Everywhere you go in the workplace, you’ll come across different personalities. It’s easy to forget that they’re all people who should be treated as co-workers and colleagues. However, it’s important to treat everyone the way we would want to be treated in business as well as in life. See how you measure up against the following five guidelines for how to treat others in the workplace.
1. Giving Constructive Feedback
Giving constructive feedback is hard. It requires you to be honest and vulnerable, to put your feelings on the line, and it can make you feel exposed. But if you’re going to grow as a person and as a professional, learning how to give constructive feedback is a critical skill.
Here’s how:
• Start by being clear about what kind of feedback you want to give.
• Aim for specific examples rather than general statements like, “You’re not doing enough.”
• If it’s an issue that’s been going on for a while, try using “I” statements instead of “you” statements (e.g., “I feel frustrated when we don’t meet deadlines”).
• Consider using a non-confrontational approach when giving difficult feedback (e.g., start by telling them what they did well).
2. Creating An Open-Door Policy
An open-door policy allows employees to approach their managers with any issues they may have in the workplace. This includes issues with another co-worker, problems with their job, or other difficulties with life in the workplace.
Having an open-door policy creates an environment where employees feel comfortable coming to their manager for help without fear of being judged or reprimanded for not following protocol. This allows managers and employees to treat each other like human beings and create a healthy relationship.
3. Staying Calm Under Pressure
Many of us have had the experience of working with a colleague who is overly excitable and cannot seem to go through a day without getting angry or upset. These colleagues can generate lots of stress for everyone else.
The best thing to do in this situation is not to take it personally. You might consider telling your colleague that you’re concerned about their level of stress and asking if there’s anything you can do to help. If this doesn’t work, consider talking to someone else in management about the issue.
4. Encouraging Growth And Development
Everyone at work wants growth. Make sure you respect and support other’s drive for growth, and take it as seriously as your own. This is a very powerful way to build trust and respect.
People are more likely to want to work with you if they believe that you truly care about them as individuals, not just as cogs in the wheel. This is especially true if they feel like you’re genuinely interested in their ideas and opinions.
5. Being A Resource For Your Team
One of the most important things you can do for your team is act as a resource. When people are struggling, they want someone to rely on.
Be that person who’s always available to help when someone needs it, even if they don’t ask for it. And make sure your team members know that they can come to you with any difficulty and get an answer or solution.
This doesn’t mean that you should try to take on everyone’s problems. You don’t have to be an expert in everything—no one person could ever be—but you should work to understand the big picture of how the company works and everyone’s role in it so that when someone needs help that’s outside of your expertise, you can point them in the right direction.
Yes indeed! Understanding that everyone has something to offer is a crucial first step in applying respect and equality to our work relationships.
The best part about treating everyone with respect is that when you’re comfortable enough to do so, you can do your job better. You can be more innovative and take more risks because you won’t be worried about what other people are thinking about you. It’s liberating.
