Creating a Culture of Respect
April is Workplace Conflict Awareness Month. Each year we remind you of this yearly event and give you suggestions to help your organization limit conflict and increase productivity. While conflict at work is inevitable, it is how we respond to conflict that is something we can impact.
This time, rather than focus on how to deal with conflict once it happens, we want to look at how organizations can create a culture of respectful behavior that will have a positive impact on the amount of conflict that occurs.
No way are we saying that if your organization has a culture of respectful behavior that there won’t be any conflict—that’s just not possible when organizations are made up of human beings. We are saying, however, that if your organization treats employees with respect, you will hopefully, have fewer conflicts.
Consider this quote from the Dalai Lama:
“Mutual respect is the foundation of genuine harmony.”
What does it mean to treat people with respect in the workplace? Our business book club just read Failure of Forgiveness: What We Get Wrong and How To Do Better, by Myisha Cherry. While the book doesn’t just focus on the workplace, there is a lot in her work that can be applied to how we can successfully work together.
She says, “Rather than focusing our workplace attention on how to respond to wrongdoing, we ought to make sure that less wrongdoing occurs.”
She suggests that values such as “compassion, shared humanity, temperance, and patience” can go a long way towards creating a culture of respect in the workplace. And it all starts with the leadership. Leaders need to model and reward civility and use as much emotional intelligence as they possess.
Here are some practical ways your organization can take action to create a culture of respect:
Make sure that every employee is treated with dignity. This starts in the hiring process and goes throughout the employee experience.
Acknowledge the contributions made by your staff members. Let them know you’ve seen and heard from them.
Ensure that everyone is given the same rights and privileges as anyone else. Don’t just talk about your commitment to DEI—live it.
Remember that your employees have full lives outside of work. Let them know you value them as human beings and not just your staff members.
Create an atmosphere where a mistake is viewed as a learning experience (whenever possible).
As a leader, show your humanity and your vulnerability.
We’ve written two books on workplace conflict. The Essential Workplace Conflict Handbook, is a resource for resolving disputes and increasing productivity. The Conflict Resolution Phrase Book contains over 2,000 phrases to be used in difficult situations. You may find them valuable as you work to create a culture of respect.
April is a good month to increase harmony in your organization by beginning to create a culture of respect.