Professional Workplace Culture

For Employees

Presented by:
ESI Employee Services Inc.
 Why is Creating a

Professional Workplace Cultur

Important?
A Professional Workplace Culture Includes:

 Healthy Work Relationships

 Increased Productivity
 A Sense of Safety and Well-being
How is it helpful?
 Reduces stress
 Promotes better teamwork
 Enhances job satisfaction
Professional vs. Unprofessional
• People enjoy working together
• Changes can be made with full
cooperation
• Employees and managers are
willing to help wherever needed
• Customers report high marks for
service
• Problems and issues are discussed
openly
• When something doesn’t work,
the focus is on identifying issues
not blaming
• People form cliques and gossip
• Employees resist change or
undermine it
• Employees and managers stick
to “it’s not my job” attitude
• Customers complain about service
• Problems aren’t discussed even
though everyone knows about
them
• When something doesn’t work,
the focus is on blaming people or
each other
 Respect
In a respectful, caring, and responsible work
environment:
• Employees feel valued
• Communication is polite and courteous
• People treat each other as they want to be treated
• Conflict is addressed in a positive and respectful manner
• Harassment and disrespectful behavior are not tolerated
You may NOT like someone or choose them
as a friend, but it is your responsibility to
figure out how to have a courteous and
professional work relationship.

EVERYONE deserves to be treated respectfully at work.

 What are the Barriers to a
Professional Work Environment?
• Job-related stressors
• Issues with co-workers and/or supervisors
• Difficulty managing responsibilities or tasks
• Personal issues or problems
• Past experiences
• Health issues
Strategies for a Positive Work Environment
• Try to understand the other person’s point of view
• Accept values and opinions that are different from
your own (or agree to disagree)
• Identify your own feelings before you share your
concerns with another person
• Do not blame, threaten, or name call even if you
are angry or hurt
• Report harassment, discrimination, or abuse
“No matter what your line of work, your degree
of success depends on your ability to interact
effectively with other people.”
From “The 5 Essential People Skills” by Dale Carnegie
Methods of Communication

Sometimes it is not WHAT

you say, but HOW you say it.
Verbal Communication

It involves words,
tone, and pace.
 Non-Verbal Communication
• Body language (arms crossed, sitting, relaxed, tense,
etc…)

• Emotion of the sender and receiver (anxious, angry,

upset, stressed, etc…)

• Similarities or differences between the people (friends,

adversaries, age, profession, etc…)
Communication – The Process

• In any communication at least some of the

“meaning” is lost
• The message that is heard is often far different
than the one intended, due to a variety of factors.
Some Barriers of Effective Communication
• Misreading body language, tone, and other
non-verbal forms of communication
• Selective hearing or distractions
• Defensiveness
• Assumptions
• Judgments (e.g., stereotyping)
• Cultural differences
• Stress
Barriers to Active Listening
• Mind Reading
• Interrupting
• Filtering
• Rehearsing
 Effective Communication
• Maintain a positive and concerned attitude

• Be aware of your audience

• Use approachable language

- Say: “Lets see what we can do,” instead of automatically
saying, “No”
 Effective Communication
• Be direct and specific
• Utilize assertive communication skills
- Assumes that I have the right to express myself and be
heard and so do you, even if we do not agree
- Talk about actions not character
- Take responsibility for your own thoughts and feelings
- Use direct statements to express thoughts, feelings, and
ideas
Words that Promote Conflict
• “You must…”
• “This is so typical of you…”
• “You always / you never”
• “The problem is…”
• “If you don’t do this, then…”
• “You’ll never change”
• “You’re being hysterical”
• “What is the matter with you?”
The Iceberg of Conflict
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 Additional Strategies
• Respect each other’s boundaries
• Acknowledge and solve problems
- Acknowledge the other person’s needs
- Listen patiently and repeat back what you think you heard
- Use empathy
- Ask questions that will provide you with information
- Give each other the benefit of the doubt
- Offer a choice of solutions
 Additional Strategies
Try to get along with difficult people
• Remember, difficult people often come into a situation
with their own set of problems we may be unaware of
• Focus on the facts not on their emotions
• Try not to take it personally and focus on the whole person
• Listen patiently and let the person express him/herself
• Acknowledge the other person’s feelings or pain
• Show that you really heard and understand by clarifying
their words
 Additional Strategies
• Balance family and work life

• Create a supportive network of co-workers

and friends
 Conclusion
A professional work culture is enhanced if
employees continually use effective strategies to
actively listen to one another and work together
to resolve differences in a healthy way.
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