Ever feel like you’re on a downward slope but putting in the extra hours slog in the office? Well according to new research conducted amongst bosses and HR managers, it could be your everyday personal behaviour that’s knocking you further down the career ladder. So how you’re handling everyday tasks could be getting in the way of promotion, but are you guilty of these main offenders? Colourful Language The number one issue employers are having with their workforce? Cursing. According to the study by CareerBuilder.com, 81% of employers believe cursing brings an employee’s professionalism into question. Explaining their train of thought, spokesperson Jennifer Grasz said: “You're only going to get promoted if you're seen as someone who has measured reactions to situations. “The higher up the ladder you go, the more likely you are to be facing clients and executives, and you can't be someone who flies off the handle.” Sarcasm in Emails Hilarious amongst friends, not work appropriate. As written words often struggle to place a tone, keep the email language strictly professional. Being too busy… always While you might want to show you’re working away, being too busy shows you find it difficult to manage a work priorities balance. Look at your list and write a list of to-dos per day. Being better at time management will free you up to complete more tasks in less time and relieve the stress of your own daily workload. Not checking in… While it’s important to take responsibility over your own work, don’t overestimate your own abilities and skill-set. Employers said staff who refused to ask for assistance, or to be guided through a new system, show to be lacking in self-awareness. Remember you’re not expected to know everything – but be sure to ask if you’re not sure so you’re not wasting valuable time trying desperately to work it out. Weekend warriors Feel like you need to catch-up or spend more time impressing the boss? Working on the weekends can actually be damaging to your daily productivity. Leadership coach Tasha Eurich said as well as putting a dent in your motivation, it can affect your brain power: “We get stupider when we work too much. Working 60 hour weeks will not lead to more productive output.” So instead, take stock, write your to-do list and see how you can space out your work to effectively rest in your downtime too.