A good tone at work and a good psychological working environment create a good working climate
A good tone is infectious, but so is a bad one!
Respect for one another is a basic value for Aarhus University. In the psychological workplace assessment (= WPA) from 2016 employees were asked whether they had been exposed to repeated incidents of coarse, offensive or patronising language. Six per cent of the employees, equivalent to 350 employees, answered affirmatively.
Rector Brian Bech Nielsen has several times, for instance in connection with the internal problem analysis, asked for a more sober tone among employees. The rector also stresses that neither bullying, harassment nor coarse language can be allowed to be part of everyday life at a university.
The result of the psychological workplace assessment for 2016 took the rector by surprise, and as a result it has now been decided to focus more on good manners at work. The subject will be discussed in the autumn of 2017 at meetings in FSU, FAMU and the faculty management team, and afterwards department and centre managers will articulate and initiate local discussions.
I should stress that by ”the tone at work” I do not just mean the spoken words, but also body language and manners – for instance silence and physical dissociation.
A bad tone results in a bad atmosphere at work, and this may make it difficult to collaborate and talk constructively with each other and may also lead to conflicts and bullying.
The way in which we speak to and about each other at our place of work is also about trust and respect. A good tone is generally an indication of good collaboration at work and of our respect for each other. It is the duty of every employee to behave and thereby contribute to a good tone at work.
However, we should not be blind to the fact that a bad tone at work may reflect a way of handling stressful situations. When we come under stress or are about to come under stress, some people react by becoming irritable and snapping at others, some become pessimistic and resigned and still others react by becoming curt. If you are pressed for time or if you have a bad day, a hard tone may be the last straw. So even though you have been able to stand the tone so far, it suddenly becomes too much and may lead to a conflict at work. Therefore, pay attention to your colleagues and offer your help.
I suppose that everybody has lost their temper from time to time, but if and when it happens, then act as an adult and offer an apology.
Advice for a good tone at work
It is the duty of every employee to behave and to contribute to a good tone at work
Always speak respectfully about your colleagues
Say ”good morning” and ”goodbye”
Nod to or greet your colleagues or give them a smile when you meet them during the day
Say ”thank you” when somebody helps you
Show an interest in what your colleagues are doing
Acknowledge the effort your colleagues are making
The fact that six per cent of our colleagues have been exposed to repeated incidents of coarse, offensive or patronising language is completely unacceptable. The figure for AGRO is four per cent, and in my opinion this is also far too high. It would be naïve to hope for zero per cent, but let us set the target of making the effort to treat each other as we ourselves wish to be treated, and thus reduce the percentage.
Finally, I would like to stress that the good tone at work does exist both here at Flakkebjerg and at Foulum, but remember that we should not take it for granted.
