HOW TO BUILD A TOLERANT WORKPLACE

“When we seek to discover the best in others, we bring out the best in ourselves”

William Arthur Ward

We all know the importance of tolerance don’t we? We all believe it’s a great value, right? Is your workplace truly tolerant? Can we make it better? And if so how?

In this edition of the Free Lawyer newsletter, I will talk about what tolerance is and isn’t; the benefits of having a truly tolerant workplace; and how we can improve our office setting to make it more tolerant, more inclusive and more accepting.

What is tolerance?

Tolerance is such an  important life skill, particularly in the  workplace where we are often working with others in a diverse group that we did not necessarily choose. A good definition of tolerance is “the capacity to accept differences in others.” The differences might be age, sex, religion, nationality, culture, beliefs. or sexual orientation. 

Two of my favorites sayings come to mind. “Live and let live.” We each have a right to live our life as we choose, and we should also acknowledge and respect the rights of others to live their life in the way that they choose.

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” This can be a great foundation for the understanding of tolerance. When I treat others with acceptance, kindness and understanding, I’m exhibiting profound tolerance. That is how I would like to be treated; and that is the best way to treat others.

We all believe that discrimination in the workplace is wrong. But, what kind of insidious behaviors might occur in the workplace too frequently that can create an atmosphere of intolerance?

• Gossiping. Have you ever seen circumstances where office members will criticize or talk negatively about another staff member behind that person’s back? Clearly, that is disrespectful and inappropriate.

• Making fun of or joking about someone. Do you ever hear someone at work tell a joke about someone else or criticize them personally?

• Resorting to stereotypes. Sadly, it is not too unusual to see coworkers make stereottypical comments about someone else’s ethnicity, race or age.

• Judging. Have you ever heard staff members make personal judgments about someone else, what they look like, how they speak or their beliefs? Judging others is very intolerant.

An intolerant workplace can lead to misunderstandings, unethical behavior, increased stress, more employee turnover, greater frustration and less fulfillment.

What are the benefits of a tolerant workplace?

These are some of the many benefits of working in a more tolerant office.

There is a more positive environment, with open communication and listening. There is better teamwork between the office staff, where an open exchange of ideas is encouraged. Employees begin to develop a more creative and innovative spirit in resolving issues and developing new systems. Staff is more loyal, more satisfied and fulfilled. Absenteeism improves, and staff develop a sense of loyalty and appreciation for where they work. There is greater respect and trust between office staff at all levels. There is less stress, more fulfillment, and greater happiness throughout the office. Staff are encouraged to think more broadly and innovatively.

Tolerance helps staff members to build bridges and to benefit from the differences present in the workplace. In short, our ability to thrive depends greatly on our staff being willing and able to work well together. The ability to share ideas, make decisions collectively, and being open to accepting different views of others creates a sense of teamwork and successful cooperation that is so beneficial to our professional office. Our staff perform to their full potential when they feel safe, accepted, and comfortable with sharing their viewpoints.

How do we build a more tolerant workplace?

There are some steps:

1. Lead by example. We all may have some position of supervision or management over someone in our office. It is so important to speak with sensitivity and understanding. Do we come across as open and evenhanded? Do we respect diversity and differences between our staff members? Are we patient when we deal with controversial or emotional topics? Do we foster an atmosphere of open and accepting communication between our staff? It is important that we always show our staff tolerance through our actions as well as our words. Being compassionate and understanding with our staff in whatever issues they have will help to foster an atmosphere of tolerance in our office.

2. Encourage communication. It is critical that our staff feel comfortable in communicating their issues, concerns and needs. Having an atmosphere where communication is encouraged and respected will help to ensure that everyone is treated equally and with respect. Open communication creates an atmosphere of trust.

3. Be respectful to all. Encourage a culture where all staff are respectful of others. Be empathetic to others and their needs. It is important that leaders and managers in an office demonstrate respect towards all staff. All staff, at every level, are entitled to be treated with the same respect that we wish to receive. Being respectful includes accepting the different beliefs, values and opinions of others. It allows us to work together with others without any judgment.

4. Create an atmosphere where staff listen to each other. We can all be role models by thinking carefully before talking about sensitive subjects or difficult topics. When we listen well, we create an atmosphere of acceptance and trust.

5. Hold everyone accountable. Sometimes the rainmaker, most powerful person, or most tenured employee “gets away with” intolerant behavior because of that person’s position. Everyone in the office should be held accountable for any intolerant behavior, regardless of their seniority or status. Partners, managers and team leaders should not only demonstrate tolerance, but be held responsible for any failures in that regard.

6. Set expectations. It should be made clear in firm manuals and communications that this is an office where tolerance is expected and required. It should be frequently communicated what respect and acceptance looks like in the office, and what sort of inappropriate attitudes are not acceptable.

7. Foster an atmosphere where employees reach out for help.  Any time some staff member feels he or she has been treated unfairly, the staff should be encouraged to reach out to management or some appropriate person for assistance and support.

Conclusion

Tolerance in the workplace is of course a high value and beneficial to all. However, it is also critical to helping the firm to function better, be more productive and successful. It creates an environment where staff are happier, more fulfilled and more productive.

What do you think is the most important value in creating a more tolerant workplace?