Do you see a fair amount of disrespect between coworkers on the job—things like backbiting, name-calling, gossip, and being inappropriate with jokes? Have you dismissed this sort of behavior and attributed it to stress or the economy? Have you said to yourself, well, employees need to vent a little bit.
STOP! Don’t be fooled, it isn’t the stress, and it isn’t “just the nature of the business.” If backbiting, name-calling, gossip, and general nastiness are the norm where you work, then you’ve got yourself a respect problem—one that you need to get a handle on yesterday, if not sooner.
Few things buy trouble like excusing bad behavior. Left unchecked, disrespectful interactions feed on themselves, growing into a culture of personal conflict and simmering resentment that will eventually undermine your mission and productivity. No one wants to work in such an environment, and your best employees certainly won’t. They’ll leave, and you’ll be stuck with the mess.
Respect is an institutional mind-set that must be promoted and practiced from the top down. As a manager, you’re on the front line in this struggle, and although it can be daunting, you have the influence and control to stop it. Consider the following programs to help gain superior skills in managing respect and employee behavior.
1. 14 Vital Skills for Supervisors
2. Mastering the Respectful Workplace
