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photo by rrasfon

 2020 has been the weirdest year ever seen.

How do you make sure your team is returning to a respectful workplace? The pandemic has forced most of us that still have jobs to work from home, the stress has been monumental and the concept of work/life balance has become comedic material for late-night talk shows.  But there is hope. There is always hope and as we look ahead to 2021 there may be a beginning to return to (or redefine) “normal”.

Here’s the thing.  We can’t just wake up and be “normal”. We must plan what that looks like and one place where it will be difficult but not impossible is the workplace.  How do we take all of the angst, frustration, fear, and loneliness that we’ve experienced and not let it boil over when we are again working together in the same space? Creating a respectful workplace is necessary now more than ever.

Here are a few ways you can create a respectful workplace:

  1. Focus on your communication. Take care in how you craft your conversations. Examine not only the words you use but your body language, tone, and approach.
  2. Don’t make assumptions. People have different opinions on how things can be done. Commit to inviting those opinions and appreciating what others bring to the table.
  3. See something, say something – When observing others being disrespectful find a way to address the issue in the moment. Be careful because you don’t want to use the situation as an opportunity to be disrespectful yourself.
  4. Own your actions. Say thank you when warranted. Smile when engaging others. It may seem like a small thing, but it matters. Apologize when you make a mistake, and forgive yourself when you don’t get it right. After all, you’re only human.
  5. Have the discussion. Ask others what a respectful workplace looks like and then work as a team to create the culture.  When in doubt – ask.

This isn’t meant to be all-inclusive, but it is meant to get you thinking about how you want to treat others and be treated in a post-2020 world where we have been emotionally, physically, and psychologically drained for the better part of the year.  By being respectful at work, at home, and in general, we can make the new “normal” even better than the old one.  Here’s to a respectful 2021.

To learn more about respect in the workplace click here