What are workplace boundaries?
What are boundaries?
We explore what boundaries truly mean, and how to maintain them effectively in the workplace.
The term "boundaries" has become increasingly popular, particularly among coaches and wellness influencers. It's a word that's often thrown around in conversations about self-care, personal growth, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. However, the concept of boundaries has sometimes been misdefined and even abused by some. So what are boundaries in the workplace and what can you do to maintain them?
Defining Boundaries
At its core, boundaries are a measure of what you will accept in your own life and the actions they themselves will take to stay within those limits. They are the rules we set for ourselves, defining the kind of treatment, behaviours, and situations we are willing to accept in our lives. Boundaries are not a means to control other people's behavior; rather, they are a way to assert control over our own lives.
Consider this: you have a colleague who consistently asks you to attend meetings that fall outside your contracted work hours, disrupting your personal time and work-life balance. In this case, setting a healthy boundary might involve expressing your preference not to engage in meetings outside your contracted working hours. This boundary communicates your needs and desires without infringing on the choices or actions of others.
On the other hand, a boundary that veers into the realm of control might look like this: you demand a colleague to work late to ensure your projects are completed before the weekend, saying that it aligns with your boundaries around not letting projects slip into the following week. In reality, this is not a personal boundary but an attempt to impose your will on someone else.
Boundaries in the workplace
Here are some common types of workplace boundaries:
Time Boundaries: These are around your working hours and the extent to which you're willing to commit time to your job. For example, you may set a boundary not to respond to work emails or calls during your personal time.
Physical Boundaries: This encompasses personal space and comfort at work. Setting physical boundaries could mean designating a space for focused work and communicating your need for privacy. It can also define what makes you feel physically safe in work environments including social situations such as work drinks.
Emotional Boundaries: These revolve around your feelings and emotions. You may decide not to engage in office gossip or establish a boundary to avoid taking on colleagues' personal issues.
Communication Boundaries: This type relates to how you engage in conversations at work. You can set a boundary to avoid discussions that make you uncomfortable or set guidelines for respectful and constructive feedback and communication.
Project Boundaries: These boundaries concern the extent to which you're willing to take on extra work or make sacrifices for the sake of a project. You might decide not to work overtime regularly or clarify your role in a team project.
Digital Boundaries: In today's tech-driven workplaces, setting digital boundaries is vital. It could involve managing your screen time, or specifying when you'll be available for virtual meetings and messages.
Maintaining workplace boundaries
Here are some tips to help you manage your boundaries at work:
Self-Awareness: Understand your own needs and limits, and define what your own boundaries are. What are your priorities, and what are you willing to accept?
Communicate Clearly: When necessary, communicate your boundaries to colleagues. Clearly express your needs and expectations so that people understand and respect your boundaries.
Consistency: Ensure that you adhere to the limits you've set for yourself, which will also encourage others to respect them.
Learn to Say No: It's perfectly okay to decline tasks or commitments that breach your boundaries. Politely and assertively decline requests that compromise your well-being.
Seek Support: If you're struggling to maintain your boundaries, seek support from a manager, trusted colleague or HR. They can help enforce boundaries and resolve conflicts that arise from them.
Read more on the Lowdown on maintaining boundaries - and what to do when they are crossed
Is quiet quitting really just maintaining boundaries? Read more here.
We also give you some tips on how to push back at work when you need to protect your boundaries.
If you feel that there has been a serious violation of your boundaries, for example, sexual harassment or bullying, read a barrister’s advice on how to make a complaint at work.
