Age and designation are not the only factors that determine how much respect an employee receives at work. According to a content creator, the way professionals communicate, respond to questions and handle responsibilities can significantly influence how colleagues perceive them.
(Also read: ‘My brother earns less but gets more respect’: Delhi woman shares WFH struggles)
In an Instagram video, a man identified as Maarij shared three practical habits that he believes can help young employees appear more confident and earn respect at the workplace.
Respect comes from how you carry yourself
Maarij recalled beginning his professional journey at the age of 20 or 21, when almost everyone around him was considerably older.
“Here’s how to get people to respect you at work, even if you’re the youngest person in the room. And the reason I can say this is because, when I was an employee at 20 or 21, every single person at work was at least five to 10 years older than me, and I got three back-to-back promotions within 15 months,” he said.
He added, “The reason you get respected at work is not because of how senior you are or what your position is; it’s about how you hold yourself.”
{{/usCountry}}He added, “The reason you get respected at work is not because of how senior you are or what your position is; it’s about how you hold yourself.”
{{/usCountry}}His first suggestion was to avoid answering a manager’s question immediately. Instead, employees should pause briefly, process the question and then respond.
“That two-second delay shows that you’re responsive, not reactive, and that you’re in control and confident. Being reactive makes you look weak,” he explained.
Repeat tasks to avoid confusion
Maarij’s second tip focused on how young professionals should respond when they are assigned work. Instead of immediately agreeing by saying “Absolutely”, “Yes” or “Sure”, he advised employees to repeat the task and deadline to confirm their understanding.
He gave an example: “Okay, so you want me to finish the report and send it to the finance team by Thursday, right?”
According to him, repeating the instructions makes an employee sound attentive and shows that they have properly understood the assignment.
His final recommendation was to communicate with managers after completing a task rather than disappearing and immediately moving on to other work.
“So, instead of vanishing as soon as the job is done, tell your boss or manager what you learned from the process,” he said, adding that this could increase an employee’s visibility and demonstrate their value.
The text displayed over the video read, “How to be respected at work.”
Watch the clip here:
Internet reacts
The clip attracted several reactions from social media users. “This is very true,” one person wrote. Another commented, “These tips are actually useful.” A third added, “Great advice for young professionals,” while another viewer agreed, saying, “Yes, I agree with you.”
HT.com has reached out to the user for his comments, and the copy will be updated once his response is received.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)