The Importance of Boundaries at Work
Image by Couleur from Pixabay
Boundaries - you’ve probably heard the term, but do you really understand what they mean? Boundaries signify a limit in a relationship and help people identify what others are comfortable with. A boundary can be as simple as Sal the Accounts Lady who doesn’t like to hug people at work. She has a good relationship with her co-workers and considers some of them friends, but she just doesn’t think hugging at work is appropriate and finds it draws a lot of attention.
A simple boundary, right? Easy to follow. This boundary makes Sal’s work experience less stressful and she is grateful to her co-workers that follow it. However, there are many other boundaries Sal could set that would not be considered professional and would be crossed time and time again by her manager, Karen. Today we’re going to delve into the benefits of setting work boundaries, some boundaries to be normalized, and how to set them.
Why are boundaries important?
Well, every person has different values and experiences which affect what they feel comfortable with physically and emotionally and what they need to thrive. Let’s go over some of the benefits of setting boundaries at work:
Create trust - When someone sets a boundary and it is followed, it creates a sense of trust. Sal knows that she can trust her co-workers because they were respectful enough to not cross her boundaries - even her friend who is a very huggy person. This makes her feel closer to them and she tries to respect their boundaries the best she can in return. Trust creates connection and having a group of people Sal trusts at work makes her work experience better: she’s happier and more productive with her friends close by.
Prevent burnout - Although Sal’s boundary may not be the best example, some boundaries help your team to prevent burnout. These are typically boundaries that separate work time and relaxation time very clearly. By crossing these boundaries, employees may find themselves constantly stressed and never really able to rest, resulting in burnout and higher turnover.
Set expectations - Boundaries can help prevent overworking and toxic expectations that we find in some workplaces today. Expectations for work hours, after-hours availability, communication or leave all help to set expectations so that when Karen expects you to answer emails whilst out of office, you can tell her you clearly stated when you started working that you would not be doing that.
5 Boundaries to Normalize at Work
Some of these might come as a shock to you, but here are some boundaries that should be normalized at work:
“I will not be doing any work during my lunch break.” Lunch breaks are important to recharge, eat and relax. There should be no expectation for you to work through or during your lunch break - even during busy days.
“I will not be staying in the office past 6 pm unless overtime pay is provided.” Do not let your workplace overwork you without paying you. Easier said than done, we know. If you find management does not respect this boundary… run.
“During weekends and when I am on leave, I will not be answering calls or emails.” Straightforward and reasonable, right? Karen doesn’t think so. Karen expects everyone to answer emails and calls within 24h even if the world is ending. Don’t be like Karen - enjoy your weekends.
“I feel that my current workload is keeping me busy so I will not be taking on new projects for the next few weeks.” Normalize saying no to projects you don’t have the mental or physical capacity for.
“This task is not within the parameters of my job description and therefore I will not be responsible for it.” Ever start a job and they give you way more work than what was included in the job description? Yeah, they shouldn’t be doing that. Chances are you won’t be fairly compensated for your extra work nor will you get much praise or recognition. It also prevents you from doing 2 people's jobs and getting paid for 1: an all too common occurrence.
How to set boundaries at work
Establish who needs to know this boundary. It’s better to establish boundaries before they are crossed at the moment and to ensure that anyone who might cross it knows in advance.
Use written & recorded communication. It might be nice to sit face to face and discuss boundaries, but without a written record someone could easily go back on their word. Email is the best way to create written records for future reference.
Ensure you are clear. If you create vague boundaries, you can leave your co-workers confused or create room for loopholes. Think about the boundary you are creating and ensure it is clear and has all information necessary.
Be sure you’re not violating any contracts or agreements. Things like work hours and overtime expectations are often stipulated in contracts and can make boundary-setting difficult. Read your contract and know what you are allowed - if your contract gives you no wiggle room for boundary setting you should probably consider different employment.
Be ready for violations and nip them in the bud. People are bound to violate boundaries, whether it’s on purpose or by mistake. Be ready to gently remind them of the boundary you set and stick by it.
So now that you’ve told Karen you won’t be answering work emails on your vacation, you’re sipping Pina Coladas on the beach with not a care in the world. Finally, some real relaxation time thanks to some well-set boundaries. Karen of course went to HR, who told her your request is perfectly reasonable. Yeah, she’s mad. Oh well.
