Respect—it seems like a given when interacting with others; you respect them, and, in turn, they respect you. Unfortunately, reality can be very different from our expectations.
Many people forget that respect is more than just a word—it’s an action; it’s appreciating another’s uniqueness and individuality; it’s authentically acknowledging someone for who they are and what they bring to the table; it’s diversifying environments to ensure individuals of all backgrounds can share their perspectives and knowledge.
Of course, if something is difficult to remember in a casual setting, it tends to be even more difficult to remember in work environments. Too often, we see individuals and businesses get caught up in the day-to-day, forgetting to bring a foundation of mutual respect to the workplace—forgetting to acknowledge, appreciate, and celebrate their peers.
And I get it—work can be stressful, but without a foundation of mutual respect in a work environment, businesses can’t expect much success. This is because businesses that don’t promote an environment of mutual respect throughout all levels will see a greater employee turnover rate, forcing them to spend valuable time and resources recruiting and training new hires.
Think about it. Would you really want to stay in an environment where you feel like you’re not properly respected? Of course not. We all wish to be respected and appreciated for our efforts. In fact, according to Clarion Ledger, 72% of employees declared that mutual, true respect is important to their overall job satisfaction.
Thankfully, at TEDCO, the commitment to respect is more than just pixels on a screen, it’s a way of life. In our core values, we define our commitment to respect as such: “We uphold a culture of respect at work, within our communities, and nationally. We embrace diversity and value our employees for their individuality and the unique perspectives that they bring to the organization.”
Our emphasis on embracing diversity is essential, it provides TEDCO with dedicated individuals from all walks of life—individuals who can readily provide different perspectives and innovative ideas.
The creation of a diverse work environment is something that even some of the largest businesses are taking on to increase innovation. CSR Wire explains that Lenovo, Meta, Adobe, and Microsoft are among 50 major companies who signed “The Diversity Pledge,” embracing a more diverse and inclusive workplace.
Why are they embracing diversity? Because they’ve learned a reality TEDCO’s understood for quite some time—diversity in the workplace leads to more innovation. As Maryland’s economic engine for innovative technology companies, creating an environment of innovation is essential.
From ensuring we have a team of dedicated individuals from different nationalities, lifestyles, and backgrounds who can share their perspectives and knowledge, to planning a holiday party that allows employees to destress and shows they’re appreciated, it’s evident that TEDCO doesn’t shy away from creating an environment of genuine, mutual respect that can be seen throughout the company.
Rachael Kalinyak is the Content Marketing and Communications Coordinator at TEDCO.