Dignity Matters

byrcharinhp99

3.6K followers

2 years ago

What is Dignity and Why is it Important in Business?

Dignity is the sense of self-worth and self-respect that comes from positive self-esteem. It refers to the way people perceive their own value and importance. When people have dignity, they treat themselves and others with honor, respect, and care.

Maintaining dignity in business is essential for creating an ethical, inclusive, and productive workplace. Leaders who cultivate a dignified work environment promote human rights, diversity, and employee well-being. This establishes a culture based on mutual trust and respect between employers and employees. Businesses that uphold dignity can attract top talent, boost employee satisfaction, prevent discrimination lawsuits, and gain a competitive edge.

The 4 Types of Dignity

There are four main categories of dignity that are relevant in the workplace:

Merit-Based Dignity

Merit-based dignity comes from a person's achievements, hard work, talents, and contributions. When employees are recognized for their capabilities and performance, it affirms their dignity. Leaders can promote merit-based dignity by:

• Providing opportunities for career development and growth
• Establishing fair compensation and incentive programs
• Acknowledging accomplishments publicly
• Empowering employees to utilize their full potential

Moral Dignity

Moral dignity stems from a person's ethical principles, values, and integrity. Workers who act according to their morals maintain their dignity. Companies uphold moral dignity by:

• Operating transparently and holding leaders accountable
• Establishing and enforcing ethical standards
• Encouraging employees to voice concerns about misconduct
• Making principled decisions even when difficult

Identity-Based Dignity

Identity-based dignity comes from social groups people identify with such as gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability status, etc. Prejudice and discrimination rob people of identity dignity. Leaders can nurture identity dignity through:

• Eliminating bias, prejudice, and unfair treatment
• Fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in hiring and promotions
• Accommodating cultural and religious practices
• Creating safe spaces for open dialogue

Universal Human Dignity

Universal human dignity stems from the inherent worth all people possess. Dehumanizing or degrading treatment violates this dignity. Companies preserve universal dignity by:

• Providing safe, comfortable working conditions
• Allowing autonomy and work-life balance
• Offering living wages and healthcare benefits
• Prohibiting abuse, harassment, and bullying
• Valuing labor and contributions of all employees

How Do People Show Dignity in the Workplace?

There are many ways employees and employers can demonstrate dignity at work:

• Treating coworkers with respect*- Using kind words, listening, being considerate of needs and feelings, not gossiping or demeaning others.
• Maintaining professionalism - Arriving on time, dressing appropriately, using proper language, controlling emotions and outbursts.
• Honoring commitments - Meeting deadlines, delivering high-quality work, keeping promises and appointments.
• Exhibiting self-control- Avoiding inappropriate remarks/behavior, managing stress well, resolving conflicts maturely.
• Carrying yourself with confidence - Sitting/standing tall, making eye contact, speaking clearly and firmly but not arrogantly.
• Being reliable and responsible - Completing duties without constant oversight, owning mistakes, communicating needs and issues.
• Showing care for others - Recognizing coworkers' humanity, acting with compassion, looking out for wellbeing of team.
• Contributing meaningfully - Using one's abilities fully, providing helpful ideas/solutions, assisting others' efforts.
• Having principled convictions*- Sticking to moral beliefs, whistleblowing unethical conduct, refusing to exploit others.

The Golden Rule of Human Dignity

The golden rule provides excellent guidance for preserving dignity in business. The golden rule states that you should treat others the way you would want to be treated yourself. Applied in the workplace, this means:

• Leaders should treat employees the way they would want to be treated if their roles were reversed. This discourages abuse of power.
• Coworkers should treat each other the way they would want to be treated if they were in the other's shoes. This promotes empathy and care.
• Policies should be established that the creators would find reasonable if applied to themselves. This ensures fairness.
• Before taking action, employees should consider how they would feel if that action were taken toward them. This prevents unethical behavior.

The golden rule reminds people of their shared humanity and equality. Following it leads to decisions that uphold everyone's dignity.

What Does Dignity Look Like in a Person?

Dignity manifests in people through their:

• Body language - Posture, gait, eye contact, facial expressions that convey calm confidence.
• Communication style - Respectful, clear, and confident tone and word choice. Lack of inappropriate language.
• Treatment of others - Kindness, active listening, understanding, and standing up for those treated unfairly.
• Appearance - Neat, clean, and tidy presentation that is socially acceptable.
• Reliability - Consistency, punctuality, honesty, and responsibility in their actions and words.
• Response to adversity - Handling criticism, setbacks, and hardships with resilience, courage, and grace.
• Pursuit of noble goals - Living purposefully and standing up for their beliefs and values.
• Self-respect - Making choices that align with morals and values. Not compromising one's worth for money or status.

People with dignity carry themselves in a way that commands respect. Their conduct reflects self-confidence, integrity, and conscientiousness.

What Does It Feel Like to Lose Your Dignity?

Having one's dignity violated can inflict deep psychological wounds leading to feelings of:

• Shame - Intense embarrassment and loss of self-respect
• Powerlessness - Helplessness from degradation or inability to stop mistreatment
• Worthlessness - Feeling devalued and insignificant
• Invisibility - Sense of being ignored, overlooked, silenced
• Insecurity- Self-doubt, lack of confidence, and anxiety
• Anger - Outrage over being wronged and disrespected
• Hopelessness - Pessimism about improving circumstances
• Fear - Apprehension about further humiliation or trauma
• Alienation - Isolation and disconnection from others

These emotions can linger even after the undignified treatment ends. Restoring dignity requires security, understanding, and regaining a sense of control and self-worth.

The Importance of Dignity in Relationships

Dignity is the essential foundation for all human relationships. When dignity is present, relationships thrive. When it is absent, relationships deteriorate.

In the workplace, dignity enables mutual understanding and humanization between employers and employees. Leaders who respect their workers' dignity make them feel valued, empowered, and motivated. Employees who appreciate their company's dignity are more loyal, satisfied, and productive.

Dignity allows coworkers to build bonds of trust, empathy, and care for one another. Colleagues who honor each other's dignity cooperate, collaborate, and resolve conflicts peacefully. Dignity facilitates teamwork, mentoring, and deep professional friendships.

Romantic relationships also depend on dignity. Partners who cherish each other's dignity remain committed through challenges. They make each other feel loved, supported, and respected. Dignity promotes honesty, forgiveness, and emotional intimacy in couples.

Parent-child relationships that uphold dignity feature mutual love and respect. Children's dignity is affirmed when their needs are met and their boundaries respected. Parents' dignity is honored through care and support from children.

In conclusion, dignity is priceless in all human affairs. Though intangible, it is the bedrock that relationships are built upon. Business leaders must safeguard dignity to create an honorable workplace culture where people can thrive together.

Why is dignity important in your online or offline businesses?

TheRachele