Respect is a vital component of fair work - no work is fair without it.
At its most basic, respect involves ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of others. While mutual respect involves recognising the views, autonomy, status and contribution of others.
Many discussions of respect (and the related concept of dignity at work) focus narrowly on issues relating to bullying and harassment. Respect as a dimension of fair work includes and goes beyond this to include dignified treatment, social support and the development of trusting relationships.
Work is an important part of social life. Relations learned and reinforced in the workplace can spill over into other social spheres.
More practically, respectful workplace relations may improve conflict resolution, reducing the need for public intervention to resolve and remedy disputes between employers and employees or workers.
Respect and Fair Work
Respect as a dimension of fair work can be supported in a wide variety of ways including:
- Being explicit that respect is an organisational value.
- Agreeing clear expectation of behaviour, conduct and treatment and encouraging the involvement of everyone to improve respectful behaviours.
- Having clear policies and procedures that support health, safety and wellbeing.
- Ensuring workers feel confident and know how to raise issues.
- Providing adequate health and safety training and supervision.
- Consulting your workforce on wellbeing and health and safety issues.
- Ensuring managers and supervisors are well trained on fair work.
Benefits of Respect
For Individuals
Individuals benefit by being treated respectfully. Treatment by others impacts significantly on self-esteem and well-being. Respectful treatment can underpin social support in the workplace, support competence and promote trustworthy behaviour.
For Organisations
Organisations benefit from respectful treatment and relationships. Respect is important not only in avoiding the negative impacts (and potential liabilities) arising from some forms of disrespectful behaviour. More constructively, respect can improve standards of communication, social exchange and work performance.
Explore another dimension
Effective voice
Effective voice
For individuals, the opportunity to have an effective voice is crucially important. Having a say at work is consistent with the broader suite of rights available to citizens in democratic societies.
Opportunities
Opportunities
Fair opportunity is the chance to access and progress in work. It helps creates a more equal, inclusive and cohesive society.
Security
Security
Security of income can contribute to greater individual and family stability and promote more effective financial planning, including investment in pensions.
Fulfilment
Fulfilment
Fulfilment can also arise from positive and supportive workplace relationships that promote a sense of belonging and this overlaps strongly with respect as a dimension of fair work.