Acceptance in the Workplace

No two people think or act the same way. Thank heavens for that, I joke that you wouldn’t want two of me, I don’t want two of me. The uniqueness, similarities, and differences we all have led to better work performance as an individual, in a team and in an organization.

Ultimately there is no mold, each person should feel comfortable and empowered to bring their whole self to work. This means not feeling like they put on a mask for the job, only to leave work and then feel like they can be who they really are.

I recently listened to a TED talk by Patty McCord an HR Professional who discussed that if we went to work with the assumption that everyone comes to work to do an amazing job – you would be surprised at what you get. What McCord is saying is that if we treat everyone and believe that they are there to do their best, then we can expect amazing things.

I have visited some of the local schools in the Magic Valley and they report having 20 plus different languages are spoken within the walls of any one school. Diversity is growing here, and it is more than just languages. Diversity includes mental and physical disabilities, religious and belief differences, ethnic and cultural differences, gender equality and generation gaps.  It has been reported that companies that practice diversity and inclusion in the workplace outperform other non-diverse companies by 15%. The long-term success of any business calls for the diverse body of talent that can bring fresh ideas, perspectives and, views to their work.

Acceptance begins by first seeing everyone as humans, regardless of the color, shape, size, language or culture every human being bleeds the color red.  When we accept someone, we acknowledge and welcome them into our environment, regardless of ethnicity, religion, beliefs, shared cultural values, characteristics or experiences.  To be accepted we use understanding and empathy. We need to accept people in the wide array for viewpoints, ideas, traits, and backgrounds. Acceptance in the workplace means we have a greater tolerance for each other. It takes everyone from top management down to the entry-level worker to encourage acceptance in the workplace.

Some rewards we can expect with acceptance include:

  • More open communication.
  • Better team decision making.
  • More creative workplace.
  • Greater respect and trust.
  • A more positive work environment.
  • More productive workers.
  • Less absenteeism.
  • Greater loyalty.
  • A larger pool of talent to recruit from.

We all need to work together for inclusion and acceptance in our places of work, schools and, communities.

“Our uniqueness, our individuality, and our life experience mold us into fascinating beings…may we cultivate an atmosphere of understanding, acceptance, tolerance, and compassion. We are all in this life together.” Linda Thompson