This guide covers the manners of co-workers in a mortgage company workplace today. This sounds like a topic you would have with a kindergarten class. Unfortunately, many grown-ups don’t understand that using good manners, politeness, and respect, especially when working for a mortgage brokerage company will help improve your everyday life.

Manners within a workplace team have particular implications for a mortgage brokerage company. They bring creativity to a work environment and give it proper respect.

I’m still part of a full-time workforce and would like to share a few not-so-good experiences where manners matter. In the following paragraphs, we will cover manners among co-workers in a mortgage company.

Workplace Manners Among Employees at a Mortgage Brokerage Office  

In a mortgage company, brokers work quickly to meet clients’ needs. Polishing the communication skills amongst team members is often left behind. In reality, a great workplace with minimum distractions, in the form of hostility or rudeness, affects productivity positively.

In the business inner circle, the lack of ‘micro manners’ would decrease the firm’s ability to team with other businesses, attract clients, and get partners.

Understand the purpose behind having workplace etiquette for mortgage brokerage office employees. See how etiquette interactions impact productivity, teamwork, and even trust in the mortgage office.  It is the foundation of any successful company. Attending to clients in an orderly manner is professional. Good manners also include being on time and maintaining respect.

Impact of Courtesy at the Workplace and the Mortgage Brokerage Industry  

In the mortgage industry, professionalism is more than credit reports, interest rates, and service. It also depends on how mortgage teams communicate with one another. A mortgage brokerage company is vibrant and functioning as a well-oiled machine as long as its employees are respectful and use proper communication and workplace etiquette.

It is the foundation of any successful company. I want you to know that attending to clients orderly is professional. Good manners also include being on time and maintaining respect.

Modern etiquette is more than just having basic good manners and being polite in the office. Rather, it is a tool that fosters closer cooperation, decreases mistakes, and even boosts client satisfaction. Most workplace etiquette is aimed at maintaining a productive environment, especially for loan officers, processors, and underwriters.

Why Workplace Manners are Important in a Mortgage Business  

Manners with Internal Trust Building  

Loan files are completed and signed in a mortgage brokerage office with one mortgage loan co-borrower or co-signer. Trust and great manners at every step are the foundation of that trust. Polite employees enhance teamwork and compliance.

Improving Manners and Showing Professionalism Towards Clients  

Clients wanting to get mortgage products usually can feel the company’s internal balance instantly. An environment where colleagues treat one another respectfully radiates professionalism, comforts clients, and assures them that their needs will be met.

Improving Efficiency Manners at the Mortgage Workplace  

Deadlines drive work in the mortgage industry. Timeliness, respect, and effective instructions enable colleagues to process tasks promptly and accurately.

Important Areas of Workplace Manners in Mortgage Brokerage  

Mortgage Professionals and Communication Manners

Good manners in the office begin with clear and respectful communication. This includes using professional vocabulary, listening to others, and providing relevant commentary.

Effective communication is at the heart of a successful mortgage office.

• Remain professional in all emails.
• Use straightforward subject lines that pertain to a loan, client status, or compliance.
• We must avoid unnecessary complex phrases and jargon that will be a barrier to the other team members and clients.
• Important documents and updates must be acknowledged to assist with streamlining processes.

Effective communication resolves ambiguity and friction by aligning all the parties to the same objectives.

Productive Meeting Manners at the Mortgage Workplace

When a mortgage brokerage in any country focuses on employee manners in the office, it helps develop an atmosphere that is more positive, productive, and pleasant for everyone in the company. Mortgage professionals participate in several investment strategy calls, client consultations, and compliance reviews.

• Ensure you log in at the correct time for all meetings, whether physical or over a Zoom call.
• Ensure that full attention is given to other people and prevent interruptions to the meeting flow.
• Use the allocated time and stay focused on the specific discussion rather than having several unrelated topics brought up.

If one of the employees is displaying a lack of manners, one of the best solutions is for someone to chat privately and explain their reasoning and the consequences that stem from it. I want to point out that listening with the intent to find the best solution is a good place to start. As a result, if the circumstance turns out to be the worst case, take the matter to a supervisor or Human Resources, and the case will more likely than not be solved.

Manners at the Workplace: Personal and Professional Distance  

In an open office or shared workspace, respecting boundaries is essential:

• Control your phone volume to prevent colleagues dealing with sensitive mortgage applications from disrupting their concentration.
• Always ask permission from the person before using office equipment, forms, or any shared resources.
• Awareness of varying work habits and cultural practices is essential in the mortgage industry.

Thank You Letters and Recognition  

A word as simple as “thank you” given to a colleague who provides support to finalize a loan package or document compliance… is morale-boosting. Recognition and appreciation of the efforts make teams more loyal and create a more harmonious workplace.

Respect in a Hybrid Mortgage Workplace  

Meetings Online  

Though the idea of good manners is quite simple, applying good manners in the busy office of a mortgage brokerage is an active undertaking. Examples of good manners include, but are not limited to, the following. There are some other aspects of remote mortgage teams’ etiquette to consider.

• Arrive and sign in punctually for Teams, Zoom, or Google Meet calls.
• Please work on your mute button when you are not the speaker.
• When appropriate, you should have the camera switched on and active.

Professionalism When Emailing and Chatting  

There are integrated CRM tools and other tools, such as Slack, that provide this, but the following should be handled with great caution.

• Refrain from messaging after hours unless it’s very important.
• All communications, including internal messaging, must be respectful, professional, and proper.

Trust and confidence are crucial for a team to work effectively, especially for an industry that involves financial transactions and business secrets. Even small and simple courteous acts, such as acknowledging a coworker’s idea and offering help, will go a long way in establishing trust and nurturing a spirit of collaboration. This trust can help facilitate better teamwork, stronger communication, and a harmonious work atmosphere.

The Relationship Between Respect and Compliance  

Mortgage brokerage remains one of the most regulated professions. The nature of which makes the entire industry delicate. Compliance mistakes, as in the most severe consequences, often result from inadequate communication, workplace tension, or a simple misunderstanding of etiquette.

• People often don’t think about the consequences of inadequate communication. Compliance risks are disregarded.
• People think compliance is a matter for management only.
• People forget that such documents must be exhaustively vetted and reviewed.
• People seldom consider the brokerage’s image.

Common Mistakes in Workplace Etiquette  

• Interrupting Others: Interrupting others is frustrating and can lead to losing valuable information.
• Office Gossip: Gossiping reduces trust and can destroy team morale.
• Chronic Lateness: Chronic lateness to internal meetings or client calls reduces productivity.

Ignoring Diversity and Inclusion Policies

• Lacking sensitivity to cultural differences can make it difficult to develop good working relationships.
• Inadequate Communication: Poorly constructed emails and excessive use of text language are sloppy and give an unprofessional image.

Setting Standards and Expectations  

Leading by Example  

Mortgage brokerage managers should show professional behavior every day. Standards during the day in the office to maintain team productivity can be increased by setting expectations of punctuality, lack of courtesy, and lack of gratitude.

Encouraging Feedback and Ownership  

“Good morning” and “Good afternoon” should also suffice during appropriate times. Employees should also report to work a bit early. People like their possessions and need space to work without interruption. A “cherry on top” is being acknowledged when someone says “Nice work” or “Good job”, instead of trying to spin the “substandard” work into a positive. Good manners and respect should be the foundation of every relationship, including client interactions.

When clients notice that the employees treat one another with respect and civil manners, they are more inclined to trust the company and feel valued, which, in turn, increases the odds of the company retaining clients and receiving positive referrals from them.

Everyone is happy to work in a positive work culture, so when someone closes the curtain, others also want to help them. Helping peers solves many problems. Employees should be concerned that if workplace misconduct or poor workplace behavior is aimed at an individual, it will cause performance issues, the individual will be targeted, and the organization will not bear the blame.

Recognition for Siding Workplace Manners Programs  

Addressing poor behavior by recognizing it can enhance workplace collaboration. Siding with a processor who repeatedly files the load documents for the loan to help them can improve workplace morale and make it very positive. Conflicts exist everywhere, and the impact of their resolution (or the absence of one) heavily influences the workplace atmosphere.

Mortgage brokerage companies must emphasize resolving conflicts with dignity and appropriate workplace behavior. They must not let workplace conflicts lead to gossip and cliques.

Succeeding in conflict resolution requires active listening and a great deal of empathy. If a professional approaches their coworker with the intent of listening to their concern and being compassionate, they are likely to comprehend the issue from the other person’s view and settle on the optimal outcome for both. This method resolves conflict and strengthens relationships at the same time.

Seeking Mediation When Necessary

There are times when disputes are better resolved with the input of a neutral person. Knowing when to seek mediation portrays a level of maturity concerning the “dispute” and how to resolve the issues in a cooperative framework. This shows that the team’s concern is real, and the other members are ready to go to great lengths to preserve the positive atmosphere of the office.

Questions and Answers for Workplace Manners in a Mortgage Brokerage  

Why is it Important to Have Good Manners in Mortgage Companies?

• Since work will and must be completed, teamwork is needed.
• Therefore, in the mortgage business, good manners are vital to operating alongside one another, minimizing major mistakes, and maintaining an effective positive link.

How Does the Communication Etiquette Associated With the Loan Process Affect the Mortgage Loan Process?

• As long as all communication is conducted clearly and professionally, loans should move readily and promptly between the officer, the underwriter, and the processor.
• This would minimize potential delays and misinterpretations.

What Are the Most Noticeable Transgressions of Etiquette That a Mortgage Office Could Fall Prey To?

• Being late, sending unprofessional emails and text messages, interrupting meetings, not doing assigned tasks, and breaching client confidentiality are all negative behaviors that are often overlooked.

Do You Think Improving Manners in This Case Would Positively Influence the Attitude of the Clients?

• Of course.
• Clients tend to witness the professionalism “hidden” in the process.
• A courteous, well-mannered staff increases the clients’ confidence in the brokerage’s ability to perform and deliver.

How Do the Managers Teach Better Manners in The Office?

• Respecting people and others, training them on office etiquette, and positively reinforcing appropriate team behaviors.

New Mortgage Success Comes With New Manners  

Good manners are no longer an option in the mortgage brokerage workplace; they are now necessary. Being professional, arriving at meetings on time, defending a teammate, and communicating positively will improve team morale and make clients feel more at ease. As the mortgage industry becomes more competitive, teams with impeccable workplace manners remain more valuable and trustworthy to clients.

Treat Other People’s Property Like It Was Yours

I don’t want to sound too bitter, but some things people do or don’t do amaze me. For example, we have a beautiful lunchroom at my office.  Every Monday morning, it’s sparkling clean. By lunchtime, the chairs are not pushed in, the tables are dirty, and the dishes are left in the sink.  Who do you think will clean up after you, your mother!? Come on, people, we are not 5 years old.  Clean up after yourself.  I often wonder what their kitchens look like at home.

Manners At The Workplace

I really don’t want to go here, but I must. RESTROOM.  I have encountered used toilet paper rolled up and on the floor, toilets not flushed, and feces on the toilet seat.  Really? Come on, ladies, where is your class?  How gross is that!  To top it off, I will be in the restroom and watch someone leave the stall and walk right out the door without washing their hands.  And the ladies wonder why I never eat at our potlucks, no thank you.  Remember, put a seat cover down, flush, and wash your hands.

Gossip, what a great way for people to lose trust in you.  Have integrity, people! Life would be so much better if people would mind their own business, do their job, and respect other people’s lives.

Remember, folks, we are a team.  Have you ever heard, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” Just remember, present yourself with class, show good manners, and treat people as you would like to be treated.   This world would be a much better place if we all showed respect to one another.  Hold a door open for someone, say thank you, and smile; it may be contagious.  Oh yeah, one more thing, remember to clean up after yourself, MUAH!!!!!!

About The Associate Contributing Editor Christy Hembree

Alex Carlucci is the author of this guide on Manners, and Christy Hembree is the associate contributing editor who assisted Alex for Gustan Cho Associates. 

Silence is often highly regarded in an office and is known to be a good courtesy to colleagues. This also includes not interrupting other staff or colleagues in the middle of a meeting, advancing with forewarning, and considering the staff’s range of duties.

People work better and tend to reciprocate courtesy when they know courtesy was awarded to them in the office. If you have any questions about the content of this guide on Manners at the Workplace, please get in touch with us at 800-900-8569 or email Alex or Christy at alex@gustancho.com or chrity@gustancho.com. The team at Gustan Cho Associates is available seven days a week, evenings, weekends, and holidays.

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