Several things have come up recently in discussions with clients to confirm that relationships at work do matter and there is a lot of truth in the saying that people don’t quit a job, they quit a boss.
This is what got me to dig deeper into the importance of respect at work.
Poor relationships can lead to poor health coupled with frequent absences and a decrease in the creativity and motivation required to do a good job.
However, your relationship with your boss is not the only important relationship. People like to be part of a community; a sense of belonging is valued by most and leads to a more productive working environment. In a team where there is mutual respect, people are more likely to help each other and share their expertise which not only leads to an increase in productivity but it also feels good.
Companies need to be aware of this as a survey carried out by the Centre for Organisational Research and Development found that poor working relationships at work account for 22% of employees’ intentions to quit – it is certainly the key reason behind several of my current clients wanting to find another job.
This is costly for any employer, not just in recruitment costs but as a result of decreased productivity brought on by a dysfunctional team.
What research has shown is that respect is a core value; relationship problems lead to a decrease in organisational performance, it affects personal fulfilment at work and can also have a negative impact on safety at work. As such, it is important that companies address this issue.
Not only is respect a core value for individuals but it should also be a key organisational value. These days, we work in a very culturally diverse environment where people have different backgrounds and training. As result not everyone may have the same values which is why it is important that a company’s values form part of a code of conduct for employees to follow at work.
In order for a company to show that it is committed to respecting its employees, it must clearly communicate its code of conduct and regularly measure and reward the performance of employees.
By creating an open, inclusive and civil working environment where negative behaviour is not accepted, organisations will have happier, more productive employees as well as saving on recruitment costs.
It’s a no brainer really although it does mean that people like me will have fewer clients looking to change job!
If you need help changing job, feel free to contact me.
