Maintain appropriate behavior

[Badshah Mamun]

Maintain appropriate behavior

Maintaining appropriate  behavior in the workplace is important for employees in all fields of work. Expectations regarding  behaviorcan be written as part of job descriptions and workplace standards, however a lot of  behavior appropriate to the workplace is ?unwritten? or just known as per standard social situations.

People with a cognitive impairment such as autism spectrum disorder or a psychiatric condition like anti-social personality disorder, are more likely to behave inappropriately at work and may find it difficult to control their  behavior , as a direct result of the disability or disorder. This can make it difficult for them to integrate into the workforce and often leads to exclusion or social isolation. Team work and customer liaison at work may also be compromised.

Specific work related inappropriate  behavior can include;

    being aggressive when communicating with co-workers
    self-c entered  behavior such as not considering other co-workers
    inappropriate touching in the workplace
    criticism of co-workers
    showing disrespect towards supervisors or managers
    refusing to participate in work activities
    being rude or abrupt to customers.

Workplace solutions and adjustments

Some people may not be aware of their inappropriate behaviour at work and the impact it has on relationships and interactions with others. Awareness can be increased and positive behavioural changes made, with the provision of relevant strategies and support. However, it is important to recognise and respect that people have the right not to change their behaviour, even when they are made aware of the difficulties it causes in the workplace.

There are a number of strategies and support services available to assist in promoting interaction according to social rules within the workplace.

On-the-job Strategies

    develop and or promote awareness of a code of conduct for employees within an organisation (a code of conduct is a set of rules outlining the responsibilities, proper practices and appropriate behaviour expected of employees ? one of its aims is to support the rights of all employees within an organisation by encouraging respect, fairness, co-operation, common courtesy and professionalism in the workplace)
    role play or demonstrate desired or more appropriate behaviours such as greeting co-workers in a friendly manner in the morning, then allow the worker the opportunity to practice for themselves, providing feedback as appropriate and potentially appointing a mentor or ?buddy? for ongoing support
    praise a positive change in behaviour which can be as easy as a simple 'well done', showing gratitude for a change in behaviour or offering rewards for positive behaviour changes, in order to maintain motivation levels
    foster a healthy lifestyle for workers such as being conscious of stress levels in the workplace, encourage physical fitness and if lunches or vending machines are provided, make healthy food and drinks available. This can aid in controlling emotions such as anger and frustration at work.

Source: http://jobaccess.gov.au/ADVICE/JOBREQUIREMENT/Pages/Maintain_appropriate_beha.aspx