One of the golden rules of life is that you should treat others the way you want to be treated. Your coworkers are just as important as you are, so you should always try to be respectful to them. Make it a habit of doing the following things when you go into the office each day to show other employees that you respect them.
General Tips for Good Etiquette
An easy way to be respectful to your fellow workers is to display basic acts of etiquette. For example, always greet your coworkers when you arrive in the morning. Be courteous, and hold doors open for people when they enter the office.
Be friendly and ask your coworkers how things are going at home. If you see that someone is busy on a strenuous assignment, keep the noise level down so you don’t disrupt their focus.
Basic acts like these will show your coworkers that you respect them and their time, and everyone will get along much better during the work day.
Encourage Others to Express Their Ideas
Another smart way to show respect is to encourage your coworkers to express their individual ideas. Everyone has their own ideas on how something should be done, but maybe they don’t want to discuss them because they fear that the ideas will be shot down. Regardless of how good or bad the ideas may be, you should always encourage your coworkers to express themselves.
When someone is explaining their ideas, don’t interrupt; wait until the explanation is finished before you offer your viewpoint. Focus on the positives, while giving fair, constructive criticism. Never focus exclusively on giving harsh feedback, because this could prevent coworkers from expressing their ideas in the future.
Keep Your Workspace Clean
People respect those who are neat and tidy. Whether you are at your desk or using a shared area in the office, you should always clean up after yourself so the area is clear for other workers to use. Keep your workspace tidy, and make sure to throw away any trash you have on your desk.
If you prepared a meal in the breakroom, clean up after yourself so others don’t have to look at dirty dishes and utensils. If you are sharing a workstation with someone else, keep the area clean, and get rid of any clutter so it doesn’t get in the other person’s way. Cleanliness is important, so keep things tidy whenever you can.
Admit When You’re Wrong, Learn from Mistakes
One of the hardest challenges of life is admitting when you’ve made a mistake. While some people make poor choices intentionally, others may cause problems without meaning to do so. Even if you didn’t mean to hurt someone, failing to acknowledge that your actions are causing problems is almost as bad as intentionally creating trouble.
If one of your coworkers comes forward about issues they are having related to your behavior, discuss it. If you find that their points are valid, ask how you can make improvements for the future. While nobody is perfect, people respect those who are willing to better themselves.
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