If you’ve ever watched a teenager roll their eyes at a parent’s advice, or witnessed a colleague breeze past yet another “mandatory” security training, you might have wondered: “What happened to respect?” More importantly, what’s the cost when it disappears from our workplaces — especially in an age when a single careless click can bring a company to its knees?

From Boardrooms to Break Rooms: The Shift in Attitude

There was a time when respect for authority was a given. You listened to your boss, you followed the rules, and you definitely didn’t question the IT department’s password policy. But somewhere along the way — perhaps fueled by the rise of social media, a culture of individualism, or simply too many “life hack” articles — respect became negotiable.

Today, the workplace is a microcosm of this broader social trend. Hierarchies are flatter, feedback is instant, and anyone with a smartphone can fact-check their manager in real time. While this democratisation has its upsides, it’s also created a new challenge:

How do you keep people engaged, compliant, and secure when “because I said so” no longer works?

Cybersecurity: When Rules Are Just Suggestions

Let’s talk about cybersecurity — the modern organisation’s Achilles heel. In theory, everyone knows the basics: don’t click suspicious links, don’t share your password, don’t use “password” as your password. In practice? Well, the stats are sobering. According to industry reports, human error remains the leading cause of data breaches, and much of that comes down to a simple truth: people aren’t listening.

Why? The reasons are both simple and complex:

• Disengagement: When employees don’t feel connected to their organisation, they’re less likely to care about its rules.
• Distrust: Years of corporate scandals and shifting priorities have left many workers skeptical of leadership’s motives.
• Convenience: Let’s face it — security protocols can be annoying, and people will always seek the path of least resistance.

The result? A workplace where security is seen as someone else’s problem, and where the real threat isn’t just hackers, but the colleague who thinks, “It won’t happen to me.”

The Human Cost: Beyond the Firewall

But the impact of eroded respect goes beyond cybersecurity. It seeps into every aspect of workplace culture:

• Leaders struggle to inspire and guide when their authority is constantly questioned.
• Teams fracture as collaboration gives way to individual agendas.
• Reporting concerns — whether about security or misconduct — becomes risky, and silence prevails.

The irony? In an age obsessed with “authenticity” and “empowerment,” we may have lost sight of the foundational glue that holds organisations together: mutual respect.

Can We Rebuild Respect?

The good news is that respect isn’t gone for good — it’s just being redefined. Today’s employees don’t respond to titles or top-down edicts. They want transparency, inclusion, and a sense of shared purpose. They want to know “why” a rule exists, not just that it does.

So, what can organisations do?

1. Lead by Example: Leadership must model the behaviors they expect. If security matters, it should matter at every level.
2. Make Respect a Two-Way Street: Listen as much as you speak. Value input, even when it challenges the status quo.
3. Educate, Don’t Dictate: Explain the “why” behind policies. Make training relevant, engaging, and ongoing.
4. Foster Psychological Safety: Create an environment where people feel safe to speak up, report issues, and admit mistakes — without fear of retribution.
5. Celebrate Compliance: Recognise and reward those who champion security and respect in everyday actions.

The Case for a Respect Revival

In the end, the erosion of respect isn’t just a social issue — it’s a business risk. As organisations grapple with increasingly sophisticated threats, the human element remains both the weakest link and the greatest asset. By rebuilding respect — not as blind obedience, but as mutual trust and accountability — we can create workplaces that are not only safer, but stronger.

So next time you’re tempted to ignore that security update, or roll your eyes at a new policy, remember: a little respect goes a long way. And in today’s world, it might just be the difference between business as usual and business interrupted.