Honesty is the best policy, but we still have to exercise caution and discretion, because there are some exceptions and limitations to that rule. For instance, if you’re staring at your coworker’s shirt and thinking to yourself, “Wow, that shirt is really ugly,” you’re probably not going to announce your opinion if someone asks you what you think.
There are other rules of proper etiquette that supersede the honestly policy, and it’s better to tone it down and perhaps simply s...ay, “I think you look much better in light colors” or something to that effect.
In the workplace etiquette, there will be times when it’s not in your best interest to tell the brutally honest truth, especially when dealing with your superiors. Not only do you have to refrain from coming across as coarse, but you also have to find the balance between revealing need-to-know information, avoid revealing too much information, and remaining completely professional.
Of course, you should first and foremost follow any and all rules set forth by your employer, as well as any applicable labor laws. But there are a lot of topics that fall into grey areas, remaining unanswered by most handbooks. Check out our list of some of the things you should never admit to your employer