Stand-Up Talks: Respect in the Workplace

#1 Being Respectful in the Workplace

Good morning. This is the first in a series of talks to dis­cuss a topic that’s important to the Postal Service and to each of us — respect in our workplace.

I think we can all agree that treating each other with respect is the right thing to do. There’s plenty of evidence that a respectful workplace is both productive and suc­cessful. Respect is also important for our business, and that’s another reason we need to have a desirable right work environment.

We work in a very active facility and competitive busi­ness. So there will be times when things are said or done we don’t like. But if we’re going to work in a respectful envi­ronment, we have to learn how to deal with those situations or, better yet, keep them from happening.

One of the best ways to respect each other is to simply be considerate. Showing basic courtesy in how we speak to and treat others is important. Courtesy, politeness, and a “thank you” go a long way! That sounds like common sense — and it is. Unfortunately, it’s not always common practice.

Another way we can show respect is by listening to each other. Hear people out instead of interrupting. We owe it to each other to listen completely before interrupting with our own opinion.

A respectful workplace is one where people don’t insult each other, spread gossip, or put each other down. Try to choose your words — and your tone of voice — carefully. We can help a lot by lowering our voices.

Our jobs put us in constant contact with other people. So we need to be sensitive to their views and opinions. Let people know we welcome their ideas, even when we dis­agree. Stop and think before we do or say something that might be seen as disrespectful.

I want to finish by talking about what you can do when things don’t go as you’d like and you have a problem with a coworker. It could be something that was said, the way it was said, or something that was done. But you’re unhappy and feel you were disrespected.

Obviously, it’s best if you can work it out peacefully between yourselves. The heat of the moment is usually not the time for that. But after things cool down, it’s helpful to sit and talk things through. It’s best to address issues as soon as possible rather than letting them escalate into something that causes stress and tension, and disrupts our work.

Sometimes we just need to let people have their say, admit if we were wrong, and move on.

But some problems can’t be easily fixed. They may involve illegal behavior such as harassment based on race, color, religion, genetic information, national origin, sex, age (40+), physical or mental disability, or retaliation for engag­ing in prior EEO protected activity. In those cases, it’s important you know the rights and remedies available to you.

If you need help resolving an issue of disrespect or harassment, you can contact a supervisor or Human Resources. For issues of illegal harassment, you can also call the EEO number at 888-336-8777 or TTY at 888-325-2914 found on posters in this facility. Call EEO for other issues of illegal discrimination too. In all cases, you can contact the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at 800-EAP-4-YOU (800-327-4968), TTY at 877-492-7341, or online at www.eap4you.com.

If you make an EEO complaint about illegal discrimina­tion or harassment by calling the EEO number, you will be required to engage in counseling. If counseling does not resolve your complaint, you will be able to file a formal complaint of discrimination. If you are not satisfied with the Postal Service’s resolution of your formal complaint, you will be able to appeal to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board, and/or file a lawsuit against the Postal Service, depending on the nature of your complaint.

In some cases, you are able to file a complaint about ille­gal discrimination directly with the Merit Systems Protec­tion Board instead of calling the EEO number. When that is possible, the Postal Service will notify you. Also, if you are covered by a collective-bargaining agreement, you can always file a grievance about illegal discrimination or harassment.

If it is determined that you were treated in a way that was against the law, your remedies could include being placed in the position you would have occupied if the dis­crimination had not occurred, back pay, compensatory damages, and some or all of your attorney’s fees. Once again, the exact remedies available to you depend on the nature of your claim.

All of these rights and remedies are explained in Publi­cation 133, What You Need to Know About EEO.

The important thing is to settle issues in a way that respects everyone’s rights.

There’s a famous quote that says: “Courtesy is the shortest distance between two people.” We want to keep that distance as short as possible by treating each other with respect.

Thank you.

#2 The Importance of Respect in the Workplace

Good morning. This is the second in a series of talks about Respect in the Workplace. It’s a subject that’s impor­tant to both us and the Postal Service.

I want to talk about what it means to have a respectful workplace, why that’s important, and what to do if you feel you haven’t received the respect you deserve.

As we discussed last time, we can go a long way toward fostering respect if we show simple courtesy and polite­ness. Listen without interrupting. Don’t spread gossip.

A good general rule is to put yourself in the other per­son’s shoes. If we take a little time to think before we speak or do something, we’ll generally make the right choice and show the proper respect to others.

There’s no doubt that people find it more pleasant to come to work when they know the atmosphere will be civil. Good working relationships are important because we’re together several hours a day in a fast-paced job.

A respectful workplace is also good for our bottom line.

People who study organizations say a respectful work­ing environment — one that lets everybody feel welcome and included — is important to achieving success and staying competitive. We all know the challenges the Postal Service is facing today, so anything that helps us keep our competitive edge is important.

When the working environment is good, there’s less stress, less stress-related illness, and less absenteeism.

People who are respected at work are more likely to be committed to their job and their company. That makes them — and us — more productive.

So a few simple things — hearing people out, being courteous — have a positive impact on us and the organi­zation we work for.

Finally, I want to talk again about remedies, because it’s important we all understand the options we have when things are said or done that affect us negatively.

We would all agree we don’t want small problems to become big ones. So we strongly recommend that people try to work things out between themselves. A lot of prob­lems can be resolved that way — talk about it, then move on. That should be our first option.

But some problems can’t be easily fixed. They may involve illegal behavior such as harassment based on race, color, religion, genetic information, national origin, sex, age (40+), physical or mental disability, or retaliation for engag­ing in prior EEO-protected activity. In those cases, it’s important you know the rights and remedies available to you.

If you need help resolving an issue of disrespect or harassment, you can contact a supervisor or Human Resources. For issues of illegal harassment, you also can call the EEO number at 888-336-8777 or TTY at 888-325-2914 found on posters in this facility. Call EEO for other issues of illegal discrimination too. In all cases, you can contact the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at 800-EAP-4-YOU (800-327-4968), TTY at 877- 492-7341, or online at www.eap4you.com.

If you make an EEO complaint about illegal discrimina­tion or harassment by calling the EEO number, you will be required to engage in counseling. If counseling does not resolve your complaint, you will be able to file a formal complaint of discrimination. If you are not satisfied with the Postal Service’s resolution of your formal complaint, you will be able to appeal to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board, and/or file a lawsuit against the Postal Service, depending on the nature of your complaint.

In some cases, you are able to file a complaint about ille­gal discrimination directly with the Merit Systems Protec­tion Board instead of calling the EEO number. When that is possible, the Postal Service will notify you. Also, if you are covered by a collective-bargaining agreement, you can always file a grievance about illegal discrimination or harassment.

If it is determined that you were treated in a way that was against the law, your remedies could include being placed in the position you would have occupied if the dis­crimination had not occurred, back pay, compensatory damages, and some or all of your attorney’s fees. Once again, the exact remedies available to you depend on the nature of your claim.

All of these rights and remedies are explained in Publi­cation 133, What You Need to Know About EEO.

The important thing is to settle issues in a way that respects everyone’s rights.

These remedies are designed to settle issues in a way that respects everyone’s rights and helps us maintain a good working environment.

I hope this information is helpful to understanding what we mean by “respect” and why it’s important to us and the Postal Service.

Thank you.

#3 Choosing Your Words Carefully

Good Morning. This is the third in a series of talks dis­cussing Respect in the Workplace. Today we’re going to talk about humor and choosing our words carefully.

Most experts agree that humor in the workplace can have beneficial effects. But when and how it’s used must be appropriate in nature and shouldn’t be offensive to the ordinary or reasonable person. When we use humor appro­priately, we do it without hurting others or seriously under­mining the workplace culture.

Jokes about race, age, gender, or national origin — to name a few topics — are not appropriate and may lead to harassment claims. Jokes about a person’s weight or physical appearance may be illegal in some circumstances, and even when they are not illegal, they are certainly inap­propriate. Further, even if the person to whom the joke is told is not offended, other persons overhearing the joke could be.

With that said, humor has the power to bring people together, create a sense of teamwork, and even help con­tribute to improving our overall workplace. Researchers say humor in the workplace is beneficial because happy employees are more loyal and productive employees. In fact, absenteeism and tardiness rates may decrease as people look forward to coming to work.

You may have heard the old saying, “Laughter is the best medicine.” It’s true. Laughter releases endorphins, a chemical 10 times more powerful than the pain-relieving drug morphine, into the body with the same exhilarating effect as doing strenuous exercise. Laughing increases oxygen intake, which replenishes and invigorates cells. It also increases the pain threshold, boosts immunity, and relieves stress.

“Choosing Your Words Carefully” involves every inter­action we have. As we discuss the value of humor, we must remember that it’s never appropriate to try to use humor as a mask when we’re upset, angry, or in conflict with some­one. Sometimes people try to mask their discontent with humor, but the result is a put-down or a stereotype.

Sharing genuine humor also includes “self-effacing humor,” otherwise known as making fun of ourselves. When we make fun of ourselves, it demonstrates a healthy outlook, showing we don’t take ourselves so seriously. As a result, we’re regarded as more approachable and down to earth. But don’t overdo it. Such humor loses its effective­ness with overuse.

“Choosing our Words Carefully” means every interac­tion, every time. Whether we’re providing feedback, asking a question, or being the ones receiving feedback and answering a question, we should be aware of how we’re expressing ourselves and the impact we have on others.

Although this talk is about communications, we also want to take this opportunity to reaffirm employees’ rights as discussed in previous talks.

What can you do when things don’t go as you’d like and you have a problem with a coworker? It could be some­thing that was said, the way it was said, or something that was done. But you’re unhappy and feel you were disre­spected.

Obviously, it’s best if you can work it out peacefully between yourselves. The heat of the moment is usually not the time for that. But after things cool down, it’s helpful to sit and talk things through. It’s best to address issues as soon as possible rather than letting them escalate into something that causes stress and tension, and disrupts our work.

Sometimes we just need to let people have their say, admit if we were wrong, and move on.

But some problems can’t be easily fixed. They may involve illegal behavior such as harassment based on race, color, religion, genetic information, national origin, sex, age (40+), physical or mental disability, or retaliation for engag­ing in prior EEO-protected activity. In those cases, it’s important you know the rights and remedies available to you.

If you need help resolving an issue of disrespect or harassment, you can contact a supervisor or Human Resources. For issues of illegal harassment, you can also call the EEO number at 888-336-877 or TTY at 888-325-2914 found on posters in this facility. Call EEO for other issues of illegal discrimination too. In all cases, if you need support or someone to talk to, you can contact the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at 800-EAP-4-YOU (800-327-4968), TTY at 877-492-7341, or online at www.eap4you.com.

The important thing is to settle issues in a way that respects everyone’s rights.

So, I’ll leave you with a little workplace humor. How do you know when a supervisor is finished with a service talk? You hear the words, “Thank you for listening, have a good day!”

So…Thank you for listening and have a good day!

#4 Asking Questions and Providing Feedback

Good Morning. This is the fourth in a series of talks dis­cussing Respect in the Workplace. The topics this week are asking questions and providing feedback.

Asking the right questions is a valuable communication skill. It’s been said, “Successful people ask better ques­tions, and as a result, they get better answers.” The same is true for successful organizations.

When you ask a question, try to phrase it so the answer will be constructive. One of the ways to do that is to ask open-ended questions. Open-ended questions — ones that begin with who, what, when, where, why, or how — allow the other person to volunteer information.

If someone feels threatened by your question, they’ll avoid answering it or they likely won’t give you all the infor­mation. People won’t talk to you if they think they’ll be embarrassed or harmed by answering your questions.

If you have to ask questions that other people might object to answering, explain how you’ll use their responses or why you need the answers. Giving them the big picture of what you’re trying to do and where you’re going with your questions can alleviate their concerns about your motives.

Feedback is an essential part of keeping a company or organization running efficiently. It’s one of the ways we all communicate.

How feedback is given is important. Poorly given feed­back will often affect a person’s performance, as well as create confusion and misunderstanding. To provide effec­tive feedback, it’s important to keep the following points in mind:

n The feedback should be timely. Timely feedback allows everyone involved to solve any problems quickly. If feedback is delayed, the problem can con­tinue to grow, and by the time it’s addressed, it may have grown more complicated or too big to be han­dled with a simple, informal meeting.

n The feedback should address just the issue being discussed. Don’t talk about past conduct or behav­ior, unless it’s relevant.

Feedback is a two-way street. Many view feedback as some sort of dictate from management, a kind of ‘the boss says to do this!’ It’s not. Effective feedback is just another form of communication between managers and employees.

For employees giving feedback to managers, it can be as simple as sharing your thoughts on his or her perfor­mance as a manager — as it impacts your duties. Saying something like, “I’d like to be doing a better job than I’m doing now. There are some things that you’re doing that make it difficult for me to do my best. Could we talk about it?” opens the door to dialogues and solutions.

Although this talk is about communication, we also want to take this opportunity to reaffirm employees’ rights as discussed in our previous talks.

What can you do when things don’t go as you’d like and you have a problem with a coworker? It could be some­thing that was said, the way it was said, or something that was done. But you’re unhappy and feel you were disre­spected.

Obviously, it’s best if you can work it out peacefully between yourselves. The heat of the moment is usually not the time for that. But after things cool down, it’s helpful to sit and talk things through. It’s best to address issues as soon as possible rather than letting them escalate into something that causes stress and tension, and disrupts our work.

Sometimes we just need to let people have their say, admit if we were wrong, and move on.

But some problems can’t be easily fixed. They may involve illegal behavior such as harassment based on race, color, religion, genetic information, national origin, sex, age (40+), physical or mental disability, or retaliation for engag­ing in prior EEO-protected activity. In those cases, it’s important you know the rights and remedies available to you.

If you need help resolving an issue of disrespect or harassment, you can contact a supervisor or Human Resources. For issues of illegal harassment, you also can call the EEO number at 888-336-8777 or TTY number at 888-325-2914 found on posters in this facility. Call EEO for other issues of illegal discrimination too. In all cases you can contact the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at 800-EAP-4-YOU (800-327-4968) , TTY at 877-492-7341, or online at www.eap4you.com.

The important thing is to settle issues in a way that respects everyone’s rights.

#5 Gossiping in the Workplace

Good Morning. This is the fifth in a series of talks dis­cussing Respect in the Workplace. The topic this week is gossiping in the workplace.

Teddy Roosevelt’s daughter Alice is quoted as saying, “If you haven’t got anything nice to say about someone — come sit next to me!”

Gossip is something we all encounter. At some point, we’ve probably all shared a gossipy story with someone, been told a bit of gossip — or been gossiped about. When we think about gossip, we usually think of information that’s false, personal, or likely to surprise or shock the per­son hearing it.

Before you share gossip, ask yourself these questions:

n Do I know all of the facts? You wouldn’t want some­one talking about you if they didn’t know the facts, would you?

n Why am I taking the time to share this — what’s in it for me?

n Does gossiping about this topic make me feel better than the person I’m talking about?

n Am I using the gossip to make myself look better — at someone else’s expense?

You know the answer. Spreading gossip, especially gossip that is false or to make ourselves feel better or look good, is negative and unfair.

People often confuse gossip with news. If the informa­tion is likely to harm someone, it’s gossip. If the information is an attempt to help — then it’s news.

Research has shown that 20 to 60 percent of daily con­versation is gossip-related, with men participating as much or more than women. Sure, men can call it “shooting the breeze” — but it’s still gossip. Gossiping may be normal behavior — but it hurts the workplace. When gossiping becomes disruptive, creates tension, spreads false infor­mation, or is derogatory, then it’s inappropriate for the workplace.

Gossiping about a coworker goes against one of the basic ideas of the Postal Service — creating an inclusive workplace. An inclusive workplace welcomes and cele­brates people of all walks of life. Gossiping can cause dis­sension and division.

Gossiping that is disruptive, creates tension, spreads false information, or is derogatory excludes people and creates an unhealthy work environment.

The Postal Service is committed to an inclusive work­place — a place where anyone can come to work and be treated with dignity and respect.

USPS is an organization filled with people from diverse backgrounds and communities. We value the perspectives and contributions of people of all ethnic backgrounds and try to incorporate the needs and viewpoints of our diverse communities.

Not all people respond in the same way to messages, so it’s important for all of us to communicate in culturally appropriate and sensitive ways.

Gossiping isn’t one of those ways.

All employees share the responsibility for maintaining an inclusive workplace. To build mutual respect, we must value the differences and cultures of others. There are no simple answers to the challenges of living in a diverse world, but the Postal Service understands that conflict is natural, and we do our best to effectively anticipate, man­age, and resolve it.

If you have questions or concerns about how you’re being treated, spoken to, or talked about, contact your supervisor or Human Resources. If you feel it involves ille­gal behavior like harassment based on race, color, religion, genetic information, national origin, sex, age (40+), physical or mental disability, or retaliation for engaging in prior EEO-protected activity, you can call the EEO number at 888-336-8777 or TTY at 888-325-2914 found on posters in this facility.

In all cases, you also can contact the Employee Assis­tance Program at 800-EAP-4-YOU (800-327-4968), TTY at 877-492-7341, or online at www.eap4you.com.

And since we started with a quote on gossip, let’s finish with one. Will Rogers summed gossip up pretty well when he said, “The only time people dislike gossip — is when you gossip about them!”

#6 Bullying in the Workplace

Good morning. This is the sixth in a series of talks on Respect in the Workplace. The topic this week is bullying in the workplace.

Many of us may have thought bullying ended in the schoolyard, but it’s being recognized in the corporate world too. And like any form of disrespect, it’s inappropri­ate in the workplace.

Bullying in the workplace can take many forms. Being yelled at, called names, or made to feel less than others are all forms of bullying. Receiving discipline for trivial matters or based on false allegations on a regular basis is a form of bullying. In addition, constant attempts to undermine your status, value, position, and potential is also bullying. Even being put down or patronized constantly — especially in front of others — is bullying.

There are certain things you have to remember when dealing with a bully in the workplace:

Start to gain control back. Recognize what’s happening to you and admit that you’re being bullied. There’s no shame in it — it’s not something you’re at fault for! Criti­cisms from a bully about your work are intended to put you down and to make you second guess yourself. Don’t give in to these fears. If you know you’re producing work of a high standard and your manager has no complaints, then don’t worry about it.

You’re not alone. Bullying in the workplace is common, but it usually consists of mental cruelty more than physical violence. The bully wants the attention or credit you get for the work you are producing. It often happens that the bully will steal your ideas for his/her own. Do not let the bully make you feel shame, guilt or fear. This is what bullies rely on to keep their hold over you. Guilt and fear strategies are the bully’s best friend, it’s how all abusers silence their vic­tims.

Don’t try to handle bullying alone. Bullies pick on those who are afraid to tell others of the problem. It’s important to remember there’s no shame in asking for help. A bully will try hard to make you feel inadequate and belittle you, making you believe that asking for help and not being able to deal with the problem on your own like an adult is cow­ardly. Tell a colleague at the very least — or preferably your supervisor, if you can. Bullying is harassment, and the Postal Service won’t tolerate harassment.

Take action against the bully. Keep a written account of the bullying incidents. Write in great detail what happened and where, including times and dates, and share this infor­mation with your supervisor.

If you need further help resolving a bullying or disrespect issue, contact a supervisor or Human Resources. If you feel it involves illegal behavior such as harassment based on race, color, religion, genetic information, national origin, sex, age (40+), physical or mental disability, or retaliation for engaging in prior EEO-protected activity, you can call the EEO number at 888-336-8777 or TTY at 888-325-2914 found on posters in this facility.

In all cases, you also can contact the Employee Assis­tance Program at 800-EAP-4-YOU (800-327-4968), TTY at 877-492-7341, or online at www.eap4you.com.

#7 Harassment in the Workplace

Good morning. This is the seventh talk in our series on Respect in the Workplace. This week’s topic is harassment in the workplace.

Think of harassment as using words or actions to make the workplace uncomfortable or hostile for a group or an individual.

The Postal Service wants you to know that harassment — sexual or otherwise — and inappropriate sexual conduct will not be tolerated in the workplace. Publication 553, Employee’s Guide to Understanding, Preventing, and Reporting Harassment, talks about harassment and inap­propriate conduct.

This is important because the only way to achieve a workplace free of this behavior is to make sure everyone knows what it is and what to do about it when it happens. You have to do your part. Become familiar with this guide and report improper behavior.

You can help prevent harassment in the workplace by thinking before you speak. No one wants to be disre­spected or disrespectful. Ask yourself, “Will this offend someone?” Keep a G-rated workplace. Not everyone shares your attitudes and comfort levels. Avoid making negative comments about someone.

You would not let a coworker work in an unsafe area or work with unsafe equipment. In the same way, you do not want your coworkers working in an environment that makes them feel unsafe or uncomfortable. Many times harassment in the form of a hostile work environment occurs because employees do not think about how their actions and words affect other coworkers. Think about what you say and do.

If you have questions or concerns about how you’re being treated, spoken to, or talked about, contact your supervisor or Human Resources. If you feel it involves ille­gal behavior like harassment based on race, color, religion, genetic information, national origin, sex, age (40+), physical or mental disability, or retaliation for engaging in prior EEO-protected activity, you can call the EEO number at 888-336-8777 or TTY at 888-325-2914 found on posters in this facility.

In all cases, you also can contact the Employee Assis­tance Program at 800-EAP-4-YOU (800-327-4968), TTY at 877-492-7341, or online at www.eap4you.com.