Workplace Respect Matters During Times of Stress

Workplace Respect Matters — Especially During Times of Stress
When the COVID pandemic hit, it felt as though almost everything changed overnight. One thing did not. People still want — and need — to be treated with respect at work. If anything, respect matters more during times of uncertainty and strain.

Workplace Respect: Onsite Employees
Employees who must work onsite want to know their efforts are seen and valued. Many put themselves at risk simply by showing up. Gratitude should not be assumed — it must be expressed. Every delivery driver, shop clerk, IT professional, healthcare worker, peace officer, and frontline employee deserves recognition for keeping work moving forward.

The Takeaway:  Managers should be acknowledging and appreciating onsite employees consistently, not occasionally. A simple thank-you, delivered sincerely and often, goes a long way.

Workplace Respect: Remote Workers
Remote employees want to be recognized for work that is often invisible. Many are juggling full workloads while supervising remote schooling, managing household demands, and working in less-than-ideal environments. Others feel disconnected and miss the informal interactions that once anchored them to their teams. Focus and productivity can be harder to sustain amid constant distractions.

The Takeaway:  Managers play a critical role here. Regular one-on-one check-ins — even brief ones — help remote employees feel supported, appreciated, and connected. Respect shows up in listening, flexibility, and genuine concern for how people are coping.

Workplace Respect: Laid Off Workers
Employees who have been laid off are often anxious, grieving, and under financial stress. They may be struggling to cover basic needs while holding out hope that the disruption is temporary. For many, job loss also means losing healthcare, professional identity, daily structure, and trusted relationships all at once. The emotional toll can be overwhelming. Respect does not end with employment status.

The Takeaway:  Managers can help by maintaining communication, offering reassurance when possible, and preserving human connection. Staying connected matters — especially when people feel most vulnerable.

Workplace Respect Needs to Increase — Employees Are Stressed

According to a recent survey by Weber Shandwick and KRC Research, nearly half of all US employees are concerned that their employers will bring them back to work before it’s safe and more than half worry about their company’s future and their job security.  Many employees report personally dealing with anxiety, depression, and trauma. They may be personally affected by the virus. They may be sick. They may be caring for someone who is sick. They may have family in intensive care. Their loved ones may have died.

They all need our compassion and caring.

Companies, Leaders, Managers, and Coworkers Shoulder a Greater Responsibility
And yet, since this all started, we’ve heard stories of women being sexually harassed in virtual meetings, Asians being bullied because of the “Chinese virus,” and sexist comments about their looks being made to women doctors fighting COVID.

We also have heard of managers leading with their hearts, of doing the right thing, of taking care of their employees and former employees. Not only are they living their corporate values, they also are preventing lawsuits. That’s because when employees and former employees feel respected, they are far less likely to sue. To every manager who has used this time to show compassion and caring, thank you.

The Bottom Line
Even though employees around the world consistently rank respect as the most important leadership behavior, too many leaders have an incomplete understanding of what truly constitutes a respectful workplace — especially during a time of crisis.  Do your employees feel respected?

To learn more about creating a healthy, trusting, and respectful workplace, download 29 Ways to Build and Maintain Trust as a Leader 

by Tristam Brown: CEO

Tristam Brown is an executive business consultant and organizational development expert with more than three decades of experience helping organizations accelerate performance, build high-impact teams, and turn strategy into execution. As CEO of LSA Global, he works with leaders to get and stay aligned™ through research-backed strategy, culture, and talent solutions that produce measurable, business-critical results. See full bio.