Boundaries In The Workplace
I was recently interviewed by the lovely Katie Charlton from Maximise Health Coaching about boundaries in the workplace.
The interview brought up so many issues that myself and others have faced (and still face) in the workplace – particularly in the corporate world.
With 3+ decades of Corporate experience, I am acutely aware of the issues faced on a daily basis, and how detremintal they are to our mental and physical health.
Boundaries in general are a form of self love and self respect.
They are also some of the hardest things to inplement when you’ve never done it before.
By setting boundaries in your personal life, you are declaring your wishes regarding:
Who you spend time with What you do for others How much extra that you take on in your daily life How others speak to you The respect you deserve What you are willing to contribute in pretty much any area of your lifeBoundaries in your workplace or business world are exactly the same as above, but also include things such as:
How much work you can realistically achieve How you are treated by your colleagues That you are equal to all others The hours that you are available to work Your designated lunch break is taken You are not bullied in the workplace Management and colleagues treat you with respectVery often this is not organically achieved. We almost always need to speak up for ourselves which can be really tricky in a toxic environment and culture.
It is important to know that
You deserve to be treated fairly and with respect Your boundaries are to be respected It’s OK to say no It’s also OK to say yes if you want to Bullying is never OK Sometimes people need to be told no. They may not like it, but it’s the right thing to doWhilst sometimes it can be a bit strained and awkward the first time you stand by your boundaries, it is worth it.
We live is a ‘yes’ society where nobody want to say no for fear of so many things.
In my corporate life I’ve experienced hundreds (if not thousands) of instances of inequality and boundaries being crossed. Whilst it was difficult the first couple of times, the overall outcome has been amazing.
People still try and push past my boundaries and get me to bend. I still say no 
If we don’t respect ourselves, nobody else will.
It’s really important to take the time and work out a list of non-negotiable boundaries for both personal and work.
Then take your opportunaties as they arise to implement them. Some will be easier than others, but I promise it’s worth the effort.
Photo credits: Bantersnaps & Brooke Cagle on Unsplash
