It’s no secret that disrespect in the workplace can be poisonous, affecting everyone in an organization.?
But how do you handle it??
Today, we share 7 steps to help you handle disrespect in the workplace.?
- Determine if the behavior you are addressing is truly disrespectful. Some people have more sensitive temperaments than others. Everyone makes mistakes. To cultivate a culture of respect, you must not confuse an employee having a bad day for being disrespectful.
- Remember that disrespectful behavior is not necessarily about you, but rather a reflection of the offender’s character.?Recognize that as personal as the attack may feel, it’s ultimately not about the one being disrespected. Something inside the aggressor is causing them to act out in disrespectful ways. That’s on them.
- Turn the other cheek. Turning the other cheek is not enabling abusers nor silencing the abused. It’s empowering people to live up to the level of health and maturity they have attained.
- Address disrespectful behavior in a respectful and caring way. When addressing the problem, continue to believe the best about the offender.
- Document incidents of disrespectful behavior. Skill leaders differentiate between a disrespectful event and a pattern. Documenting helps clarify the approach and consequences required.
- Care for those being disrespected. No victim shaming allowed. Offer the support needed to empower the offended to repair any mental health damage that may have been caused.
- Encourage reconciliation. Forgiveness is a gift to the forgiver. Forgiveness doesn't mean that the offender should be fully trusted. Trust must be earned. But forgiveness can free the offended from bitterness and release the person from their wrongdoing.
No one should live with an impending sense of dread, filled with anxiety, because they anticipate spending their day in a disrespectful work environment.?
Implementing the seven steps discussed here will blow away the smoke and ash caused by disrespectful behavior in the workplace.? It will allow your team to see clearly, breathe deeply, and work productively.?
