Do you get respect from employees? Here’s how to tell — and how to earn it
Respect is one of the most important qualities in a workplace. Mutual respect means better communication, higher morale and better teamwork and long-lasting professional relationships.
Without respect, no organization can remain standing for long.
As an employer, respect is even more important for you. You’re in charge of making decisions, coordinating efforts and setting the tone for the organization.
If your employees don’t respect you, they won’t obey your decisions, they won’t respond to your direction and any tone you try to set could be lost or discarded the moment you leave the room.
So how can you tell if your employees respect you? And if they don’t, what can you do about it?
First, you’ll be able to tell how much your employees respect you based on how they communicate with you.
There are a number of things to look for here:
Professionalism: Do your employees talk to you as though you’re their leader or do they talk down to you? Informality and a bit of joking are acceptable, but any signs of condescension or disrespect are a red flag.
Openness: Do your employees feel comfortable opening up to you? Will they tell you when there’s a problem or will they try to hide it? The more open they are with you, the better.
Sincerity: Are your employees honest with you or do they have a different story when you’re not around? If your employees are disingenuous or insincere, it’s usually a sign they don’t respect you.
Attention: Pay attention to how your employees look at you and respond when you attempt to talk to them. Do they give you their full attention? Do they listen to what you have to say?
You want to encourage your employees to think and respond independently, but at the same time, they need to respect and follow your decisions. You are the leader, after all.
Pay attention to how your employees respond to commands and direction. Do they frequently question you, undermine you or flat-out ignore your requests? If so, there’s a major logistical problem.
Do they follow your orders, bringing up their concerns respectfully and professionally when necessary? This is key.
There are many ways to detect respect through body language. Do your employees look you in the eye when you talk? Do they point their bodies toward you when you’re having a conversation? This indicates they are open to what you have to say.
If you notice that your employees aren’t demonstrating signs of respect, there are a handful of strategies you can execute to gradually earn their respect.
Here are some suggestions to improve the atmosphere: Show respect: First, you have to give respect in order to receive respect. Treat all of your employees fairly and express the value you have for them. Listen to them when they come to you with their ideas or concerns, and never talk down to them or insult them.
In short, treat them the way you want to be treated and they’ll likely reciprocate.
Be firm in your decisions: Wishy-washy leaders tend to earn less respect, so remain firm in your decisions.
There will be times when you need to adjust your position or make a change due to new information, but always do so for reasons grounded in logic, and don’t reverse your position if someone complains. Be sure to enforce your decisions as well.
Be consistent: There are many different leadership styles and no single right way to lead. For example, you might be hands-off or maybe you’re very personally involved in your employees’ work — frankly, it doesn’t matter.
All that matters is that you’re consistent; otherwise, you may lose your employees’ respect.
Admit faults: You’re a leader but that doesn’t make you infallible. You’re a human being, just like your employees, and the more you express this humanity, the more your employees will respect you.
Don’t be afraid to admit your faults or admit when you’ve made a mistake. It shows courage and humility.
Embrace other opinions: Respect and listen to other people’s opinions, from your employees as well as other sources. Showing this degree of openness demonstrates your commitment to hearing and implementing the best ideas, no matter where they might come from.
Try to check your ego at the door.
Reward successes: You also can cultivate more respect in the workplace by rewarding your employees for jobs well done. This fosters a healthier, more positive work environment and proves that you genuinely care about your workers. Do this regularly, adhering to the rule of consistency, for best results.
If you follow these rules, you’ll earn more respect, but don’t expect results right away. Respect is something that’s cultivated over time.
You need to stay consistent in the way you behave and treat your employees. After a while, you will you start to notice a difference.
Anna Johansson is a writer, researcher and business consultant.