Respect is a vital part of being a professional and part of a working team. Everyone makes an effort to show respect to one another, and as a result, work is accomplished more smoothly and working relationships grow over time. Employees are respectful to their coworkers and managers, while leadership should also strive to be respectful to the people they lead.
If you are new to the working world, you may be wondering about the bets way to show respect at work. We would love to give you a few useful pointers on the core elements of workplace respect.
Try to Always Be Polite and Considerate
Mind your manners. Consider how you might treat others in a formal setting. Remember the manners you were taught in school, when visiting your grandparents, or in church. Say please, thank you, and excuse me. Speak with a soft and pleasant tone of voice and maintain friendly body language. Hold doors open for others and offer to help with shared tasks.
Be considerate of how your actions impact the people around you and do your best to provide a net positive impact on the people and environment you work with.
Listen and Respond Thoughtfully in Conversation
When others are talking, listen and understand what they have to say. Then respond with thoughtful insights or respectful acknowledgement of their points. Engage in each meeting and conversation with your full attention, and contribute to the best of your understanding and knowledge.
Acknowledge and Appreciate Others’ Work
Recognize the work that others are doing on your team. Thank coworkers when they provide you with information and compliment them on work they have done well as part of shared projects. If your boss compliments work you did with another person, be sure to give them credit as you accept the compliment gracefully.
Give Clear Agreement to Requests and Assignments
Acknowledge when you are given an assignment or when someone asks you to help them. A monosyllable response is not enough. Clearly say things like “Yes, I’m on it” or “I’ll have X task for you by Y time” so that others are confident that you have accepted and will fulfil what they have asked of you.
Go Out of Your Way to Be Helpful to Others
Be helpful. If you finish your work early, ask around to see if coworkers could use your assistance. If someone has a large stack of things to carry, offer to take half. If you arrive early to a meeting, help set up. Being casually helpful is a great way to show that you respect the workplace and the people you work with.
Help to Maintain Shared Spaces
Always leave a shared space better than you found it. Clean up after your lunch prep and wipe up your own coffee spills. Rinse your mug or hand-wash and put away any dishes you use. Put away supplies, tidy up baskets, and tuck chairs into the tables. Learn the customs shared by your team in how they maintain shared spaces and help to maintain the established routines.
Ask Your Coworkers About Themselves
Take time to learn about your coworkers. Ask them about their intersts, specialties, and personal lives to the extent that they are comfortable sharing. Show an interest and remember the little things like birthdays and favorite colors.
Respect Requests for Space and Privacy
Lastly, if someone asks you for space so they can focus, alone time during lunch, or privacy regarding a personal matter – grant it without hesitation. Maybe your coworker is easily distracted, or they are an introvert who needs to recharge on their lunch break. Providing space and privacy on request is a wonderful way to show respect that may even foster a stronger coworker bond because your colleagues will appreciate your stress-free agreement to their personal requests.
Demonstrating respect at work is easier than you might realize. Be polite and considerate, sharing credit and showing interest in your coworkers as both people and professionals. The rest will come naturally.
