9 Easy Tricks to Keeping a Respectful Workplace

Respectfulness is the ability to consider the thoughts and feelings of others and reflect the same in actions and words. So what does respectful mean in the context of workplaces? A respectful workplace is where the employees communicate with each other constantly to work as a team. Work ethics, professionalism, and integrity are the essential elements of daily office routine. 

A respectful workplace is also characterized by the polite behavior of all the employees and the top management. Such a workplace encourages civil arguments to resolve disagreements instead of unpleasant clashes. Here we will discuss some practical tips to maintain a respectful workplace. 

Importance of Respectful Workplace 

A respectful work environment boosts employee engagement. The employees are more committed to the betterment of the organization and work harder when a respectful workplace is created. As per research, more engaged employees are 22% more productive than less active employees.

Job satisfaction soars in a respectful workplace which improves the employee retention rate. Creative ideas flow in abundance in a respectful workplace because the employees are not hesitant to voice their thoughts and opinions.

Listening should be the norm 

The staff should speak their minds and give their ideas freely. Providing an opportunity to everyone to voice their opinion and listen to everyone before making a decision fosters team spirit and promotes respect among the employees. This helps in creating and maintaining a respectful workplace.

Avoid discrimination 

Discrimination has no place in respectful workplaces. There should not be any discrimination on any basis, such as race, religion, color, or gender. The policies and procedures of the company should apply to everyone. There should also be no favoritism.

Encourage collaboration 

The employees should be encouraged to work in collaboration to reach common goals. Working closely boosts the free flow of ideas and fosters mutual respect. 

Recognize the efforts of the employees 

Employees need to feel that their efforts are appreciated to respect the workplace. To this end, there should be some form of recognition for good work such as incentives, rewards, etc. 

Implement diversity 

Hiring employees from diverse backgrounds concerning culture, religion, sexual orientation, country, educational level, socio-economic status, and more helps improve respect at the workplace. Diversity enables the employees to get rid of preconceived notions and develop respect.

Uphold the workplace culture 

The company needs to clearly define the acceptable standards of behavior at its workplace. Transgressions such as bullying, sexual harassment, and discrimination must be dealt with strictly as established procedures. The employees must access a systematic process to report incidents and get justice.

Leading by example 

The CEOs, directors, managers, and other top management must maintain decent body language and respectful behavior with employees and clients. A sense of respect in the workplace cannot be created if the bosses misbehave.

Training programs 

Training programs can help the employees reinforce positive behavior and avoid damaging behavior. Respect in the workplace is guaranteed when everyone follows acceptable behavioral standards.

Feedback 

Regular feedback must be sought anonymously from the employees about their work environment to detect problems.

Conclusion 

Respecting ideas and personal feelings, working together to achieve deadlines, good communication, and sincere efforts to resolve the issues of the employees are some examples of respect in the workplace. A respectful workplace is a prerequisite for a productive organization.