How to Treat Your Coworkers With Respect

Please share:

Working with others requires more than the ability to do your job day in and day out. In order to build a concentrated, productive, and highly effective team of coworkers, communication is key. Knowing how to properly communicate with coworkers while showing them respect is essential to streamlining the work that is done each day without issues among all of those who surround you. Understanding the importance of respect and how to go about implementing new tactics to show your respect for your coworkers goes a long way in many markets and industries today.

Why Respect Matters

A respectful workplace is not only calm and inviting, but it shows that all employees involved in the workplace are cooperative and willing to work with one another. When you enter an office that is clearly not a respectful workplace, you may immediately feel that it is not a professional or controlled environment. A workplace that is not respectful is likely to slack in productivity and overall satisfaction. Workplaces that thrive the most pride themselves on their respectful workplace atmosphere and culture. Companies that thrive not only care about their customers and the quality of the products and services that they deliver but also about the overall happiness and satisfaction of their employees. An employer who cares about their employees is more likely to encourage a respectful workplace.

Treat Others With Respect and Kindness

As the old saying goes, “treat others as you would like to be treated”. The saying itself makes plenty of sense, especially when interacting with other individuals from various cultures and parts of the world. While you are in the workplace it is important to always treat your coworkers with respect, even if you believe them to be incorrect or if you personally do not get along with them for any reason.

Encourage Ideas and Opinions

One of the quickest ways to create a workplace environment that encourages open dialogue is to promote new ideas and opposing opinions. Even if you do not agree with a co-worker, it is always important to avoid judging or shaming the individual for sharing their thoughts. Welcoming opposing, unique, and out of the box opinions and ways of thinking. Progress is rarely made without a variety of opinions and discussed methods. Allowing others to openly and freely speak their minds is a great way to encourage dialogue and ongoing communicating among all members of your staff. If you are met with a coworker who is stubborn or unwilling to shift their way of thinking during work, there are a few ways to approach the situation, such as:

Offer to see the issue at hand from your co-worker’s point of view. Having empathy is one of the most important characteristics to have in a thriving workplace. Understanding where your coworker is coming from as they express their thoughts and opinions is a way to better gauge their personal wants and needs.

Listen Intently: Learn to listen to others by remaining quiet, even if you have an answer for your coworker or a rebuttal you want to share. Listening intently and authentically goes a long way whether you are managing one team or your entire business of employees. Having the ability to truly listen to others is one of the best ways to show that you respect them while also building a long and lasting relationship with one another.

Consider Alternatives: Consider alternative solutions or responses to share with your coworker if you are unable to have them see the issue in the same manner as you. Remain open-minded and flexible with the thought of potentially making changes in the workplace.

Tell your coworker that they are appreciated and that they have been heard by you. Avoid dismissing input, opinions, or comments from coworkers, even if you do not agree with them or if they are simply not appropriate at the time. Instead, address each of your coworkers individually and thank them for their contributions. Even if you do not use an idea of a particular coworker, it is important to show that you have genuine care and appreciation for their presence and the efforts they have put forward. Always offer encouragement over discouragement to keep the conversations and input going at all times.

Using Online Soft Skills Training

One of the most modern approaches available when it comes to teaching employees and team members about respect in the workplace includes online solutions. Solutions such as online soft skills training provide both you and your employees the ability to learn more about handling disrespect, bullying, and even harassment while in the workplace and on the job. Whether you are running a small business you have recently launched on your own or if you are managing hundreds of employees in your company, utilizing online soft skills training is highly advisable.

Benefits of Using Online Soft Skills Training

For a truly respectful workplace, getting all of your employees on board with a new training program is necessary. Some of the most notable advantages of introducing online soft skills training into your own business and workplace include:

Cost-Effective: Online soft skills training is extremely cost-effective whether you are managing hundreds of employees or just four employees in total. Choosing a digital solution to present to your staff is much more affordable than planning trips to various conventions around your city, state, or even throughout the country.

Modern Approach: Offering a modern approach to teach respect, communication, and proper behavior to employees is one way to captivate your audience while preventing boredom from arising. Using an online soft skills training solution is a way to also connect with individuals or new employees who skew younger in age and in cultural norms.

Variety of Lessons: Whether you want to teach your employees how to handle and approach irate customers or if you are expanding lessons on workplace sexual harassment, using tools such as online soft training skills programs is the way to go for a respectful workplace.

Types of Skills Taught With an Online Solution

When you choose to use an online soft skills training solution program to help with creating a respectful workplace for your business, it is important to understand which skills you will be learning or sharing. With a soft skills training solution, learn how to:

Deliver excellent customer service to all individuals who are in need of service or more information regarding the products and services you offer. When you learn how to handle the basics of customer service, it becomes much easier to bring the same lessons you have learned in the workplace. Use customer service lessons you have completed to work better with your current coworkers and to better communicate issues, goals, and plans you have in mind each day.

Hone in on your current telephone skills, providing you with the courage and ability to reach out to new customers and prospective clients for the future.

Handle generational issues that may arise when speaking to other individuals from a variety of generations. Whether you are speaking with a millennial, a boomer, or even an individual from Gen-X, you will have the ability to tackle the issue at-hand without any problem.

Build awareness in the workplace when it comes to bullying, harassment of one another, and diversity. Learn the traditional principles set in place by the leader of your company while better grasping why they are currently enforced.

Improved Skills: Improve your skills while brainstorming, writing, and editing emails along with any other documentation necessary from your position. Learning how to craft business letters and proposals is imperative and necessary to be viewed as professional and respectful.

Effectively approach and handle issues that arise with customers. Learn how to navigate tricky situations or customers who are simply irate and difficult to communicate with at the time. Learn the best solutions to implement when dealing with a customer who is stubborn or who is simply set in their ways and unable to see the solution any other way.

Handle coaching and mentoring sessions better. Feel confident and excited to attend meetings with coaches and mentors, especially if you are doing so to boost your own skills and abilities in the workplace. Learn why coaching and mentoring is necessary for most professionals, even if they are already considered to be highly successful in the market or industry they work in and represent.

Discover when there is an opportunity for an upsell. Upselling products and services is one way to quickly boost the amount of revenue you are capable of generating while also increasing your own skillset when it comes to sales.

Better handle internal customer service issues or support tickets. Having a thorough understanding of why internet customer service is just as important as traditional customer service is imperative. Working together and getting along with your coworkers is necessary to maximize productivity in the workplace while minimizing drama, tension, and potential conflicts.

Resolve conflicts between coworkers: Discover how to identify, assess, and work towards resolving any conflicts that may arise between you and your coworkers while you are on the job. While it may not always be possible to resolve a conflict with a simple apology, taking the time to learn how to create a respectful workplace will likely come in handy if you encounter tensions or a disagreement with another member of your staff.

What to Avoid in the Workplace

For a respectful workplace to work, it is not only necessary for employees, managers, and owners alike to remain kind and helpful, but there are a few actions to avoid as well. When want to want to ensure that you are being as positive and respectful towards your coworkers as possible, avoid the following:

Raising Your Voice: While it is understandable that at times, you may raise your voice if you are excited or angry, it is important to minimize the amount of yelling you do each day. Yelling and raising your voice while utilizing a negative tone can ward off the connection between you and other coworkers. Yelling is also unattractive and may cause others to feel skittish or nervous around you, especially while on the job or during intense projects and workdays.

Berating Other Coworkers: Never berate or call another employee a derogative name, even if you were called a name or yelled at beforehand. Calling another coworker or employee a name is one way to quickly stir the tensions within a workplace. Additionally, namecalling can and may be considered workplace harassment, which can result in suspensions or terminations. Always maintain a positive tone and attitude while you are working, especially when you are working with other coworkers.

Being Overly-Critical: Working with individuals who are overly-critical and who belittle others is never fun, and it sure is not motivating. Avoid putting other coworkers down, belittling their efforts, or even patronizing them as they attempt to get their job done each day. An overly-critical coworker is never fun or easy to work with, which can quickly result in a dip in overall productivity throughout the workplace.

Using Negative Body Language: Humans communicate mostly through the use of their bodies, followed by the language that they speak. With our bodies, we have the ability to show our emotions within seconds, even without saying a word. While at work, be sure to avoid negative body language such as extensively crossing your arms, sitting facing away from your coworkers, or even puckering your lips too tightly to dismiss a thought or comment a coworker has made. Familiarize yourself with the basics of body language to learn more about presenting yourself in a positive and light manner. Spend time becoming familiar with your own personal poses and how you may respond to others in the midst of conversations to shift your body language accordingly.

Are you interested in creating a respectful workplace that is welcoming and productive? Request a free demo of ServiceSkills!