Tina Fey
Most people leave their jobs either because their boss doesn’t let them build their skills or because their coworkers don’t respect them.
If you have the appreciation of your boss and the people you work with, it’s easier to stay motivated and do a better job.
However, how can you tell if your coworkers actually respect you? What if they don’t?
Here are the 17 secret signs your coworkers actually respect you.
1) They give you useful advice about your career
If your colleagues help you with your professional goals rather than compete with you, you’re in a good place.
Most people want to advance in what they do, and we need the support of others around us to feel more motivated and confident.
So, if your colleagues encourage you to reach your long-term objectives and advise you on how to achieve them, you know you’re in good hands.
The next steps to take in your career can include:
- Learning new and useful skills;
- Reading important books on your niche;
- Taking internal training;
- Advancing your skills with a course or a program from the outside.
2) You’ve been promoted, and your colleagues are happy for you
Getting promoted means two things: more money and more responsibility.
Sometimes it also means having your colleagues jealous of your success. It may add a bitter aftertaste to your hard-earning promotion and ruin your relations with your coworkers.
But if you find yourself supported and your victories celebrated, it means your colleagues are genuinely happy for you.
It’s a great sign because it is not a common thing to happen!
3) You’re doing important tasks
Doing significant work for the company is a sign that your colleagues know you’re reliable.
If they continue to give you work, it’s because they know you will do it right and that you’ll be aligned with the company’s values.
They respect you and what you do enough to trust you with the important stuff.
4) They don’t micromanage you
Micromanaging can be a tough thing to handle in the workplace. You feel under pressure and control every second of your work day. It’s exhausting.
So one of the most important signs that your colleagues and boss respect you is when they give you space:
- They’re not monitoring everything you do;
- They’re not questioning your choices;
- You’re not in an oppressive environment.
If they don’t micromanage you, it’s easier to complete your tasks effectively.
5) They value your opinion
I can say this from personal experience: not many bosses value their employee’s opinions.
If you found a company and a team that does, you’ve found a goldmine.
It means that you’re respected: you don’t have to affirm and reaffirm what you think. You don’t have to stay silent for fear of getting sacked.
When you have your boss’ full attention, you know you’re valued and respected, and your colleagues know it as well.
6) You can trust your coworkers
Every workplace is a world on its own and has different dynamics. Even in the same company, two teams might differ a lot from one another.
I’ve been in places where people wanted to get me fired or they wanted to compete with me.
Fortunately, this doesn’t happen anymore, but I am all the more appreciative after experiencing bad workplaces.
When your coworkers have your back, you can do a much better job. This could include:
- Helping you with a complicated task;
- Dealing with difficult customers for you;
- Getting you coffee or lunch when you’re too busy.
7) They help you when solving problems
Every company has problems or a crisis at some point.
When your colleagues offer their help to solve these problems, you know you’re respected and valued.
This is one of the best signs!
8) They don’t question your decisions
This includes not mocking you when you make a choice.
There’s a big difference between being valued for decisions and being questioned for them.
If you don’t have to force people to listen to you, you’re respected. You can count not only on your coworkers but also on your boss and his team.
9) They give you flexibility
Not long ago, once you finished your workday, you were done. You had to comply with a timetable: get in at 9, get out at 5.
That was it.
You couldn’t work different hours, and if you left earlier, you wouldn’t get paid in full.
Thankfully, today we have a lot more flexibility when it comes to scheduling our work.
Many people can choose to work different shifts, and teams are often international and remote, which means a lot of people operate from different time zones.
10) Your salary increased recently
This sign is impossible to miss: if you receive a better salary, you’re respected. They’re compensating you for the high quality of your work.
When this happens, and your colleagues are happy for you, just know that they must have put in a good word.
If your monthly income is getting bigger regularly, it’s one of the strongest signs that you’re respected by your office fellas!
11) You know that you can take time off if you need it
This is super rare. Most of the time, if you need to take extra weeks or even a month off for whatever reason, you know you can’t expect the company to keep your position free just for you.
If you can do it, it’s a big sign that your boss and your colleagues respect you and value your work to support you when you need a break.
Your employer relies on you and knows that you’re irreplaceable.
12) People aren’t talking behind your back
When you receive honest criticism (even if it’s a little brutal), you can take one good thing away: they trust and respect you enough to know that they can talk honestly to you.
On the other hand, if someone unfairly criticizes you, dragging you and your work through the mud, and your coworkers jump in and defend what you do: you’re valued!
However, if you find out that they’re spreading rumors behind your back, they don’t respect or value your work.
13) You can have all the resources you need to do a good job
Do you have all the tools that make it possible for you to do a good job?
What I mean is:
- Do you have a budget enough to complete the goals?
- Can you build a great team without having to justify every new hire to your manager?
- Do you have support from other teams which are involved in the project?
If you answered yes to these questions, you’re respected. People trust in you enough to know that you won’t waste the company’s resources.
Take this as a great sign! It’s your time to shine.
14) You can talk to people whenever you need it
I’ve worked with people who were there just for the video calls. Other times–they weren’t accessible or collaborative.
They wouldn’t take the time to talk to employees, and they’d never solve any issues with their teams.
Instead, they’d make one-sided choices without discussing the details first to know the situation.
This makes things more difficult for everyone: first of all, you can’t do your job properly. Second, there might be more problems in the future because of a bad decision today.
If you can count on your colleagues or your boss to take the time to speak with you about different issues, you know that they respect you.
A good leader, after all, is the one that listens to people.
15) You can mentor others in the company
Being seen as a mentor is one way to step up the quality of your work.
Mentorship can come with its job title, or it can be part of your daily tasks. It can even be the way your coworkers perceive you!
Either way, being a mentor is a surefire sign that you’re respected by the people you work with.
It comes with its own set of responsibilities, but it’s also very satisfying.
16) You can say “no” if you need to
Being able to say no to things you know will burn you out is a great advantage, and it also speaks about how people see you.
If you can say no without having to please your boss or your team, you’re valued by those around you. They know you wouldn’t say it without reason.
Although sometimes it seems as if people give you more work because they like how you handle things, you have to be able to say no when it becomes too much.
If you’re truly respected, you can have an honest discussion about your workload.
17) You enjoy your own space
Company culture has shifted. Previously, a corner office symbolized success, yet even those without one had their desk.
Remote work and flexible schedules have altered office dynamics, requiring shared spaces. Consequently, individuals lack dedicated work areas, causing stress when choosing a seat.
Companies save money by not assigning desks to all employees, but they can mitigate this by offering personal storage spaces.
If you’re the proud owner of a private little space to work, rest assured, people trust you.
To sum up
If you identify with the signs above, it’s time to celebrate!
You’re officially a valued member of your company, and people look up to you. They trust you, and you know your work is better because of it.
However, even though you could rest on your laurels, so to speak, don’t!
Respect is earned, which means it can also be lost. Keep up the great work, uphold your values, and stay truthful.
This way, their feelings toward you will remain positive through the good and bad times.
You’ve earned your place in the company: it’s time to keep it!
Did you like my article? Like me on Facebook to see more articles like this in your feed.
