer great social interaction, making them a top choice for remote workers, but with that comes a wide range of personalities and behaviours.
With more and more people opting for coffee shops as there place of work, I believe there are some basic etiquettes to follow..
Common Pain Points in Coffee Shops
No messing about here, straight into the ick’s!
Noise Levels
Broadly speaking this could be anything from overly lod conversations to thinking you are the drummer for ACDC. The main one here has to be loud conversations, phone calls, and video meetings. Me personally, if I have an internal meeting with my colleagues I will take it, but if I have an external client meeting that day, I will always head to the office or stay at home.
We will cover headphones later on, but as a minimum you should always use headphones whilst having calls in a coffee shop. By not using them is not only distracting for other remote workers and regular customers, but a lack of privacy for the person sharing their thoughts on ‘Jane from accounts’ to a whole coffee shop.
Using headphones for calls and keeping your voice down is crucial to maintaining a peaceful environment within coffee shops when remote working.
Space Management
This can be a frustrating one, especially when it is a busy coffee shop. There is nothing more annoying when you scan a coffee shop looking for a seat and see some one sat at a four person table, let alone covering that table with all of their belongings.
Of course, sometimes this can’t be helped and it may be the only seat available, but if you contain your work admin, then this makes it more inviting for someone else to sit at one of the other chairs.
Spreading out belongings over multiple seats or tables can frustrate other customers looking for space. Keeping your setup compact and contained within one seat is more considerate, everyone is here for the same reason!
Mess
I keep thinking I have found the most annoying point, then we move onto the next! BASIC. LIFE. SKILL. This shouldn’t even be spoken about, for most it is second nature to respect a venue, business, staff, and others around you.
Leaving rubbish, spills, or a generally untidy area behind is disrespectful to staff and other customers. Clean up after yourself. Simple.
Internet Usage
This is a tough one. And may not affect the large chains, but more so the small independent coffee shops.
Negative effects of streaming and bandwidth-heavy activities can reduce the speed of wifi for other users. Some users may be heading to their local shop to stream a live talk, lesson, podcast which is fine, but if you do start to hear the mumbles and grunts of others then it is probably best to drop the quality or watch the a recording at a later date.
Streaming videos or using bandwidth-heavy applications can slow down the internet for everyone. You could limit such activities to avoid slowing down the WiFi for others by scheduling tasks that require high bandwidth for when the shop is naturally quieter or when you are at home. Limiting these activities will maintain a fair share of the resources for everyone.
Overstaying
How long is too long?
Occupying a table for long periods without frequent purchases can be seen as freeloading. Regularly buying drinks or snacks supports the business and justifies your stay there.
As a rule of thumb, I personally don’t stay longer than 3 hours. Within this time I would have purchased multiple drinks and food. As long as you are frequently purchasing, then there is no issue for staying for long periods of time.
Remember, for cost of a coffee you are also getting wifi, heating/air-con, electric, inspiration, and a roof over your head. That £3.75 flat white doesn’t seem too extortionate anymore does it?
What You Should Do
All the do’s to be a good coffee shop remote worker, take note.
Make Regular Purchases
It goes without saying, regularly buy drinks or snacks if you plan to stay for an extended period. This shows support for the business and justifies your use of their space and resources
As a rule of thumb, I usualy order twice. The first, of course, is a coffee to get me through the first bunch of emails and meetings. I will then usually head back up to purchase another drink and some food once I have settled in and made a dent in the days tasks.
Use Headphones
Always use headphones to listen to music or take calls, ensuring that you do not disturb others around you. As mentioned previously, it’s etiquette to manage your noise levels. Noise cancelling headphones for yourself will avoid any annoyance from others who haven’t read this banging article!
Stay Organised and Tidy
Keep your work area tidy and contained to your immediate space. This prevents unnecessary clutter and makes it easier for others to find seating. You may think you are important, but you don’t need 4 seats and two tables to write that instagram post.
Time Awareness
Be conscious of your time, limit your stay to a few hours, especially during peak times, and be considerate of other customers who might need the space.
Remember, the coffee shop is a business, and they need to maximise their output in order to do well, else there won’t be any coffee shops for you to work from. By all means stay for a long time, just keep purchasing and support them.
What you shouldn’t do
Loud, rude, and obnoxious
Avoid making long or loud phone calls within the cafe. Step outside if you need to have an extended conversation or if it may be geting heated or discussing sensitive information.
The impact of being loud can distract others from their work, and also make you look a bit of a..
Expect Staff to Watch Your Stuff
Do not leave your belongings unattended expecting the staff to watch them. It’s better to pack up your valuables if you need to step away briefly or at your own risk as another customer. The staff have their own work to be getting on with, and if the worst happens, they don’t need that extra stress and responsibility on them.
Occupy Large Tables
Don’t use large tables or multiple seats if you don’t need them, particularly during busy periods. If you do have to occupy a larger table, leave space for others to sit and work rather than covering each and every whair with your belongings.
Bring Outside Food
Although tempting, especially if you are watching the bank balance, this is quite frowned upon. Working in coffee shops is a brilliant concept, mainly because you are supporting another business whilst working on yours or for someone else. It’s a great way to support others, therefor eit id highly encouraged to buy meals and snacks from the coffee shop in order to keep the high-street going.
I hope this will help guide you through your first coffee shop working experience, if you think you have another point or a personal bug bear that you would liek to share, get in touch and i’ll be happy to add it to the list!