Creating a Culture of Success: How to Build Mutual Respect in the Workplace

One challenge that many business owners and managers face today is how to keep employees happy and positively engaged. But while the current era calls for modern ways to meet and adapt to workers’ needs and demands (from providing remote working options to supporting mental health), a key component in fostering a healthy work environment remains constant: mutual respect.

Everyone wants to be respected. A Georgetown University survey of 20,000 employees globally found that respect was the top leadership behaviour that encourages greater engagement and loyalty in the workplace. When workers feel their superiors treat them with respect, they’re more likely to have increased well-being, improved focus, and better job satisfaction.

The ideal workplace, after all, is one where people feel safe and valued. And with today’s offices becoming more diverse and progressive, embracing talents from different generations and cultural backgrounds, developing a shared understanding of what it means to be respectful is all the more necessary for organisations. Moreover, it is also crucial for employers and managers to realise how respectful leadership is vital in achieving a work culture geared for success.

Merriam-Webster defines respect as a ‘high or special regard’ and as ‘an act of giving particular attention.’ In a work context, it is synonymous with recognising and valuing the qualities and skills of the people we work with and what they bring to the table. Similarly, it entails treating others with dignity and gratitude regardless of one’s position. 

Mutual respect, meanwhile, is the recognition that two or more individuals have valuable contributions to make in a relationship. To create a healthy and harmonious working environment, there should be mutual respect among all members.

Not surprisingly, building a culture of respect begins at the top. When a company has a respectful leader, employees gain assurance that they are and will be treated fairly and that their efforts will be properly acknowledged. Through respectful leadership, workers also learn the perspective that respect is a two-way street: To earn it, they must also know how to give it.

A respectful environment boosts employee wellness. Disrespect, along with overwork and lack of support, is a leading cause of stress for workers. When employees are stressed, it takes a toll on their mental and physical health, consequently affecting their work performance. By creating a respectful environment, management can significantly reduce stress and positively impact employees’ wellbeing.

Respect increases employee engagement and productivity. According to the Georgetown University study, workers who reported that their leaders treated them respectfully were 55 per cent more engaged than those who claimed otherwise. They also had 92 per cent greater focus and prioritisation. This results in increased productivity and improved overall performance. 

It prevents bullying, harassment, and other negative behaviour. When respect is viewed as a standard in the workplace, incidences of bullying, harassment, and petty disputes among co-workers are minimised. It is especially relevant today, with the increased diversity and flexibility in companies. Moreover, when senior management shows equal respect for all, it diminishes opportunities for favouritism and even corruption.

A respectful culture improves job satisfaction. The Society for Human Resource Management reports that "respectful treatment of all employees'' is the top contributor to job satisfaction. A positive workplace, where people are treated as people and not as robots or minions, leads to happy employees. Your workers can clock out daily feeling fulfilled over their accomplishments. It increases employee retention, as talents are more likely to stay and apply for internal positions.

Regardless of your business and industry, developing a culture of respect should be every leader’s priority. Whether you’re just starting or are in the process of growing your empire, here are some ways you can do just that:

Treat everyone fairly. Research shows there are two types of respect that employees value: owed respect and earned respect. Owed respect is “accorded equally to all members of a workgroup” and “meets the universal need to feel included.” It entails civility toward all members, suggesting that everyone is valuable. Earned respect, meanwhile, “recognises individual employees who display valued qualities and behaviours.” It is given to employees who do exceptionally well and meets the need to be valued for good performance.

While both are important, you must first build a genuine and consistent foundation of owed respect for all members of the company. Acknowledge everyone as a human being with worth, regardless of rank and background. If you’re the CEO, don’t think it’s beneath you to say “Good morning!” to the janitors or engage in friendly chit-chat with the elevator operators. Such simple acts—as long as done sincerely—communicates how you value your workforce as real people, and allows you to earn their trust.

Recognise employee strengths and achievements accordingly. On the flip side, recognising and commending your workers’ exemplary performance is also a way of showcasing respect (a.k.a. earned respect), and makes people feel appreciated for their efforts. It doesn’t always have to be via formal recognition, too; a simple “Good job!” or celebratory lunch out with your A-team can already go a long way. As a result, workers feel more motivated to sustain such achievements or even do better next time.

The tricky part is to make sure you don’t single out favourites or ignore certain talents, as doing so can easily be construed as the reverse: disrespect. Moreover, too little earned respect in the workplace may make people think that individual achievement is not a priority, so they might not feel the need to strive so hard. To strike a balance, it helps to be transparent with individual performance metrics and team goals, so you can guide employees properly.

Encourage open communication. Human relationships are built on communication. Without it, organisations can easily fall into disarray. As a leader, though, it’s easy to fall into the trap of being the speaker or even the dictator, and not the listener or collaborator. 

To encourage mutual respect, provide opportunities and avenues for employees to speak their minds and share their ideas and feedback, like through one-on-one meetings, focus groups, and pulse surveys. Make sure to listen to and acknowledge what they have to say. As a boss, you might even want to schedule monthly socials or drinks, where you and your team can talk in a more relaxed manner, allowing them to be more open not just with you, but with other team members.

The goal is to make your workers feel they can express themselves freely – and respectfully, of course – without fear of being judged.

Create and implement clear rules for employee conduct. While most people are aware of the basic rules of showing respect (i.e. using appropriate language and listening when someone is talking), generational and cultural differences can cause people to have varying standards when it comes to being respectful. For example, an older employee might find it rude if a younger staff member addresses him casually while the latter may think of it as the norm. 

To prevent such misunderstandings, develop and communicate clear guidelines for everyone regarding behaviour and manners. Moreover, all staff should be held accountable for their actions regardless of pay grade or seniority.

Lead by example. Employees will mirror a respectful leader in how they treat colleagues, industry partners, and customers. Meanwhile, a disrespectful leader will most likely breed workers with the same unpleasant demeanour. Remember that the values exemplified by bosses can be ingrained into the company culture and perceived as “normal.”

In the best-selling book Crucial Conversations, the authors write, “Respect is like air. As long as it’s present, nobody thinks about it. But if you take it away, it’s all that people can think about.” 

By fostering mutual respect in the workplace, businesses can enjoy success that benefits everyone. After all, a positive work culture isn’t about flashy incentives or attractive perks. It all boils down to creating an environment where your workers treat each other like people.

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