Building positive workplace relationships

This page includes guidance and support on how to build positive relationships in the workplace, with a short self-study module to help you cement learnings. 

Defining a good workplace relationship

There are many important characteristics that make up good, healthy working relationships. These include:

The paragraphs below detail how you can incorporate each characteristic in your working life. We’ll also look at how mindfulness can support your professional relationships, and what to do when things go wrong. And finally, you’ll also find a short self-study module looking at practical ways to build positive workplace relationships.

Jump straight to the self-study module

Mutual respect

According to Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS), dignity and respect top employees’ workplace wish-list. Few people thrive in a bullying, aggressive work atmosphere where they are rarely praised and regularly criticised. Respect for colleagues is an essential part of a good relationship. Whilst we always feel more comfortable in the presence of like-minded people, the realities of the workplace mean that we will often come into contact with people from a far more diverse range of backgrounds than we would in our private life.

The simplest, most effective way of showing respect is to encourage the input and suggestions of colleagues. All members of a pharmacy team are important and all of their views are equally valid. It is important to listen to the views of others and to be prepared to examine viewpoints that may differ from your own. Life would be very dull if we were all the same, therefore learn to accept and celebrate differences and try to maintain a professional and courteous manner at all times.

Here are some suggestions for demonstrating respect:

  • treat others in a respectful and empathetic way
  • treat all people equally no matter their race, religion, gender, age or sexual orientation
  • never insult people
  • be aware of your body language, tone and demeanour
  • do not constantly criticise colleagues over the little things, or belittle, demean or patronise
  • remember that a series of seemingly trivial actions, added up over time, can constitute bullying.

Open communication

The flow of information between people is a very important part of the workplace. Open communication allows people to express ideas freely without fear of criticism. Do not be afraid of constructive criticism, listen and learn from it to become a better pharmacist and work colleague. Developing good communication skills is particularly advantageous as it also helps pharmacists to deal more effectively with patients.

It is important to bear in mind that communication is about more than just exchanging information. It is also about understanding the emotion and intentions behind the information. Good communication skills help people to connect with others effectively, build trust and respect, and feel heard and understood.

Empathy

Empathy is, at its simplest, an awareness of the feelings and emotions of others. Empathy should not be confused with sympathy, which is the ability to feel ‘for’ somebody, rather it is the state of mind that allows people to feel ‘with’ another person. The ability to empathise is for some people intuitive, however others may need to work on their ability to empathise.

This is a vital skill that all pharmacists should try to develop, not just when dealing with members of their pharmacy team, but also with patients. Compassion, selflessness and being non-judgemental are key factors to developing empathy.

For further information on empathy, see the Skills You Need (an organisation which provide resources for improving professional and personal life) website.

Trust

All good relationships are built on trust. Trust is built up by keeping up with work commitments, doing all work to the highest standard and resisting the temptation to gossip. People who can demonstrate that they can get the job done will gain trust from both patients and colleagues.

Interpersonal skills

Interpersonal skills in the workplace are generally related to an employee’s ability to get along with others while getting the job done. Interpersonal skills include everything from communication and listening skills to attitude and deportment. Time spent developing these skills will serve pharmacists well throughout their working life. These include:-

  • verbal and non-verbal communication
  • listening skills
  • negotiation
  • problem-solving and decision-making
  • assertiveness.

Verbal and non-verbal communication

Communication is more than just an exchange of information. Clarity of speech, remaining calm and focused, being polite and following some basic rules of etiquette will all aid the process of communication. However, it is not just what you say, but also how you say it. People will also take into account factors such as eye contact, body posture and body movement. Be prepared to adjust your verbal and non-verbal communication to fit the situation, for example, pharmacists may adopt a different style when talking to a patient as opposed to a work colleague.

Listening skills 

Another important aspect of effective communication is listening skills. Poor listening skills mean that messages can be misunderstood or misinterpreted and this can prove frustrating. Our ability to listen effectively depends on the degree to which we perceive and understand both verbal and non-verbal messages. A good listener will not only listen to what is being said, but also note what is left unsaid or only partially said.

Negotiation

Effective negotiation helps to resolve situations where what one person wants may conflict with what another colleague wants. Ideally, it is best to find a solution that is acceptable to all parties. Identifying common goals and being willing to compromise will normally result in an effective solution.

Problem-solving and decision-making

No job comes without problems. Ignoring problems in the hope that they might go away is not a solution. The best way to deal with problems is to view them as challenges and then consider how best to overcome them. Where challenges have a number of possible solutions, good decision making skills are required. Where possible, listen to the opinion of others before making a decision and reflect on the impact any decision will have on others, for example, patients and work colleagues.

Assertiveness 

Not everybody is naturally assertive, and often people are not confident enough to assert themselves in the workplace. Being assertive means expressing yourself effectively and standing up for your (or another’s) point of view, without being aggressive or inconsiderate to others. As a responsible pharmacist it is important to become accustomed to taking the lead and have the confidence to instruct team members about good working practices. Pharmacist Support offers training on Building Assertiveness on our Wellbeing Learning Platform. The platform is free for pharmacists, trainees and students to use and hosts a range of wellbeing training videos.

Find our more about the platform and take the Building Assertiveness course

The Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE) also offers a guide on assertiveness. Working through this programme should help pharmacists to see personal benefits such as increased confidence, self-esteem and self-motivation. For further information, see the CPPE website.

Building rapport with every member of the team

We don’t have to be best friends with everyone in the workplace. However, having good rapport with all our colleagues can hugely impact our happiness at work and the dynamic between the team. The guidance on this page can help you to build such rapport and support a positive workplace culture.


Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a technique that can help people to build good relationships. Mindfulness is a practice that allows us to pay attention to, and see clearly what is happening in our lives. People who practice mindfulness are aware of their feelings and the impact they have on themselves and others.

Mindfulness can help to reduce stress and anxiety and conflict and increase resilience and emotional intelligence, while improving communication in the workplace. It can be helpful to consider the following questions to assess your own mindfulness in the workplace. Are you:

  • unable to remember what others have said during conversations
  • dwelling on past events and dreading what the future holds
  • unable to recollect your daily commute
  • eating at your desk/work-space without tasting your food?

If the answer to some or all of the above is yes, it is likely that you are spending at least some of your time at work on automatic pilot. For further information about mindfulness and how to incorporate it into your life, see our Mindfulness page.


What to do when things go wrong 

Naturally, there are times when professional relationships do not develop in an appropriate manner. It is important to recognise and remedy these situations as soon as possible before the behaviour towards you becomes entrenched.

If things escalate to bullying or harassment, it’s time to take immediate action. You’ll find support and guidance on how to deal with unwanted behaviour on our Bullying and Harassment page.

Go to the Bullying and Harassment page

 


Building Positive Workplace Relationships self-study module 

Work through the short module to explore the different elements of building positive workplace relationships, and practical ways to implement them in the pharmacy.

Cover Slide
Building positive workplace relationships
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Before you begin.
Before you begin, remember to:

• Be honest and open with yourself
• Treat yourself with kindness and respect
• Be present
• Enjoy!

Reflect on a positive relationship
Take a moment to think of a positive relationship in your life. Can you think of the reasons why this relationship works so well?
Positive relationships are different to each of us.
Positive relationships are different to each of us.

What do the below five factors that create a healthy working relationship mean to you?

• Mutual respect
• Open communication
• Empathy
• Trust
• Building rapport with every member of the team.

Mutual Respect.
Mutual Respect.

A simple and effective way of showing respect to someone else is to encourage their input and suggestions. While we may feel more comfortable in the presence of like-minded people, we often meet people from diverse backgrounds and it’s important to listen to views that may differ from your own.

Mutual Respect task.
Can you recall a time you noticed someone demonstrating respect at work? Take a moment to try and remember what they did.
Demonstrating respect.
Demonstrating respect.

• Treat others with empathy
• Treat all people equally
• Never use insults
• Be aware of your body language
• Don’t criticize over the little things.

Open Communication.
Open Communication.

Strong communication skills mean we can connect with others effectively, build trust and respect, and feel understood. Open communication means we encourage others to express ideas freely without fear of constructive criticism because we know how to listen and learn from it.

Open Communication Task.
Think of a recent conversation you have had at work. Do you remember what the other person said as much as what you did?
Empathy.
Empathy.

Empathy is an awareness of the feelings and emotions of others. It should not be confused with sympathy; which is the ability to ‘feel’ for somebody, rather it is the state of mind that allows people to feel ‘with’ another person. Compassion, selflessness and being non-judgemental are key factors to developing empathy.

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Trust.
Trust.

All good relationships are built on trust. Trust is built up by keeping up with work commitments, doing all work to the highest standard and resisting the temptation to gossip. People who can demonstrate that they can get the job done will gain trust from both patients and colleagues.

Interpersonal skills.
Interpersonal skills.

Interpersonal skills at work relate to our ability to get along with others while getting the job done.

• Verbal and non-verbal communication
• Listening skills
• Negotiation
• Problem-solving and decision-making
• Assertiveness.

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Final task.
Mindfulness can help to reduce stress, anxiety and conflict.

It can be helpful to consider the following questions when deciding whether you are mindful.

• Do you ever dwell on past events and catch yourself dreading what the future holds?
• Are you able to recollect your morning routine or daily commute?
• How often do you eat at your work-space without tasting your food?

Brought to you by Pharmacist Support
Brought to you by
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End Slide with Button
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Further support on building positive workplace relationships

Further support on building positive workplace relationships

Staying connected with others

Take a look at the science behind maintaining and cultivating social connections, and tips on how to do so.

Further support on building positive workplace relationships

Supporting colleagues through challenging times

On this page, we look at some common challenges your colleagues may face, and ways you can support them through these difficulties.

Further support on building positive workplace relationships

Hear from a fellow pharmacist about supporting LGBTQ+ colleagues

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