Respect at work: How do you contribute?

Respect at work. It’s fundamental to success. No workplace can thrive and survive without respect. And respect is everyone’s responsibility, not just the responsibility of management.

As an individual in your workplace, how do you demonstrate respect? How do you contribute to a safe, enjoyable and rewarding culture? What actions do you take to show respect to your team members?

This expert article shares ideas on how you can play a vital role in building and maintaining a respectful workplace. It focuses on how everyone is responsible for their behaviour at work. Playing the blame game or pointing the finger at others is not good enough.

What is a respectful workplace?

A respectful workplace is safe and free from harassment (sexual or other), discrimination, bullying and other unacceptable behaviours.

Laws exist to protect people at work, such as The Sex Discrimination and Fair Work (Respect at Work) Amendment Act 2021.

What can I do to contribute?

Besides abiding by all relevant laws, you can demonstrate respect in many ways at work. Even though you might be tempted to get ‘sucked in’ to workplace cliques or be pressured by others to act in a certain way, it’s up to you to stand tall and show respect in everything you do.

Here are just a few ways you can demonstrate respect at work.

Listen

We were born with 2 ears and one mouth for a reason. Be a proactive listener to learn, gain perspective and be positioned to apply context before you voice your opinion. Listening, and the learning that results will ensure you don’t just blurt out ill-informed and unfair commentary or opinions that aren’t helpful, considered or respectful.

Don’t interrupt when others are talking. This is disrespectful and can send the signal that you think you’re more important and don’t value what others have to say.

Be kind

Treat others as you want to be treated. If a colleague is having a bad day, cut them a bit of slack. If someone on your team is under immense pressure, be as understanding and supportive as possible. If someone is struggling because of external pressures (say family issues) don’t add to their burden. Adopting a ‘not my problem’ attitude is selfish and demonstrates both lack of maturity and respect.

Be ethical

Respect at work involves applying a strong sense of ethics. This means adhering to your company’s values and Code of Conduct (or Code of Ethics) if these are in place. But on a personal level, you’re responsible for behaving in an ethical way, and all the time.

This means avoiding putting others in compromising positions. It means being truthful and honest. It also means understanding, and abiding by, what is right and wrong.

Be polite and friendly

Think about how you enter the workplace in the morning. Are you armed with a takeaway coffee and head straight to your desk without acknowledging others? Sometimes a simple, cheery good morning sets the tone. This isn’t to say you have to spend the first hour at work stopping at everyone’s desk for an extended chat. However, entering the workplace with a smile is more respectful than entering with a groan or surly attitude.

Be a team player

We don’t always get what we want at work. No matter how right you think you are, there are times when compromising or letting a stronghold position go is the most respectful way. We often think our stance or position is the only viable option. Chances are, this isn’t the case.

Compromise is a virtue, not a weakness.

Read more: Gaslighting at work: Perpetrator and victim

Avoid gossip

It can be too easy and enticing to be part of the gossip mill at work. While tempting, it’s not respectful to be a gossip. It’s also not respectful to stand by and listen to gossip. You may think you’re an innocent bystander, but you’re still responsible for participating in negative and potentially harmful chit-chat.

Read more: Seven ways to avoid office gossip

Don’t harass

Be mindful of your behaviour with sexual and other forms of harassment. Here are some ways to do so:

• avoid unwelcoming touches
• don’t stare or leer
• avoid suggestive comments or jokes (which are, more often than not, in bad taste anyway)
• ask intrusive questions about the private lives of others
• insult others or taunt them with comments of a sexual nature
• be conscious of people’s personal space
• don’t speak loudly or aggressively
• don’t use inappropriate workplace language, such as swearing
• never send sexually explicit emails or text messages.

We all must learn about sexual harassment. Understanding what it is helps us behave in appropriate ways, not inappropriate ways. Checking out the Fair Work website is a great start.

Don’t make inappropriate or suggestive comments

Think twice before bursting forth with comments, assessing first if they’re inappropriate or suggestive. While you may think you’re being funny or smart, chances are you aren’t being so. And once a comment is made, it’s made. This includes comments on how people dress, their personality type, and their sexual orientation and/or physical appearance.

Remember, you’re under no obligation to make such comments. Ask if they add value or could potentially be hurtful. Ask who is benefiting from the comment (is it you … because you like to be front and centre?).

Don’t discriminate

Today’s workplaces are diverse and that’s wonderful. Chances are you’re working alongside people from different cultural backgrounds, religions, abilities and sexual orientations. Diversity occurs on many levels at work.

Don’t judge others because they aren’t like you. Don’t comment on others, but rather celebrate diversity for the value it brings to a broad-minded and creative work environment.

Avoid big-noting yourself

Bragging about who you are, how great you are and how wonderful your accomplishments are do little for workplace respect. Indeed, it achieves the exact opposite, often making people uncomfortable. Do a super job and be happy with that. Even though it can be positive to celebrate achievements, there’s no need or obligation to stand on the rooftop to shout about yourself to the world. Leave celebrations to team meetings or events.

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