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you have to first read the learning guide then answer the workbook.  it must be sufficient answers.  N(9) Page | 1 BSBLDR502 Lead and manage effective workplace relationships Learner Workbook Table of Contents Table of Contents 1 Candidate Details 2 Assessment – BSBLDR502: Lead and manage effective workplace relationships 2 Competency Record to be completed by Assessor 3 Observation/Demonstration 4 Activities 5 Activity 1A 5 Activity 1B 6 Activity 1C 7 Activity 1D 8 Activity 2A 9 Activity 2B 10 Activity 2C 12 Activity 3A 15 Activity 3B 16 Activity 4A 17 Activity 4B 18 Activity 4C 19 Activity 4D 20 Skills and Knowledge Activity 21 Major Project 23 Candidate Details Assessment – BSBLDR502: Lead and manage effective workplace relationships Please complete the following activities and hand in to your trainer for marking. This forms part of your assessment for BSBLDR502: Lead and manage effective workplace relationships. Remember to always keep a copy of your assessment before submitting. Name: _____________________________________________________________ Email: _____________________________________________________________ Employer: _____________________________________________________________ Declaration I declare that no part of this assessment has been copied from another person’s work with the exception of where I have listed or referenced documents or work and that no part of this assessment has been written for me by another person. Signed: ____________________________________________________________ Date: ____________________________________________________________ If activities have been completed as part of a small group or in pairs, details of the learners involved should be provided below: This activity workbook has been completed by the following persons and we acknowledge that it was a fair team effort where everyone contributed equally to the work completed. We declare that no part of this assessment has been copied from another person’s work with the exception of where we have listed or referenced documents or work and that no part of this assessment has been written for us by another person. Learner 1: ____________________________________________________________ Signed: ____________________________________________________________ Learner 2: ____________________________________________________________ Signed: ____________________________________________________________ Learner 3: ____________________________________________________________ Signed: ____________________________________________________________ Competency Record to be completed by Assessor Learner Name: __________________________ Date of Submission: __________________________ Date of Assessment: __________________________ The learner has been assessed as competent in the elements and performance criteria and the evidence has been presented as: Satisfactory (S) Non-Satisfactory (NS) Assessor Initials Activities 1A – 4D Skills and Knowledge Questions Major Project Learner is deemed: COMPETENT NOT YET COMPETENT (Please Circle/Highlight) 1. Resubmission Date: ________________________ 2. Resubmission Date: ________________________ 3. Resubmission Date: ________________________ Comments from Trainer / Assessor: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Assessor Signature: ___________________________ Date: _______________________ Observation/Demonstration Throughout this unit, you will be expected to show your competency of the elements through observations or demonstrations. Your instructor will have a list of demonstrations you must complete or tasks to be observed. The observations and demonstrations will be completed, as well as the activities found in this workbook. An explanation of demonstrations and observations: Demonstration is off-the-job A demonstration will require: Performing a skill or task that is asked of you Undertaking a simulation exercise Observation is on-the-job The observation will usually require: Performing a work based skill or task Interaction with colleagues and/or customers Your instructor will inform you of which one of the above they would like you to do. The demonstration/observation will cover one of the unit’s elements. The observation/demonstration will take place either in the workplace or the training environment, depending on the task to be undertaken and whether it is an observation or demonstration. Your instructor will ensure you are provided with the correct equipment and/or materials to complete the task. They will also inform you of how long you have to complete the task. You should be able to demonstrate you can: · Manage ideas and information · Establish systems to develop trust and confidence · Manage the development and maintenance of networks and relationships · Manage difficulties to achieve positive outcomes You should also demonstrate the following skills: · Writing · Interact with others · Navigate the world of work · Get the work done Activities Activity 1A Estimated Time 20 Minutes Objective To provide you with an opportunity to ensure strategies and processes are in place to communicate information associated with the achievement of work responsibilities to all co-workers. Activity Complete the following individually or in a group (as applicable to the specific activity and the assessment environment): Create a job description for one of the positions you are familiar with at your organisation. Why is it important to give clear project role descriptions? Activity 1B Estimated Time 20 Minutes Objective To provide you with an opportunity to develop and/or implement consultation processes to ensure that employees have the opportunity to contribute to the resolution of issues related to their work role. Activity Complete the following individually or in a group (as applicable to the specific activity and the assessment environment): What is a consultation process? What consultation methods can you use to ensure that employees have the opportunity to contribute to the resolution of issues related to their work role? Activity 1C Estimated Time 20 Minutes Objective To provide you with an opportunity to facilitate feedback to employees on outcomes of the consultation processes. Activity Complete the following individually or in a group (as applicable to the specific activity and the assessment environment): What methods can you use to inform employees about the outcomes of the consultation process? How can you decide which communication method to use? How can you put the outcomes across to personnel? Activity 1D Estimated Time 20 Minutes Objective To provide you with an opportunity to develop and/or implement processes to ensure that issues raised are resolved promptly or referred to relevant personnel. Activity Complete the following individually or in a group (as applicable to the specific activity and the assessment environment): When someone raises a workplace issue, how can you know who to refer them to? Demonstrate an example problem with a root cause analysis. Activity 2A Estimated Time 30 Minutes Objective To provide you with an opportunity to establish and/or implement policies to ensure that the organisation’s cultural diversity and ethical values are adhered to. Activity Complete the following individually or in a group (as applicable to the specific activity and the assessment environment): What is cultural diversity? What is the difference between internal and external accountability? Organisations should have policies in place to ensure that they are not biased in any way towards any particular culture. Which policies and procedures are in place at your organisation? Activity 2B Estimated Time 30 Minutes Objective To provide you with an opportunity to gain and maintain the trust and confidence of colleagues and external contacts through professional conduct. Activity Complete the following individually or in a group (as applicable to the specific activity and the assessment environment): What is a professional code of conduct? How can you demonstrate each of the following professional behaviours? Respect Integrity Honesty Conscientious Limitation awareness Avoiding conflict of interest Responsibility for others Cooperation Activity 2C Estimated Time 20 Minutes Objective To provide you with an opportunity to adjust your own interpersonal communication styles to meet the organisation’s cultural diversity and ethical environment and guide and support the work team in their personal adjustment process. Activity Complete the following individually or in a group (as applicable to the specific activity and the assessment environment): Fill in the following table to demonstrate your knowledge of communication styles. Passive Assertive Aggressive Characteristics Believes Body language Consequences How can you support team members to identify their own communication styles and the communication styles of other people around them, including those of different cultures? Activity 3A Estimated Time 20 Minutes Objective To provide you with an opportunity to use networks to build workplace relationships, providing identifiable outcomes for the team and the organisation. Activity Complete the following individually or in a group (as applicable to the specific activity and the assessment environment): What is networking? What are the benefits of networking? What methods can you use to help staff members start networking? Activity 3B Estimated Time 30 Minutes Objective To provide you with an opportunity to conduct ongoing planning to ensure that effective internal and external workplace relationships are developed and maintained. Activity Complete the following individually or in a group (as applicable to the specific activity and the assessment environment): What is an objective and how should it be presented? Give an example What are targets? How can you develop and maintain internal relationships? How can you develop and maintain external relationships? Activity 4A Estimated Time 30 Minutes Objective To provide you with an opportunity to develop and/or implement strategies to ensure that difficulties in workplace relationships are identified and resolved. Activity Complete the following individually or in a group (as applicable to the specific activity and the assessment environment): What type of evidence can you collect to ascertain whether there are any workplace difficulties? Additional communication training may be needed for team members to help them become better communicators and prevent misunderstandings that lead to workplace conflicts. Give a description of each of the following training methods. Team building activities Action learning sets Coaching and mentoring Activity 4B Estimated Time 20 Minutes Objective To provide you with an opportunity to establish processes and systems to ensure that conflict is identified and managed constructively in accordance with the organisation’s policies and procedures. Activity Complete the following individually or in a group (as applicable to the specific activity and the assessment environment): Give a brief description of five different types of conflict. What general principles for managing conflict exist? Activity 4C Estimated Time 20 Minutes Objective To provide you with an opportunity to provide guidance, counselling and support to assist co-workers in resolving their work difficulties. Activity Complete the following individually or in a group (as applicable to the specific activity and the assessment environment): What does counselling involve? What can counselling help with? Which preventative measures could an organisation use to tackle stress, bullying, depression and alcohol or drug abuse? Explain what is meant by confidentiality and how it applies to providing support to team members. Activity 4D Estimated Time 20 Minutes Objective To provide you with an opportunity to provide, develop and implement an action plan to address any identified difficulties. Activity Complete the following individually or in a group (as applicable to the specific activity and the assessment environment): What is an action plan? Think of an objective. Fill in the table to ensure your objective is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based. Goals Objective Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time-based What you want to achieve. What? Why? When? Where? Who? How much? How many? How often? Can you realistically achieve it? Does it relate to what you want to achieve now? By when? Example Skills and Knowledge Activity Estimated Time 60 Minutes Objective To provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of the foundation skills, knowledge evidence and performance evidence. Activity Complete the following individually or in a group (as applicable to the specific activity and the assessment environment) and attach your completed work to your workbook. The answers to the following questions will enable you to demonstrate your knowledge of: · Writing · Interact with others · Navigate the world of work · Get the work done · Systems, policies and procedures that can support the development of effective work relationships focusing on interpersonal styles, communications, consultation, cultural and social sensitivity, networking and conflict resolution · Legislation relevant to managing effective workplace relationships. Answer each question in as much detail as possible, considering your organisational requirements for each one. 1. What possible solutions to workplace issues should you be aware of for the prompt resolution of these issues? 2. How can you establish rapport? 3. Fill in the table for remedial action with your own examples. Issue level Area Finding Remedial action Time frame 4. Give some tips for networking introductions. 5. Give some ideas for maintaining relationships through networking. 6. Name four important leadership skills. 7. How can you help to ensure confidentiality? 8. What is Eisenhower’s urgent vs. important principle? Give an example of how you can use it. Major Project Estimated Time 1-2 hours Objective To provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of the entire unit. Activity Complete the following individually or in a group (as applicable to the specific activity and the assessment environment): This is a major activity – your instructor will let you know whether you will complete it during class or in your own time. Attach your completed answers to the workbook. You must individually, answer the following questions in full to show your competency of each element: 1. Manage ideas and information 2. Establish systems to develop trust and confidence 3. Manage the development and maintenance of networks and relationships 4. Manage difficulties to achieve positive outcomes 1. Choose a member of your team and track their progress over a period of time agreed with your assessor (i.e. one week, one month, one quarter etc.). During this time, you should: · Create a progress report for the employee · Conduct an employee review · Give performance feedback. 2. Conduct (or simulate) a consultation process with 3-5 employees. This consultation process should provide team members with the opportunity to bring forward any issues within the company and to give their input on resolutions. The process may include any of the following: · Meetings · Performance reviews · Employee satisfaction surveys · Root cause analysis. After the consultation process is complete, you must provide feedback to the team members on the outcomes. 3. Draft a recruitment drive which shows evidence of being inclusive towards a diverse workforce. A diverse workforce includes: · People with disabilities · Women · Indigenous Australians · Overseas workers · Mature workers · Trainees · People from different cultural backgrounds. 4. Conduct a team-building activity with a group of 3-6 team members. The purpose of the activity is to provide the assessor with an opportunity to assess your ability to gain and maintain the trust of colleagues, to show leadership skills and to adjust own interpersonal communication styles to guide and support the work team. 5. Guide a group of 3-5 team members through a networking process, completing the following steps: · Give guidance, support, training and advice to team members in advance of the networking event · Simulate a networking event · Follow-up on the outcomes of the networking event. 6. Simulate a resolution process for an intra-project conflict in your team. Consider the following aspects: · Identify the conflict · Manage the conflict · Resolve the conflict · Short and long-term guidance and support. MSA Training and Professional Development Phone: 03 9905 3180 Room 159, 21 Chancellors Walk Website: msatraining.edu.au Monash University Clayton, Vic 3800 BSBLDR502 Lead and manage effective workplace relationships V2 15/07/2020 Page | 14 BSBLDR502 Lead and manage effective workplace relationships Learner Guide Table of Contents Table of Contents 1 Unit of Competency 4 Performance Criteria 5 Foundation Skills 6 Assessment Requirements 7 Housekeeping Items 8 Objectives 8 1. Manage ideas and information 9 1.1 – Ensure strategies and processes are in place to communicate information associated with the achievement of work responsibilities to all co-workers 10 Strategies and processes 10 Communicating responsibilities 10 Performance feedback 11 Progress with targets/goals 11 Career development information 12 Employee reviews 12 Activity 1A 14 1.2 – Develop and/or implement consultation processes to ensure that employees have the opportunity to contribute to the resolution of issues related to their work role 15 Consultation processes 15 Employee satisfaction surveys 15 Meetings 16 Performance reviews 17 Activity 1B 20 1.3 – Facilitate feedback to employees on outcomes of the consultation processes 21 Facilitate feedback 21 Report for remedial action 22 Activity 1C 23 1.4 – Develop and/or implement processes to ensure that issues raised are resolved promptly or referred to relevant personnel 24 Workplace issues 24 Root cause analysis 25 Solving the problem 26 Activity 1D 27 2. Establish systems to develop trust and confidence 28 2.1 – Establish and/or implement policies to ensure that the organisation’s cultural diversity and ethical values are adhered to 29 What is cultural diversity? 29 Internal and external accountability requirements 29 Best practice guidelines for recruiting 30 Code of ethics 31 Activity 2A 32 2.2 – Gain and maintain the trust and confidence of colleagues and external contacts through professional conduct 33 Gaining trust and confidence 33 Professional behaviour 33 Activity 2B 35 2.3 – Adjust own interpersonal communication styles to meet the organisation’s cultural diversity and ethical environment and guide and support the work team in their personal adjustment process 36 Adjusting communication styles 36 Models of communication 36 The Lewis model of cultural types 37 Supporting the work team 38 Activity 2C 39 3. Manage the development and maintenance of networks and relationships 40 3.1 – Use networks to build workplace relationships, providing identifiable outcomes for the team and the organisation 41 What is networking? 41 Helping staff to network 41 Tips for networking 42 Activity 3A 44 3.2 – Conduct ongoing planning to ensure that effective internal and external workplace relationships are developed and maintained 45 Ongoing planning 45 Tools to help you plan 47 Activity 3B 48 4. Manage difficulties to achieve positive outcomes 49 4.1 – Develop and/or implement strategies to ensure that difficulties in workplace relationships are identified and resolved 50 Assess for potential difficulties 50 Resolving issues 50 Ongoing development and training 51 Activity 4A 54 4.2 – Establish processes and systems to ensure that conflict is identified and managed constructively in accordance with the organisation’s policies and procedures 54 Identifying conflict 55 Managing conflict 56 Dispute resolution 56 Bullying in the workplace 56 Activity 4B 57 4.3 – Provide guidance, counselling and support to assist co-workers in resolving their work difficulties 57 Providing guidance 58 Counselling 58 Activity 4C 60 4.4 – Develop and implement an action plan to address any identified difficulties 60 Developing an action plan 61 Milestones 62 Timelines 62 Costing 64 Priorities 64 64 People responsible 65 Activity 4D 66 Skills and Knowledge Activity 67 Major Activity – An opportunity to revise the unit 68 References 68 Unit of Competency Application This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to lead and manage effective workplace relationships. It applies to individuals in leadership or management who have a prominent role in establishing and managing processes and procedures to support workplace relationships, taking into account the organisations values, goals and cultural diversity. At this level work will normally be carried out within complex and diverse methods and procedures, which require the exercise of considerable discretion and judgement, using a range of problem solving and decision making strategies. No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication. Unit Sector Management and Leadership - Leadership Performance Criteria Element Elements describe the essential outcomes. Performance Criteria Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. 1. Manage ideas and information 1.1 Ensure strategies and processes are in place to communicate information associated with the achievement of work responsibilities to all co-workers 1.2 Develop and/or implement consultation processes to ensure that employees have the opportunity to contribute to the resolution of issues related to their work role 1.3 Facilitate feedback to employees on outcomes of the consultation processes 1.4 Develop and/or implement processes to ensure that issues raised are resolved promptly or referred to relevant personnel 2. Establish systems to develop trust and confidence 2.1 Establish and/or implement policies to ensure that the organisation’s cultural diversity and ethical values are adhered to 2.2 Gain and maintain the trust and confidence of colleagues and external contacts through professional conduct 2.3 Adjust own interpersonal communication styles to meet the organisation’s cultural diversity and ethical environment and guide and support the work team in their personal adjustment process 3. Manage the development and maintenance of networks and relationships 3.1 Use networks to build workplace relationships, providing identifiable outcomes for the team and the organisation 3.2 Conduct ongoing planning to ensure that effective internal and external workplace relationships are developed and maintained 4. Manage difficulties to achieve positive outcomes 4.1 Develop and/or implement strategies to ensure that difficulties in workplace relationships are identified and resolved 4.2 Establish processes and systems to ensure that conflict is identified and managed constructively in accordance with the organisation’s policies and procedures 4.3 Provide guidance, counselling and support to assist co-workers in resolving their work difficulties 4.4 Develop and implement an action plan to address any identified difficulties Foundation Skills This section describes language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills incorporated in the performance criteria that are required for competent performance. Skill Performance Criteria Description Writing 1.2, 1.4, 2.1, 4.1, 4.2, 4.4 · Prepares plans and policies, incorporating appropriate vocabulary, grammatical structure and conventions Interact with others 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 4.3 · Adapts personal communication style to model behaviours, build trust and positive working relationships, and to support others · Plays a lead role in situations requiring effective collaboration, demonstrating high level support and facilitation skills and ability to engage and motivate others Navigate the world of work 2.1, 2.3 · Establishes or follows organisational policy regarding diversity and ethical conduct Get the work done 1.1-1.4, 2.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 4.4 · Takes responsibility for formulating, organising and implementing plans, processes and strategies that impact the workplace · Systematically gathers and analyses all relevant information and evaluates options to inform decisions about organisational strategies · Evaluates outcomes to identify opportunities for improvement Assessment Requirements Performance Evidence Evidence of the ability to: · Develop and/or implement processes to manage ideas and information, including: · communicating information to support others to achieve work responsibilities · facilitating employees contributions to consultation on work issues · providing feedback on the outcomes of consultations · resolution of issues raised or referral to relevant personnel · Establish and/or implement policies to ensure that the organisation’s cultural diversity and ethical values are adhered to · Provide leadership through own behaviour, including: · professional conduct that promotes trust with internal and external contacts · adjusting own interpersonal communication style to meet the organisation’s cultural diversity and ethical environment · Plan for, and manage, the use of networks to support identifiable outcomes for the team and the organisation · Develop and/or implement processes and systems to manage difficulties, including: · identifying and resolving conflicts and other difficulties according to organisational policies and procedures · planning how to address difficulties · Providing guidance, counselling and support to assist co-workers in resolving their work difficulties Note: If a specific volume or frequency is not stated, then evidence must be provided at least once. Knowledge Evidence To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, the individual must · Explain how systems, policies and procedures can support the development of effective work relationships, focusing on interpersonal styles, communications, consultation, cultural and social sensitivity, networking and conflict resolution · Outline legislation relevant to managing effective workplace relationships Assessment Conditions Assessment must be conducted in a safe environment where evidence gathered demonstrates consistent performance of typical activities experienced in the management and leadership field of work and include access to: · Relevant legislation, regulations, standards and codes · Relevant workplace documentation and resources · Case studies and, where possible, real situations · Interaction with others Assessors must satisfy NVR/AQTF assessor requirements. LinksCompanion volumes available from the IBSA website: http://www.ibsa.org.au/companion_volumes Housekeeping Items Your trainer will inform you of the following: Where the toilets and fire exits are located, what the emergency procedures are and where the breakout and refreshment areas are. Any rules, for example asking that all mobile phones are set to silent and of any security issues they need to be aware of. What times the breaks will be held and what the smoking policy is. That this is an interactive course and you should ask questions. That to get the most out of this workshop, we must all work together, listen to each other, explore new ideas, and make mistakes. After all, that’s how we learn. Ground rules for participation: Smile Support and encourage other participants When someone is contributing, everyone else is quiet Be patient with others who may not be grasping the ideas Be on time Focus discussion on the topic Speak to the trainer if you have any concerns. Objectives Discover how to manage ideas and information Know how to establish systems to develop trust and confidence Learn how to manage the development and maintenance of networks and relationships Understand how to manage difficulties to achieve positive outcomes Gain skills and knowledge required for this unit. 1. Manage ideas and information 1.1. Ensure strategies and processes are in place to communicate information associated with the achievement of work responsibilities to all co-workers 1.2. Develop and/or implement consultation processes to ensure that employees have the opportunity to contribute to the resolution of issues related to their work role 1.3. Facilitate feedback to employees on outcomes of the consultation processes 1.4. Develop and/or implement processes to ensure that issues raised are resolved promptly or referred to relevant personnel 1.1 – Ensure strategies and processes are in place to communicate information associated with the achievement of work responsibilities to all co-workers Strategies and processes Your organisation should have strategies and processes in place to communicate information across to co-workers regarding their responsibilities and their achievement of these. This will include information about the role and the organisation’s expectations for the employee’s performance. A strategy is an overall aim – what you want to achieve. A process is a series of procedures that are linked to achieve a goal. Processes should cover how you plan to communicate: Roles and responsibilities Feedback on performance Progress with targets/goals Career development information Employee reviews. Communicating responsibilities Providing a job description It can be a good idea to create a template of roles and responsibilities for different jobs and send this to the appropriate personnel. Example template: Job title: Role: Manager A manager is the person in charge of a team and oversees tasks. They are responsible for running things on a day-to-day basis within their defined authorities Responsibilities: 1. Communicating with staff (both internal and external), team members and stakeholders. 2. Creating plans for work 3. Estimating completion dates and budgets 4. Regularly reviewing team performance. Clear role descriptions It is vital that you are able to give clear role descriptions to ensure that team members understand what it is they are supposed to do and that work activities can get underway smoothly. Clear communication here can help avoid misunderstandings and disputes between team members. Role descriptions should include: Authority levels Individual performance-measurement criteria Position descriptions Responsibility matrix Team responsibilities Role definitions Task responsibilities Project skills matrix Training plans. Descriptions of roles and responsibilities are also a means to measure performance by setting KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) against the project tasks or requirements. Performance feedback Performance feedback has a more formal approach. It involves a regular ongoing assessment of an employee’s performance by a manager or supervisor. Constructive feedback – both positive and negative – is given to the employee to motivate them and improve their work. Some organisations have a rating system on a scale (e.g. 1-10) and a list of responsibilities, traits and goals and on which they score the employees. Progress with targets/goals A progress report allows you to track individuals’ progress and performance. To carry out a progress report, find the information on your plan that specifies the tasks and find those assigned to each individual. Once you have these in front of you, you can ask the individual to report on what they have achieved and are yet to achieve and compare this to the plan. You should inform the relevant people when responsibilities are not being met for any reason. Responsibilities may not be met for a number of reasons, including: · Illness · Lack of skills or resources · Motivation · Lack of communication · Time restraints · Conflict · Diversion, such as when asked to do something else mid-task. Career development information You should inform employees of any opportunities within the organisation for further training and professional development, as well as any opportunities available within the organisation to progress their careers. This is important for encouraging motivation. One procedure to enable you to achieve your career development strategy could be to offer all positions that open up within the organisation to internal staff before looking externally. Employee reviews Employee or performance reviews are formal reviews of performance that can involve a self-assessment and a manager’s opinion on your performance. Example self-assessment Experience level: · 1 = I have no skills/knowledge in this field · 10 = I am an expert in this field Frequency of use: · 1 = I never use this skill/knowledge · 2 = I sometimes use this skill/knowledge · 3 = I always use this skill Item Experience level Frequency of use Template performance review document: Employee name: Role: Date: Tasks: Ideal performance: Actual performance: Signed: Activity 1A 1.2 – Develop and/or implement consultation processes to ensure that employees have the opportunity to contribute to the resolution of issues related to their work role Consultation processes A consultation process is where employees and decision makers talk about work-related issues and problems. Decision makers should listen to employees’ views about issues as they may provide some helpful insights into how problems can be rectified. Employers or decision makers should provide employees with a plan of what they wish to discuss and how they intend to come to a decision. What factors will influence a decision, for example? There may be legislation issues, budget considerations or time restraints that need to be taken into account. A consultation process can be implemented in a number of ways, which include: A diary, whiteboard or suggestion box used by staff to report issues of concern Fact sheets to fully inform personnel Formal meetings with agendas, minutes and action plans Informal meetings with notes Involving personnel in decisions Recording issues in a management diary Regular staff meetings Seeking staff suggestions for content of policies Workshops to specifically address issues Staff handbook Performance reviews Surveys or questionnaires that invite staff feedback, such as employee satisfaction surveys. You should refer to your organisation’s policies and procedures for consultation with staff when deciding on a method to use. Some of the above methods are expanded on below. Employee satisfaction surveys Employee satisfaction surveys allow employees to express their feelings and opinions about aspects of the workplace. They may ask opinions on the following issues: Breaks e.g. regularity Opportunities e.g. career development Pay e.g. rises in pay Working conditions and environment e.g. safety. Tips for creating an employee satisfaction survey: You will need to create a method for analysing the answers; a scale is good for this e.g. agree, neutral, disagree Keep the surveys anonymous so that employees do not have any inhibitions about writing negative points or criticism Employee surveys may also contain a comments box for employees to write their thoughts and opinions without being restricted to the confinement that the questionnaire dictates You may like to send out newsletters together with the satisfaction surveys that show the opinions from last year as an example of how problems can be overcome and how the organisation uses employee input. Meetings Informal meetings are a great opportunity to discuss issues with staff and just generally keep staff informed about day-to-day activities. Try to remember that some staff members may not want to come to you directly with issues face-to-face and may prefer the anonymity of a questionnaire setup. Formal meetings are highly organised with pre-planned topics for discussion. They are often headed by a senior member of staff or chairperson, planned for a set time and may have an agenda with a formal schedule. The purpose of a formal meeting is to discuss the set topics and make decisions regarding them that are in line with set objectives. This may mean that there will be a limit as to the number of people that can attend. All departments should be represented and usually there will be a spokesperson or manager nominated from each department to represent the views of each work area. Conducting a meeting When conducting a meeting, either formal or informal, one important factor to consider is the structure. A meeting should have a sensible structure to help team members engage. Here is an example of how you could structure your meeting: · Introduction: Aims and objectives Topics of discussion · Individual responsibilities and accountabilities · Teams and departments involved · How roles and teams interrelate · Open detailed discussion on issues/topics · Conclusion and summary – this enables you to answer any queries and provide a last motivational boost. Presentation methods You may like to use a couple of different methods to help team members engage and ensure that you have covered all the details. Small teams may benefit from an informal presentation method e.g. a group circle Slides provide an on-screen method and can sometimes be better than simply speaking, as they provide a visual stimulus Written communication can help to expand on points in the presentation and give staff something to refer to Audio-visual media is a method that uses sound and images e.g. a video recording. It can be very engaging, so could be considered for communicating with team members during the conclusion to a meeting. Performance reviews Performance reviews can highlight issues to both employees and employers about individual or team performance. These will vary depending on the industry but will involve analysis of data gathered about employees’ performance; for example, a sales team that is not reaching targets, or not performing as well as another team that is selling the same products, might need investigating. This can be done through a variety of methods. Measurable performance indicators Measurable performance indicators, or KPI’s, are values that can help to demonstrate the performance of an organisation. They are measurable and help to indicate how effectively a company is performing in relation to their goals and objectives. A good KPI should be: · Available · Measurable · Relevant · Timely · Useful. Measurable performance indicators may be developed: · From a strategic plan · In consultation with those who will undertake the specific tasks. It is important that you don’t just measure and record the outcomes of activities; they should also be analysed. Analysis of these findings can help to identify areas of improvement and the best path to implement these. Non-profitable performance You may need to make adjustments to direct marketing activities to extinguish non-profitable performance. Non-profitable over-performance may include: · Customer service issues related to not following up leads quickly · Excessive processing and fulfilment costs · Low gross-profit per contact · Low profit margin · An offer that is priced too low. You should implement changes to turn these non-profitable over-performances around. For example, if you have customer service problems, you may need to implement training, alter procedures, hire more customer service staff or obtain better technology. If you have excessive processing and fulfilment costs you should aim to reduce these in some way. Could you upgrade your technology? For example, you might obtain new software programmes to help with processing that could be more efficient than human processing. Employee performance review Individual employee performance reviews can also be undertaken as an opportunity to discuss with employees in a one-to-one setup how they feel they are doing and to compare that to the organisation’s expectations. There are many reasons why responsibilities might not be met. For example: · Illness · Lack of skills or resources · Motivation · Lack of communication · Time restraints. Diversion, such as when asked to do something else mid-task. Reviews and meetings are a good opportunity to clarify the reasons for underperformance or to utilise over-performance and discuss possible solutions that appeal to both the individual and the organisation. Through consultation, team members feel valued and supported and are more likely to try and improve, offer their opinions to issues and find solutions to them. Activity 1B 1.3 – Facilitate feedback to employees on outcomes of the consultation processes Facilitate feedback Employees should be informed about the outcomes of the consultation process in good time to prepare them for implementation or changes. The outcomes will vary depending on what was discussed during the consultation process and may include: No changes Changes to procedures Additional training Disciplinary action Alterations to timeframe/schedule Changes to facilities or other environmental conditions Withdrawal of funding. Whatever the outcomes of the consultation, you will need to communicate it to staff in an appropriate manner that explains why that particular decision has been made. There are bound to be disagreements with the outcomes and you must remember that the organisation cannot please everybody. The communication may take many forms: Report Presentation Newsletter Group meeting/seminar One-to one meeting Email. It is up to you to decide which of the above methods of communication is the most suitable for each case. Organisations will differ in their expectations and each case will be different. Clearly if the outcome only involves one person e.g. for disciplinary action, then you would choose a one-to one meeting to communicate this. Whichever method is chosen, the communication should go into detail and provide evidence, where possible, to support the decision. It should be worded carefully so that staff does not think that the organisation has not listened or has disregarded what they have to say. One good way to demonstrate this is by creating a full report that can be accessed by staff, explaining the reasoning in detail with both quantitative and qualitative data. Report for remedial action Remedial action simply means to change or correct something, such as through the educating or training of staff members. You will need to create a report for remedial action, of which you may incorporate many formats. For example: Status reports Progress measurement reports Forecast reports Spreadsheets Charts and graphs. Your organisation may have a template in place for remedial action reporting, that could look something like this: Issue level Area Finding Remedial action Time frame Critical Hours worked Workers are working too many hours e.g. twelve hours a day, sometimes seven days a week. Look at how efficiency can be improved to reduce working hours. Ensure that workers have at least one day off each week and overtime is paid for workers working over 45 hours a week 3 Months Major Freedom of association Workers have not got the opportunity to communicate with managers Develop regular meetings e.g. once a week, drop in sessions and/or suggestion boxes 2 Months Concern Health and safety Poor lighting in office area Better lighting fitted to prevent strain on eyes 1 month Activity 1C 1.4 – Develop and/or implement processes to ensure that issues raised are resolved promptly or referred to relevant personnel Workplace issues There are many possible workplace issues that you may face as a leader at your organisation. It is therefore important that you and your colleagues know exactly how to handle each as it arises. This is the purpose of policies and procedures. Policies and procedures can inform staff of the sequence of steps they need to take to resolve an issue. There may be staff that deal with particular issues, such as a grievance within your organisation. If this is the case then you should refer to them for advice or to pass the issue over entirely where appropriate. If your organisation is large then you may not know who the appropriate person is. To find out whom you need to contact, you might be able to: Search the database Use the organisational website Look for a contact within policy or procedure documents Use an organisational chart Roles and responsibilities chart or specifications Ask colleagues. Organisational charts An organisational chart can also be useful to demonstrate the different roles and hierarchy of the structure. An organisational chart can be as simple or as complex as needed. It may also have photographs of the individuals under each job title for ease of recognition. Organisational charts can be sent to team members or hung up in poster form for reference. Root cause analysis A root cause analysis is a process you can follow in order to identify the root cause of a problem. If the identified problem is indeed the root cause, removing it from the equation would mean that the problem never occurred. You can identify the root cause of a problem and take action to tackle this, which should mean that the problem can be resolved and avoided again in the future. Root cause analysis can be done in several forms, including: · Ishikawa / fish bone diagrams · Table · Mind maps · Flow charts · No real format. Example root cause analysis: In the above example, you can trace the root cause of the problem to a lack of structure and responsibility. By designing and implementing a rota system and assigning responsibility to certain individuals on certain days, you can hold this person accountable and thus eradicate the problem. A root cause analysis can be applied to many different situations and scenarios and can be very useful for identifying and resolving problems. Solving the problem You or your colleagues should look into what you could do to help overcome problems and follow the correct procedure. There are various possible solutions depending on the situation. For example: Additional training Funding application Disciplinary action Counselling Conflict resolution. All of these will have a process that you will need to follow to ensure that you resolve the problem fairly. There may also be legislation that dictates how you approach certain issues, such as disciplinary action procedures. The Fair Work Act 2009 also has information on bullying and protects workers from unfair dismissal. Employees can lodge an application to stop bullying and for unfair dismissal with the fair work commission. Employers have the opportunity to respond to applications of dismissal and commissioners will decide if a jurisdiction hearing is necessary. Please go to https://www.fwc.gov.au/resolving-issues-disputes-and-dismissals/respond-application (Access date 22.10.15) for more information. . Activity 1D 2. Establish systems to develop trust and confidence 2.1. Establish and/or implement policies to ensure that the organisation’s cultural diversity and ethical values are adhered to 2.2. Gain and maintain the trust and confidence of colleagues and external contacts through professional conduct 2.3. Adjust own interpersonal communication styles to meet the organisation’s cultural diversity and ethical environment and guide and support the work team in their personal adjustment process 2.1 – Establish and/or implement policies to ensure that the organisation’s cultural diversity and ethical values are adhered to What is cultural diversity? A culturally diverse organisation represents people from all aspects of society within an organisation. A diverse workforce will have employees from a wide range of backgrounds, including: People with disabilities Women Indigenous Australians Overseas workers Mature workers Trainees People from different cultural backgrounds. Internal and external accountability requirements It is important to establish accountability when establishing or implementing policies. Accountability is about responsibility and who is responsible for certain actions. Internal accountability is accountability within the organisation – what the organisation does to ensure they are accountable for their actions, e.g. how they develop procedures for improvements such as managing complaints. There should be a clear organisational structure with defined roles so that members understand who to contact about specific issues. External accountability helps ensure organisations are regulated and abide by standards, codes of practice and best practice guidelines. Organisations should have policies in place to ensure they are not biased in any way towards any particular culture. These policies should try and help under-represented people feel comfortable at work and to have a fair chance of representation in an organisation. Policies and procedures may relate to: Legal duties, such as: promoting equal opportunities promoting good relations between different cultures eradicating discrimination Other duties or principles: educating staff so that they can respond to situations where cultural knowledge or sensitivity is required promoting cultural activities, e.g. celebrations provide cultural support services, where possible. Best practice guidelines for recruiting There should be procedures in place for hiring staff that encourage applicants from culturally diverse backgrounds. Best practice guidelines for recruiting cover: Developing selection criteria, for example: ensuring there are no unjustifiable English language qualifications in criteria Advertising, using a wide range of media, such as: ethnic media community groups trade journals Shortlisting, for example: being consistent and ensuring you record your decision and why it was made Application forms, for example: not including unrelated or intrusive questions Testing, for example: checking for bias and indirect discrimination, such as asking for qualifications that may discriminate against mature people or for experience from apprentices Interviewing, for example: checking to see if interviewees need any special arrangements for the interview, e.g. translator or lift access Referee reports, for example: creating a template for referees to ensure standardised questions Making the decision, for example: using a ranking system for consistency and fairness Medical examinations, for example: any examination should relate specifically to the job and examiners should be provided with a copy of the job description. These guidelines can be found on the following website in more detail: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/best-practice-guidelines-recruitment-and-selection (Access date 22.10.15) Policies should ensure that they abide by any legislation that is in place to protect people and promote cultural diversity and ethical behaviour in organisations. It is a criminal offence to discriminate against people because of their sex, race, disability or age according to the following legislation: Sex Discrimination Act 1984 Racial Discrimination Act 1975 Disability Discrimination Act 1992 Age Discrimination Act 2004. Code of ethics Different sectors will have different codes of ethics and professional conduct to follow. You should ensure that you are familiar with these and can access them to refer to when you are unsure of your position. Business ethics are the moral principles that govern an organisation to ensure corporate responsibility, quality assurance and customer satisfaction. When combined, a code of conduct and business ethics define the morality of an organisation and set the standard for the behaviour and work ethic of its members. All members of the organisation will be given equal opportunities and treated equally and fairly regardless of any differences. A code of conduct and business ethics policy will normally be a written document that can be easily accessed by all members of the organisation. It should form part of the induction process for all new employees and be used for existing employees for refresher training at regular intervals. A code of conduct and business ethics policy must be enforced consistently if it is to have any effect or if it is going to be valued by those it governs. If employees that breach the code in any way are not dealt with accordingly, other employees will have no faith in the system and this may lead to increased unethical behaviour. It is particularly important to ensure unethical behaviour is addressed and dealt with appropriately and thoroughly. Activity 2A 2.2 – Gain and maintain the trust and confidence of colleagues and external contacts through professional conduct Gaining trust and confidence Building relationships and establishing rapport is an important part of managing a team. By making people feel valued and building trust you can help to improve performance. To establish rapport: · Try and find something you have in common · Use positive, confident and co-operative language · Be interested in what people are saying and ask questions to demonstrate this · Interpret non-verbal and verbal messages and react accordingly or mirror their body language · Your use of language, verbal or non-verbal – try to be accommodating and adapt your style · Be aware of cultural differences: · different cultures and communities have different euphemisms and accents, which you should bear in mind when speaking · English can potentially be a second language · some words, terms and phrases may be offensive. Professional behaviour A professional code of conduct is a document laid out by an organisation or professional body in which expectations for behaviour, responsibilities and actions of its members are clearly stated. It provides a professional framework for workers to work around and incorporates values and attitudes upheld by a specific industry. Professional behaviour could include demonstrating the following: Respect, for example: respect confidentiality and privacy, e.g. of personal details do not harass, discriminate or use offensive language respect and tolerate cultural and individual differences Integrity, for example: acknowledge mistakes do not mislead people on purpose do not abuse privileges, e.g. use telephone for personal calls Honesty, for example: do not plagiarise be truthful in all aspects of communication keep accurate records Conscientious, for example: ensure you fulfil responsibilities to the best of your ability help teach others or offer advice and support make an effort to learn from your experience commit time to learning and professional development Limitation awareness, for example: do not attempt tasks that you are not confident with ask for help when needed Avoiding conflict of interest, for example: disclosing financial interest that could impact on your decisions, e.g. if you have shares in a company disclosing personal relationships that could impact on your decisions, e.g. in an interview process Responsibility for others, for example: help impaired staff or those who need additional support report serious breaches of conduct express disagreement or take disciplinary action against less serious cases/breaches Cooperation, for example: dress appropriately answer questions from colleagues in as much depth as needed. Activity 2B 2.3 – Adjust own interpersonal communication styles to meet the organisation’s cultural diversity and ethical environment and guide and support the work team in their personal adjustment process Adjusting communication styles Interpersonal skills involve communicating effectively with different people. If you have good interpersonal skills you will usually be able to talk with ease to a variety of people with differing backgrounds and at a wide range of levels. Your communication will be confident, eloquent and adaptable to suit different situations. Each individual is different and you may have to be a chameleon when it comes to communicating. Altering your style to suit the style of communication to mirror that of the person you are talking to is a good way to build a relationship with them. For example, depending on the country there may be differences in meaning associated with: · Pauses · Gestures · Bargaining · Eye contact · Length of response · Pitch and tone of voice. Models of communication The following table looks at communication by splitting it into three categories – passive, assertive and aggressive: Passive Assertive Aggressive Characteristics Compliant Refrains from talking Puts themselves down Praises others Polite Clear communication Balanced Respectful Sarcastic Superior Interrupts Critical Believes Other people are more important Both parties are equal They are more important than others Body language Refrains from eye contact Stooping or fidgety Tight and clammy Friendly eye contact Relaxed and open Makes appropriate hand gestures Staring with narrow eyes Stands tall, head up and hands on hips Points fingers or clenches fists Consequences Gives in to other people Miserable Builds good relationships with others and is happy to compromise Upsets themselves and other people and feels angry By being conscious of how you communicate with people, you can alter your communication style to the preferred assertive type or to suit conditions. It is always a good idea to personalise your communication and try to relate to people either on a personal level or business level. Another model of communication splits communicators into four types that work in business scenarios. The four types are: Controller – they like the facts and are task orientated and want information that is to the point Promoter – they are sociable and expect a get-to-know-you conversation before getting down to business Supporter – likes to hear new ideas, is patient, balanced and adjusts to change well Analyser – likes to hear every detail before making a decision, enjoys debating and likes to see charts and graphs with in-depth explanations. The Lewis model of cultural types Different cultures attach varying meaning to language; both verbal and non-verbal. You will need to be aware of the language styles and meanings behind things like gestures, so as to not be misinterpreted, nor to misinterpret the communication styles. The Lewis model represents nations on a scale of business types: Supporting the work team You can help team members to identify their communication styles and the communications styles of others in the team through a workshop or training day. This could teach team members about the characteristics of different communication styles and the models of communication employed by various cultures, to open their minds to the various possibilities and situations they could find themselves in. This will help employees to see past their expectations of certain groups, and see everyone as individuals, while also getting them to think about the cultural differences in the workplace. Support team members by: Conducting a workshop or training day – these could involve practicing communicating with each other in role play scenarios Creating a questionnaire that helps team members identify their communication style Get team members to think about positive and negative communication Brainstorm opportunities for improving communication procedures Conduct one-to-one sessions for team members who need to discuss cultural issues further. Activity 2C 3. Manage the development and maintenance of networks and relationships 3.1. Use networks to build workplace relationships, providing identifiable outcomes for the team and the organisation 3.2. Conduct ongoing planning to ensure that effective internal and external workplace relationships are developed and maintained 3.1 – Use networks to build workplace relationships, providing identifiable outcomes for the team and the organisation What is networking? Networking is used by organisations to develop contacts within industry. Face-to-face networking involves gatherings of people or organised meetings, but it is not the only option. Other methods can be used to network. For example: Business networking websites Phone Email. By making connections and building mutually beneficial relationships with people, you can promote not only your organisation, but also yourself. Networking is often used as part of a marketing strategy to gain access to an ever increasing pool of clients or knowledge. Networking helps to: Learn more about your industry Provide career opportunities Build business contacts Develop mutually rewarding relationships Gain access to knowledge Make people feel part of a community. Helping staff to network Some members of the team may not be familiar with networking and what can be achieved by it. You should try to encourage and support them in their efforts. Help staff to start networking by: Providing a short course or workshop Providing mentors for staff members Using role-play to develop confidence in face-to-face networking Giving a presentation on the benefits of networking Hosting a networking event Giving team members a factsheet with helpful places to start, such as a list of websites that they can join. Tips for networking Introductions Introductions are important and allow you to make a good first impression of yourself and your organisation. You should look people in the eye, smile and introduce yourself politely. Body language is important and you should try to keep it ‘open’ standing with your feet slightly apart and palms facing out. Your ability to listen is also important and immediately tells the speaker that you are interested in what they have to say and makes a good impression. Give feedback to the speaker, such as ‘mmm’, nodding in agreement or making a comment that shows you are interested in what they have said. Try to be positive and assertive with your comments. Tips for introductions include: Prepare conversation starters, for example: ‘How did you get into this field/industry?’ ‘What made you want to be a …?’ ‘What are the major issues in your area at the moment?’ ‘What ways help to promote your business?’ ‘What are the most useful contacts for you?’ Engage in small talk Try to remember people’s names Ask thought-provoking questions that will encourage light debate Politely interrupt a group by joining their conversation at an appropriate pause · At the end of an introduction give out a business card/ask for a card Follow up with an email, call or note. Maintaining the relationship It is important to think about how you can help to maintain the relationships you build after the introduction stage and exchange of business cards. It is no good to simply create a list of contacts that you do not engage with. You need to try and sustain the relationship if you want to be remembered; this takes time, tact and tenacity. Ideas include: Give praise if they achieve something – send a congratulations Recognise other dates, e.g. birthday, anniversary etc. Invite to lunches or events Remember their names Get up-to-date with trends in your industry and use as a topic of conversation Connect other people Start a newsletter Offer to help at networking events. Activity 3A 3.2 – Conduct ongoing planning to ensure that effective internal and external workplace relationships are developed and maintained Ongoing planning Ongoing planning can ensure that you are meeting your objectives. You should make it procedure to monitor this plan so that you can be sure you are on track and can make the most of business opportunities. The first questions to ask then are: What are your objectives? Do you have any targets you need to consider as part of these objectives? What are your priority areas? How are you measuring effective workplace relationships? The methods used to develop and maintain workplace relationships. Objectives An objective is an aim or goal to be achieved by implementing the plan. You may have more than one objective. Objectives are SMART: · Specific · Measurable · Achievable · Relevant · Timed. Objectives will be written in statement form and describe what the plan is aiming for. They should not be ambiguous, but well thought out, so that you can make conclusions and evaluations to determine the success of the plan. Objectives should lead to outcomes. For example, introduce yourself to five new people and get their contact details at this months’ networking event. Targets Targets can help you achieve objectives. You might, for example, have an objective for your organisation that can be fulfilled through the individual daily or weekly targets that you set employees or departments. Priority areas This will involve assessing staff competencies for developing and maintaining relationships. Using data collected from managers, e.g. through feedback, questionnaires, performance reviews and self-assessments, you can discover information about your employees and their success or otherwise about developing and maintaining relationships. For example, you may find that staff is struggling to make connections because they have under-developed communication skills. You may find that staff have no problem finding contacts and introducing themselves, but cannot seem to maintain the relationship. These types of problems can be resolved through additional training and support and therefore should be made a priority. How are you measuring effective relationships? This depends upon which criteria you are referring to when you say ‘effective’. An effective relationship may mean one that results in a successful exchange of knowledge, new contacts, partnerships between organisations or job opportunities, or it could refer to relationships that you are able to maintain for a period of time. You should be clear about what you mean by an effective relationship. Methods used to develop and maintain relationships There are a variety of methods that you can use to develop and maintain relationships. Some of these will be more appropriate for internal relationships and others for external relationships. Internal: Regular meetings e.g. daily, weekly Team building exercises Conferences Social media/business network sites Announcements Newsletters Staff email Events, for example: parties award ceremonies lunches Activity days, for example: volunteering in the community charity days casual dress days. External: Networking events Trade shows Functions, e.g. charity functions Conferences Business network sites Lunch meetings Email Telephone. Tools to help you plan You will need to keep track of your workforce and their networking opportunities. You will need to plan events, conferences and other one-off days around your regular meetings and get-togethers. You may need the assistance of a wide range of tools to help you manage your time and remind staff of upcoming activities and opportunities. To help you plan, you could use tools such as: Calendars Schedules of events Timeline Diaries (electronic or paper) Spreadsheets Charts. Activity 3B 4. Manage difficulties to achieve positive outcomes 4.1. Develop and/or implement strategies to ensure that difficulties in workplace relationships are identified and resolved 4.2. Establish processes and systems to ensure that conflict is identified and managed constructively in accordance with the organisation’s policies and procedures 4.3. Provide guidance, counselling and support to assist co-workers in resolving their work difficulties 4.4. Develop and implement an action plan to address any identified difficulties 4.1 – Develop and/or implement strategies to ensure that difficulties in workplace relationships are identified and resolved Assess for potential difficulties It may be a good idea to try to assess whether there is likely to be difficulties that could have an impact on work as it progresses. You should hold meetings with groups and individuals to gauge their happiness in their position and the working environment. You should also look at evidence of difficulties, for example through: Management observation Performance documents Complaints forms Disciplinary forms Feedback and references Attendance and quality of work. This, together with feedback from the team member in question, will help to identify potential difficulties or conflict. Resolving issues It is important when trying to resolve issues that you have a variety of options for communicating available to you. Discussing issues is one of the most important steps to take when confronting issues to do with workplace relationships. You can do this by providing opportunities for discussion and feedback through: Meetings – involve a group of people who come together to discuss their progress, solve issues and present information One-to-one sessions – involve two people conversing about elements of work, one of whom is in a more senior role than the other, giving guidance and advice Drop-in sessions – involve one or more people who are seeking support or advice in having a quick word with a manager there is usually a set time for drop-in sessions, such as thirty minutes set aside once a week for answering questions or discussing issues Brainstorming sessions – is a creative process involving a group of people who come together to share their ideas and solutions to problems Suggestion boxes – can provide an opportunity for staff to anonymously confront problems or issues. Additional communication training may be needed for team members to help them become better communicators and prevent misunderstandings that lead to workplace conflicts. You could give out fact sheets on communicating with clarity or organise team building exercises and other training. Ongoing development and training You should identify, plan and implement ongoing development and training of project team members so that you can support personnel and project performance. Identifying areas that personnel need additional help with and having ongoing support in place will help improve project performance. Types of training include: · Action learning sets · Coaching and mentoring · Team building · On-job training · External training · Self-directed learning. You may be able to give the individual(s) concerned a choice of development opportunities so that they can decide which best suits them. Alternatively, it may be necessary for you to choose the best method to suit the time and budget of the organisation. Team building activities Team building and group activities can help to create bonds between team members and remove hostility. They can also help team members develop a skill, such as problem solving abilities, or help them to get to know each other better or to become more motivated and adaptable. Team building activities can be performed internally or externally and can be as simple as small group exercises held in a conference room, or extend to adventurous outdoor pursuits. To be most effective they should be held regularly, e.g. weekly/monthly. Action learning sets An action learning set is a small group of peers who come together with a learning facilitator to discuss work issues. The group will meet a few times a year and get the chance to report on various issues they are dealing with. After reporting back to the team, the other members will get a chance to ask questions to open up the problem or situation and help to analyse it. Each member then gets the chance to discuss what they have learned from the session. The members take what they have learned and apply it to the workplace. Coaching and mentoring Coaching and mentoring can overlap. Coaching involves creating an optimum environment for learners to perform to the best of their abilities. It allows the learner to dissect a situation and discover their own solutions. A coach does not necessarily have to be in a similar role to that of the learner, although they may well be. Mentoring involves regular contact with a person in a similar or higher position. The learner will be able to draw on the experience of the mentor to help them handle issues that arise in the workplace. Tips for verbal communication: · Using active listening techniques, e.g. clarifying by summarising · Controlling your tone of voice and body language, e.g. remaining calm and demonstrating understanding by: · talking slowly · looking interested by maintaining eye-contact and an expression of concern · not folding arms · Interpreting non-verbal and verbal messages, e.g. resistance · Your use of language; verbal or non-verbal – try to be accommodating and adapt your style · Questioning to clarify and confirm understanding · Using language and concepts appropriate to cultural differences: · different cultures and communities have different euphemisms and accents, which you should bear in mind when speaking · English can potentially be a second language · some words, terms and phrases may be offensive · Using positive, confident and co-operative language. Tips for written communication: · Understand the purpose of your communication Know your audience and their level of understanding/expertise · Structure your writing beginning/introduction middle/main body end/summary/sign off · Different formats and their traits letters presentations emails · Choose the correct level of formality. Activity 4A 4.2 – Establish processes and systems to ensure that conflict is identified and managed constructively in accordance with the organisation’s policies and procedures Identifying conflict Working in a team will almost always present conflicts. You should aim to identify these as early as possible to ensure that they do not make too much of an impact on the goals of the team, or team morale. Conflicts occur for a variety of factors, such as: · Clash of personality · Differing opinions · Claims to authority. Inter-project and intra-project resource conflict Inter-group conflict is conflict arising between two or more groups, whereas intra-group conflict is a conflict that arises from between individuals. Types of conflict include: Superiority – can occur when a team member or group thinks that they have superior qualifications, ability or experience Vulnerability – this is where team members are afraid about their future due to resource issues, especially if resource management includes moving projects a lot Task conflicts – can occur when people have different opinions on issues related to the project Personal conflicts – can occur when people’s personalities clash and can result in negative emotional response, e.g. shouting/arguing Knowledge sharing conflicts – can be a result of other types of conflict, such as superiority or personal conflict, or could be a result of poor communication and knowledge transfer between multiple projects. Managing conflict When dealing with conflict in the workplace there are some general principles that you can practice that may be found in your organisation’s dispute-resolution processes. General principles for managing conflict include: · Listening to both parties to understand what has caused the dispute · Treating each party equally and remaining impartial · Getting the parties together to talk about their issues · Presenting each view point and talking through the conflict with each party, acting as a moderator for the conversation · Document discussions and follow formal procedure for disputes (these may include disciplinary action if serious). Dispute resolution Serious conflicts should be resolved according to the dispute resolution processes that are in place at your organisation. Dispute-resolution processes may include: Documented organisational policies and procedures · Industry agreements · Relevant legislation and regulations, such as discrimination legislation procedures. Bullying in the workplace Any discrimination should be treated very seriously, as should workplace bullying. There is no specific legislation relating to bullying in the workplace (it is not unlawful unless people are discriminating against others on grounds of sex, race, disability or age). However, under workplace health and safety legislation, employers have a duty to reduce the likelihood of bullying as it affects an employee’s state of physical or mental health. For more information on bullying, go to: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/workplace-bullying-violence-harassment-and-bullying-fact-sheet (Access date 22.10.15). The Fair Work Act 2009 also has information on bullying and protects workers from unfair dismissal. Employees can lodge an application to stop bullying and for unfair dismissal with the fair work commission. Employers have the opportunity to respond to applications of dismissal and commissioners will decide if a jurisdiction hearing is necessary. Please go to https://www.fwc.gov.au/resolving-issues-disputes-and-dismissals/respond-application (Access date 22.10.15) for more information. Activity 4B 4.3 – Provide guidance, counselling and support to assist co-workers in resolving their work difficulties Providing guidance Providing guidance involves leadership. To lead a team successfully you will need to demonstrate really good leadership skills. Leadership skills include: · Ability to inspire · Expertise · Confidence · Empathy. You should aim to be as approachable as possible, to make time for people, learn their names and engage with team members regularly in order to help them gain trust, which is important when confiding information. There are many reasons why a team member may be having difficulties performing their work role: · Illness · Lack of skills or resources · Motivation · Lack of communication · Time restraints · Conflict · Diversion, such as being asked to do something else mid-task. Counselling Counselling involves one-to-one discussions with a professional to help a person overcome personal problems that are impacting on their work. Counselling is offered by employers to help prevent personal problems from becoming a disciplinary issue. Sometimes, however, people are referred to counsellors as part of disciplinary action. Counsellors can help with: · Stress · Bullying · Depression · Alcohol or drug abuse. Employers should promote healthy living and work practices. These may include access to a gym, healthy eating options in the cafeteria, relaxation classes and ergonomic solutions. Confidentiality Personal information should be protected and only disclosed professionally. The only situation where this private information can be disclosed is when there is a serious threat or risk of injury to the individual or others. The individual may choose to disclose their information, but it has to be their choice. Organisation policy on confidentiality may relate to: · Access to records · Carriage and storage of records · Collection and use of clients personal and health information · Destruction of records · Release of information. Ways to ensure confidential information is kept safe, include: · Keeping it in locked filing cabinets · Keeping it away from unauthorised people · Keeping it in locked rooms · Having it password protected on computers · Refraining from naming clients in public discussion · Discussing things in soundproof rooms. Activity 4C 4.4 – Develop and implement an action plan to address any identified difficulties Developing an action plan Your action plan should state your overall objective and demonstrate how you plan to achieve this objective. An action plan helps you to ensure that you have covered everything so that you have a firm idea of what it is you want to achieve and how you can put it into practice, through step-by-step instructions. Even small objectives can benefit from planning as it is easy to miss something. Action plans save time in the long run as you just have to follow the steps instead of stopping at each stage to think about the next problem. The plan should be: Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time-based. Goals Objective Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time-based What you want to achieve What? Why? When? Where? Who? How much? How many? How often? Can you realistically achieve it? Does it relate to what you want to achieve now? By when? Example Overcome mild depression Finish a course of counselling, to help overcome depression and improve my work Once a week, for an hour Yes, the counselling office is located at work and the session starts after work every Thursday. It is focused on why I am low and how it is impacting on my work and home life. The course finishes in twelve weeks and after this period I will be reassessed. Depending on what you are planning for, your action plan may also include: · Milestones · Timelines · Costing for each tactic · Priorities People responsible. Milestones Milestones are significant points of reference and occur after a certain number of tasks have been completed. Responsibility for milestones You should also think about the responsibilities surrounding different milestones. Questions to consider include: · What should each team or team member be doing at the point of milestone achievement? · Do you know each individual responsible for the tasks leading to a complete milestone? (And if not, can you find out?) · What are the procedures for this? · What does the milestone mean for the end goal? · Who is accountable for the milestone? Timelines You may have timelines for the tasks, a completion date for each milestone, and also the end goal. Timelines are really useful for visualising the information and putting it into context as you can see where you are and what you should have already completed and what the next steps to be completed are. This is much better than a simple list of dates and makes it more difficult to miss things. An example of a simplified version of a timeline can be found below: Costing The costing will depend largely on what it is you are aiming to achieve. It should incorporate all the individual expenses involved in achieving your goal; for example, staff training or the use of counselling or other dispute resolution services. Time should also play a part here, as wages are one major costing to take into account. Other costing matters to consider include: How long will the objective take to achieve? How many people will you need to achieve it? Which additional resources will you need? external consultants materials software What level staff will you need? Priorities When managing time and deciding on priorities, one technique is to divide your priorities into categories relating to their urgency and importance. Eisenhower’s urgent vs. important principle: In order to divide your priorities into categories, such as in the above model, you will need to understand the difference between urgent and important. Urgent are those tasks which if not done immediately will have immediate consequences. Important tasks are those that lead to outcomes that will achieve goals, which may be either personal or professional. From the above matrix you can see that the order of priorities is as follows: 1. Urgent and important tasks (for example, crisis situations or important deadlines) 2. Not urgent but important (for example, relationship building or professional development) 3. Urgent and not important (for example, interruptions to other tasks, such as unimportant emails or telephone calls) 4. Not urgent and not important (for example, junk mail or gossip). People responsible You should plan who you will need to help achieve the goal, how many people you will need and the level of expertise required. You may want to think about what type of responsibility each person involved with the goal has. To do this you can use a RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consult, Inform) chart. This will help you to see the different relationships that individuals have with the project tasks. Example RACI: RACI Chart Team member Activity Tom Chloe Vicky Emily Hilary Create plan I I I R A Research external resources C C R A I Submit change request C R R A I Review R I I C A Key: Responsible = R Accountable = A Consult = C Inform = I Your action plan should now be ready for implementation. You will need to consult it regularly to monitor your progress and achievement. Activity 4D Skills and Knowledge Activity Nearly there... Major Activity – An opportunity to revise the unit At the end of your Learner Workbook, you will find an activity titled ‘Major Activity’. This is an opportunity to revise the entire unit and allows your trainer to check your knowledge and understanding of what you have covered. It should take between 1-2 hours to complete and your trainer will let you know whether they wish for you to complete it in your own time or during the sessions. Once this is completed, you will have finished this unit and be ready to move onto the next – well done! References These suggested references are for further reading and do not necessarily represent the contents of this Learner Guide. The Fair Work Act 2009: https://www.fwc.gov.au/resolving-issues-disputes-and-dismissals/respond-application Best practice guidelines for recruiting: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/best-practice-guidelines-recruitment-and-selection Workplace bullying: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/information-employers-fact-sheet-workplace-bullying. All references accessed on and correct, as of 06/04/2015, unless other otherwise stated. Director Senior manager Dept. manager Line manager Dept. manager Dept. manager Sponsor/owner/chair Team member Problem The staff kitchen is very messy all the time How? Dirty mugs piling up, no clean mugs available Why? No one is responsible for cleaning. Dirty plates piling up, no clean plates available Food debris and spills on surfaces Bin overflowing Solution? Take responsibility for the cleaning by designing and implementing a cleaning rota. Multi-active Family, history, hierachy, emotions, feeling, multitasks Reactive Listens, polite, indirect, diplomacy, conceals feelings, no confrontation Linear-active Facts, plans, timelines, law, step-by-step, polite, direct Milestone 1 (15/01/2015) Task 1 (01/01/2015 Task 2 (15/01/2015) Milestone 2 (20/02/2015) Task 1 (10/02/2015) Task 2 (20/02/2015) Milestone 3 (20/04/2015) Task 1 (29/03/2015)) Task 2 (20/04/2015) Urgent and important Not urgent but important Urgent and not important Not urgent and not important MSA Training and Professional Development Phone: 03 9905 3180 Room 159, 21 Chancellors Walk Website: msatraining.edu.au Monash University Clayton, Vic 3800 BSBLDR502 V3 24.01.19