Respect in the Workplace

Dear Readers,
I am a staunch advocate of the notion that respect is a very strong feeling, deserved and earned by every individual. I also feel that respect in the workplace is a part of self respect and is a birthright of all individuals. In a few thoughts of my own, I can proudly say that the people who are my seniors, team leaders and department heads of my company have not dictated the respect for their positions. They have earned it with hard work and the tolerance that they have shown towards all their deputies and juniors.

What does Respect in Workplace Mean?

Coming back to respect, there might be varied definitions and meanings that people might interpret about respect, however the feeling of respect that is 'received' and 'paid' is the same. Many corporations, organizations and companies define the respect as something given by all the new joining employees to their seniors and superiors. The following are the reasons why respect becomes such an important aspect of the environment, that is to be maintained in the office.

Advantages of Respect in the Work Place

There should be a respect for the 'boss' or the superior, in the mind of all the deputies and the people working under him/her, as the flow of authority is maintained in the pyramid of authority and responsibility. Every post in any organization is assigned with particular authority and responsibility. Every boss is given a specified amount of authority with the help of which, he can get the work done from his subordinates. And what is responsibility? Well it is nothing but the amount of work that is to be completed in the given amount of time. In most of the companies, the ratio of authority and responsibility is almost the same. When the authority and responsibility are equal, the boss tends to respect the feelings of his subordinates and also never intrudes on the self respect of any individual. Since the responsibility of the boss is equal to his authority, he does not become a 'shark in the suit' under the pressure of responsibility, or he does not become an 'Adolf Hitler' due to the appropriate authority that is given. Hence the subordinates, deputies and juniors find the boss a very friendly, approachable person. This establishes a very good amount of respect in the workplace, between the hierarchies of authority and responsibility.

The peaceful and friendly connection between the hierarchies, is highly instrumental in giving a very efficient and optimized output . The only reason is that healthy relations produce a feeling of positive energy at the workplace. The positive energy keeps all the employees and hierarchies in what we loosely refer to, as a good 'mood'. A happy employee is always willing to work for the organization, due to the fact that he is being paid a very good remuneration, that corresponds to his skills and capabilities. The second reason due to which the employee works very willingly, is that the people under whom he is working, respect him and treat him right, which he reciprocates by also treating the people under him with the same respect.

There are also other added advantages of developing appropriate respect in the work place. One is that the employees start to accept their mistakes in the right sense and strive to rectify them. Employees whose respect and well being is safeguarded, often tend to strive for the wellbeing and the success of the organization, ensuring an effective team work.

It can be concluded that respect in the workplace helps the organization to function as one single body, with a heart that beats to the rhythm of success and the soul that reflects the happiness of its manpower. I wish to shed more light upon why we should maintain respect in the workplace by quoting Thomas Jefferson, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with inherent and inalienable rights; that among these, are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness..."

All the reasons why we should maintain our respect at the workplace are conveyed in one sentence (mentioned above), which reduces the definition and domain of disrespect and inequality.

Let Us Conclude!

The company where I work is a very successful organization, that tends to take care of all its employees. Respect in the workplace in my organization is not just a small statement that was put forth, when I joined the company, but an organizational culture. Respect here is based on human qualities like merit, strength, perseverance, tolerance and faith in every employee. Respect in the workplace was promoted by my team leader, Masie and my editor Behur, which worked well and made a better person out of me.