Being professional means acting and thinking in a professional manner at work. This pertains to how you treat your co-workers and management and having a dedication to your job. When you behave professionally, you leave a greater impression of yourself and it builds the company's reputation.

Customer Service

Having good customer service skills is important in professional behavior. For example, if a customer has problems locating certain item, the employee should stop his conversation with his co-workers and help the customer.

Punctuality

Showing up late constantly or not at all without notifying the manager is poor professional behavior. When you're late, the other employees will have to pick up the slack or the manager will have to step in until you arrive.

Dress

Wearing the right attire is important for the job because customers will see that you take pride in your appearance and it adds to your confidence as an employee. For example, if your hair is neatly combed and your pants are ironed, it shows you care about your job.

Problem Solving

Another part of being professional is the ability to resolve problems in a timely manner and with integrity. For example, if you notice a bookkeeping error while doing payroll, you should alert management because not doing anything can result in problems with employees' checks.

Considerations

There are times when even if you are being professional, you may experience personal insults or jealousy from co-workers. There may be also a time when you may be terminated if you refuse to do something unethical. In these cases, you may lose the position but your integrity is what matters.

Source:

University of Georgia: Professionalism in the Workplace