R-E-S-P-E-C-T

A must in a humanized workplace

I see respect in the workplace as a great “humanizer” that fosters productivity. Feeling respected puts you at ease with your environment and makes everybody more willing to work as a team. Lack or respect, on the other hand, can make even routine collaboration a heavy chore.

For a manager, earning respect is the quintessential ingredient to reaching the top. You may be liked, feared at times, or neither—but if you’re held in high regard by your colleagues, you’ll accelerate your career success. You can find an expanded discussion of the matter in the excellent article by Forbes’ Jacquelyn Smith, How To Get More Respect As A Manager— where I, along with other experts, share thoughts on the key aspects of gaining respect.

Most of the issues discussed in the article would ring true for anyone in the workplace, not only managers. In particular, employees hoping for a promotion should make sure their achievements are known and appreciated. It commands respect of the management and paves the way for that coveted next step in one’s career. For more on the dos and don’ts of moving up the ladder I recommend another Forbes’ article (by the same author), 16 Mistakes Employees Make When Trying To Get A Promotion.

All in all, mutual respect in the workplace—on any level of the corporate structure—is just as important, if not more, as the famous song makes it sound. The best overall barometer of acquiring respect at work is your character: you take thoughtful actions that you know in your heart are right, and your colleagues see it. Aretha Franklin had it right: ‘R-E-S-P-E-C-T’ rules, and the workplace is no exception.