Choice Business College Page 1 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0BSBLDR502Lead and manage effectiveworkplace relationshipsLearner GuideChoice Business College Page 2 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0Ensure strategies and processes are in place to communicate informationassociated with the achievement of work responsibilities to all co-workersStrategies and processesYour organisation should have strategies and processes in place to communicate information acrossto co-workers regarding their responsibilities and their achievement of these. This will includeinformation 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 arelinked 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 responsibilitiesProviding a job descriptionIt can be a good idea to create a template of roles and responsibilities for different jobs and sendthis to the appropriate personnel.Example template: Job title:Role:ManagerA manager is the person in charge of a team and oversees tasks.They are responsible for running things on a day-to-day basiswithin their defined authoritiesResponsibilities:1. Communicating with staff both internal and external team members and stakeholders.2. Creating plans for work3. Estimating completion dates and budgets4. Regularly reviewing team performance. Clear role descriptionsIt is vital that you are able to give clear role descriptions to ensure that team members understandwhat it is they are supposed to do and work activities can get underway smoothly. Clearcommunication here can help avoid misunderstandings and disputes between team members.Choice Business College Page 3 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0Role 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 KPI’s(Key Performance Indicators) against the project tasks or requirements.Performance feedbackPerformance feedback has a more formal approach. It involves a regular ongoing assessment of anemployee’s performance by a manager or supervisor. Constructive feedback both positive andnegative is given to the employee to motivate them and improve their work. Some organisationshave a rating system on a scale e.g. 1-10 and a list of responsibilities, traits and goals and then scorethe employee on those.Progress with targets/goalsA progress report allows you to track individuals’ progress and performance. To carry out a progressreport, find the information on your plan that specifies the tasks and find those assigned to eachindividual. Once you have these in front of you, you can ask the individual to report on what theyhave achieved and yet to achieve and compare this to the plan.You should inform the relevant people when responsibilities are not being met for any reason forexample:➢ Illness➢ Lack of skills or resources➢ Motivation➢ Lack of communication➢ Time restraints➢ Conflict➢ Diversion e.g. asked to do something else.Choice Business College Page 4 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0Career development informationYou should inform employees of any opportunities within the organisation for further training andprofessional development as well as any opportunities available within the organisation to progresstheir careers. This is important for encouraging motivation. One procedure to enable you to achieveyour career development strategy could be to offer all positions that open up within theorganisation to internal staff before looking externally.Employee reviewsEmployee or performance reviews are formal reviews of performance that can involve a selfassessment and a manager’s opinion on your performance.Example self-assessmentExperience level:➢ 1 = I have no skills/knowledge in this field➢ 10 = I am an expert in this fieldFrequency of use:➢ 1 = I never use this skill/knowledge➢ 2 = I sometimes use this skill/knowledge➢ 3 = I always use this skill ItemExperience levelFrequency of use Template performance review document: Employeename:Role:Date:Tasks:Ideal performance:Actual performance:Signed: Choice Business College Page 5 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0Choice Business College Page 6 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0Develop and/or implement consultation processes to ensure that employeeshave the opportunity to contribute to issues related to their work roleConsultation processesA consultation process is where employees and decision makers’ talk about work related issues andproblems. Decision makers should listen to employees’ views about issues as they may provide somehelpful insights into how problems can be rectified. Employers or decision makers should provideemployees with a plan of what they wish to discuss and how they intend to come to a decision. Forexample what factors will influence a decision? There may be legislation issues, budgetconsiderations or time restraints that need to be taken into account.A consultation process can be implemented in a number of ways, for example:➢ 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 e.g. employee satisfactionsurveys.You should refer to your organisation’s policies and procedures for consultation with staff whendeciding on a method to use. Some of the above methods are expanded on below.Employee satisfaction surveysEmployee satisfaction surveys allow employees to express their feelings and opinions about aspectsof 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.Choice Business College Page 7 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0Tips for creating an employee satisfaction survey:➢ You will need to create a method for analysing the answers; a scale is good for thise.g. agree, neutral, disagree.➢ Keep the surveys anonymous so that employees do not have any inhibitions aboutwriting negative points or criticism.➢ Employee surveys may also contain a comments box for employees to write theirthoughts and opinions without being restricted to the confinement that thequestionnaire dictates.➢ You may like to send out newsletters together with the satisfaction surveys thatshow the opinions from last year as an example of how problems can be overcomeand how the organisation uses employee input.MeetingsInformal meetings are a great opportunity to discuss issues with staff and just generally keep staffinformed about day-today activities. Try to remember that some staff members may not want tocome to you directly with issues face-to-face and may prefer the anonymity of a questionnairesetup.Formal meetings are highly organised with pre-planned topics for discussion. They are often headedby a senior member of staff or chairperson, planned for a set time and may have an agenda withformal schedule. The purpose of a formal meeting is to discuss the set topics and make decisionsregarding them that are in line with set objectives. This may mean that there will be a limit as to thenumber of people that can attend. All departments should be represented and usually, there will bea spokesperson or manager nominated from each department to represent the views of each workarea.Conducting a meetingWhen conducting a meeting, either formal or informal, one important factor to consider is thestructure. A meeting should have a sensible structure to help team members engage.Here is an example of how you could structure your meeting:➢ Introduction:o Aims and objectiveso Topics of discussion➢ Individual responsibilities and accountabilities➢ Teams and departments involved➢ How roles and teams interrelate➢ Issues/topics open for discussion in detailChoice Business College Page 8 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0➢ Conclusion and summary – this enables you to answer any queries and provide alast motivational boost.Presentation methodsYou may like to use a couple of different methods to help to team members engage and ensure thatyou 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 simplyspeaking as they provide a visual stimulus.➢ Written communication can help to expand on points in the presentation and givestaff 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 you could consider it for communicating with teammembers during the conclusion to a meeting.Performance reviewsPerformance reviews can highlight issues to both employees and employers about individual orteam performance. These will vary depending on the industry but will involve analysis of datagathered about employees’ performance; for example, a sales team that is not reaching targets, ornot performing as well as another team, selling the same products, might need investigating. Thiscan be done through a variety of methods.Measurable performance indicatorsMeasurable performance indicators or KPI’s are values that can help to demonstrate theperformance of an organisation. They are measurable and help to indicate how effectively acompany 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.Choice Business College Page 9 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0Non-profitable performanceYou may need to make adjustments to direct marketing activities to extinguish non-profitableperformance.Non-profitable over-performance may include:➢ Customer service issues related to not following up leadsquickly➢ Excessive processing and fulfilment costs➢ Low gross profit per contact➢ Low profit margin➢ An offer is priced too low.You should implement changes to turn these non-profitable over performances around. For exampleif you have customer service problems, you may need to implement training, alter procedures, hiremore 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? E.g. obtain new software programmes to help with processingthat could be more efficient than human processing.Employee performance reviewIndividual employee performance reviews can also be undertaken as an opportunity to discuss withemployees in a one-to-one setup how they feel they are doing and comparing that to theorganisation’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 e.g. asked to do something else.Reviews and meetings are a good opportunity to clarify the reasons for underperformance or toutilise over-performance and discuss possible solutions that appeal to both the individual and theorganisation. Through consultation, team members feel valued and supported and are more likely totry and improve, offer their opinions to issues and find solutions to them.Choice Business College Page 10 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0Facilitate feedback to employees on outcomes of the consultation processesFacilitate feedbackEmployees should be informed about the outcomes of the consultation process in good time toprepare them for implementation or changes.The outcomes will vary depending on what was discussed during the consultation process.➢ 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 anappropriate manner that explains why that particular decision has been made. There are bound tobe disagreements with the outcomes and you must remember that the organisation cannot pleaseeverybody.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 eachcase. Organisations will differ in their expectations and each case will be different. Clearly if theoutcome only involves one person e.g. for disciplinary action, then you would choose a one-to onemeeting to communicate this.Whichever method is chosen the communication should go into detail and provide evidence wherepossible to support the decision. It should be worded carefully so that staff do not think that theorganisation has not listened or has disregarded what they have to say. One good way todemonstrate this is by creating a full report that can be accessed by staff explaining the reasoning indetail with both quantitative and qualitative data.Choice Business College Page 11 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0Report for remedial actionRemedial action simply means to change or correct something e.g. through the educating or trainingof staff members. You will need to create a report for remedial action, of which you may incorporatemany 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 looksomething like this: Issue levelAreaFindingRemedial actionTime frameCriticalHours workedWorkers areworking too manyhours e.g. twelvehours a daysometimes sevendays a week.Look at howefficiency can beimproved to reduceworking hours.Ensure that workershave at least oneday off each weekand overtime is paidfor workers workingover 45 hours aweek.3 MonthsMajorFreedom ofassociationWorkers have notgot the opportunityto communicatewith managersDevelop regularmeetings e.g. oncea week, drop insessions and/orsuggestion boxes2 MonthsConcernHealth and safetyPoor lighting inoffice areaBetter lighting fittedto prevent strain oneyes1 month Choice Business College Page 12 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0Develop and/or implement processes to ensure that issues raised areresolved promptly or referred to relevant personnelWorkplace issuesThere are many possible workplace issues that you may face as a leader at your organisation. It istherefore important you and your colleagues know exactly how to handle each as it arises. This isthe purpose of policies and procedures. Policies and procedures can inform staff of the sequence ofsteps they need to take to resolve an issue.There may be staff that deal with particular issues e.g. grievance within your organisation. If this isthe case then you should refer to them for advice or pass the issue over entirely to be dealt with bythem. If your organisation is large then you may not know who the appropriate person is.To find out who 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.Organisation chartsAn organisational chart can also be useful to demonstrate the different roles and hierarchy of thestructure. An organisation chart can be as simple or as complex as needed, it may also havephotographs of the individuals under each job title for ease of recognition. Organisation charts canbe sent to team members or hung up in poster form for reference.Choice Business College Page 13 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0Root Cause AnalysisA Root Cause Analysis is a process you can follow in order to identify the root cause of a problem. Ifthe identified problem is indeed the root cause, removing it from the equation would mean that theproblem 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 formatExample root cause analysis:In the above example, you can trace the root cause of the problem to a lack of structure andresponsibility. By designing and implementing a rota system and assigning responsibility to certainindividuals 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 veryuseful for identifying and resolving problems.Sponsor/owner/chairDirectorDept managerDeptManagerLine managerDept managerTeam memberSeniormanagerChoice Business College Page 14 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0Solving the problemYou or your colleagues should look into what you could do to help overcome problems and followthe correct procedure.There are various ways 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 problemfairly. There may also be legislation that dictates how you approach certain issues, for exampledisciplinary action.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 workcommission. Employers have the opportunity to respond to applications of dismissal andcommissioners will decide if a jurisdiction hearing is necessary. Please go tohttps://www.fwc.gov.au/resolving-issues-disputes-and-dismissals/respond-application for moreinformation..Choice Business College Page 15 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0Establish and/or implement policies to ensure that the organisation’s culturaldiversity and ethical values are adhered toWhat is cultural diversity?A cultural diverse organisation represents people from all aspects of society within an organisation.A diverse workforce will have people from a wide range of backgrounds including:➢ People with disabilities➢ Indigenous Australians➢ Oversees workers➢ Mature workers➢ Trainees➢ People from different culturalbackgrounds.Internal and external accountability requirementsIt is important to establish accountability when establishing or implementing policies. Accountabilityis about responsibility and who is responsible for certain actions. Internal accountability isaccountability within the organisation – what the organisation does to ensure they are accountablefor 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 understandwho to contact about specific issues. External accountability helps ensure organisations areregulated 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 to any particularculture. These policies should try and help under-represented people feel comfortable working at,and have a fair chance of representation in an organisation.Policies and procedures may relate to:➢ Legal duties such as:o Promoting equal opportunitieso Promoting good relations between different cultureso Eradicating discrimination➢ Other duties or principles:o Educate staff so that they can respond to situations where culturalknowledge or sensitivity is requiredo Promote cultural activities e.g. celebrationso Provide cultural support services where possible.Choice Business College Page 16 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0Best practice guidelines for recruitingThere should be procedures in place for hiring staff that ensure to encourage applicants fromculturally diverse backgrounds.Best practice guidelines for recruiting cover:➢ Developing selection criteria, for example:o Ensure there are no unjustifiable English language qualifications in criteria➢ Advertising, for example:o Use a wide range of media e.g. ethnic media, community groups, tradejournals etc.➢ Shortlisting, for example:o Be consistent and ensure you record your decision and why it was made.➢ Application forms, for example:o Do not include unrelated or intrusive questions➢ Testing, for example:o Check for bias and indirect discrimination e.g. asking for qualifications thatmay discriminate against mature people or experience from apprentices.➢ Interviewing, for example:o Check and see if interviewees need any specialarrangements for the interview e.g. translator or liftaccess➢ Referee reports, for example:o Create a template for referees to ensure standardisedquestions➢ Making the decision, for example:o Use a ranking system for consistency and fairness➢ Medical examinations, for example:o Any examination should relate specifically to the job and examiners should beprovided 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-selectionPolicies should ensure that they abide by any legislation that is in place to protect people andpromote cultural diversity and ethical behaviour in organisations.Choice Business College Page 17 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0It is a criminal offence to discriminate against people because of their sex, race, disability or ageaccording to the following legislation:➢ Sex Discrimination Act 1984➢ Racial Discrimination Act 1975➢ Disability Discrimination act 1992➢ Age Discrimination Act 2004Code of ethicsDifferent sectors will have different codes of ethics and professional conduct to follow. You shouldensure that you are familiar with these and can access them to refer to when you are unsure of yourposition.Business ethics are the moral principles that govern an organisation to ensure corporateresponsibility, quality assurance and customer satisfaction. When combined, a code of conduct andbusiness ethics defines the morality of an organisation and sets the standard for the behaviour andwork ethic of its members. All members of the organisation will be given equal opportunities andtreated equally and fairly regardless of any differences.A code of conduct and business ethics policy will normally be a writtendocument that can be easily accessed by all members of the organisation. Itshould form part of the induction process for all new employees and be used forexisting employees for refresher training at regular intervals.A code of conduct and business ethics policy must be enforced consistently if itis to have any effect or if it is going to be valued by those it governs. Ifemployees that breach the code in any way are not dealt with accordingly, otheremployees will have no faith in the system and may lead to increased unethicalbehaviour. It is particularly important to ensure unethical behaviour isaddressed and dealt with appropriately and thoroughly.Choice Business College Page 18 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0Gain and maintain the trust and confidence of colleagues and externalcontacts through professional conductGaining trust and confidenceBuilding relationships and establishing rapport is an important part of managing a team. By makingpeople 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 askquestions to demonstrate this➢ Interpret non-verbal and verbal messages and reactaccordingly or mirror their body language➢ Your use of language, verbal or non-verbal – try to beaccommodating and adapt your style➢ Be aware of cultural differences:o Different cultures and communities have different euphemisms and accents,which you should bear in mind when speakingo English can potentially be a second languageo Some words, terms and phrases may be offensive.Professional behaviourA professional code of conduct is a document laid out by an organisation or professional body inwhich expectations for behaviour, responsibilities and actions of its members are clearly stated. Itprovides a professional framework for workers to work around and incorporates values andattitudes upheld by a specific industry.Professional behaviour could include demonstrating the following:➢ Respect, for example:o Respect confidentiality and privacy e.g. of personal detailso Do not harass, discriminate or use offensive languageo Respect and tolerate cultural and individual differences.➢ Integrity, for example:o Acknowledge mistakeso Do not mislead people on purposeo Do not abuse privileges e.g. use telephone for personal callsChoice Business College Page 19 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0➢ Honesty, for example:o Do not plagiarizeo Be truthful in all aspects of communicationo Keep accurate records.➢ Conscientious, for example:o Ensure you fulfil responsibilities to the best of your abilityo Help teach others or offer advice and supporto Make an effort to learn from your experienceo Commit time to learning and professional development➢ Limitation awareness, for example:o Do not attempt tasks that you are not confident witho Ask for help when needed➢ Avoiding conflict of interest, for example:o Disclosing financial interest that could impact on your decisions e.g. if youhave shares in a company,o Disclosing personal relationships that could impact on your decisions e.g. inan interview process➢ Responsibility for others, for example:o Help impaired staff or those who need additional supporto Report serious breaches of conducto Express disagreement or take disciplinary actionagainst less serious cases/breaches➢ Cooperation, for example:o Dress appropriatelyo Answer questions from colleagues in as much depthas needed.Choice Business College Page 20 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0Adjust own interpersonal communication styles to meet the organisation’scultural diversity and ethical environment and guide and support the workteam in their personal adjustment processAdjusting communication stylesInterpersonal skills involve communicating effectively with different people. If you have goodinterpersonal skills you will usually be able to talk with ease to a variety of people with differingbackgrounds and at a wide range of levels. Your communication will be confident, eloquent andadaptable 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 tois 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 voiceModels of communicationThe following table looks at communication bysplitting it into three categories; passive, assertive and aggressive. PassiveAssertiveAggressiveCharacteristicsCompliantRefrains from talkingPuts themselves downPraises othersPoliteClear communicationBalancedRespectfulSarcasticSuperiorInterruptsCriticalBelievesOther people are moreimportantBoth parties are equalThey are moreimportant than othersBody languageRefrain from eye contactStooping or fidgetyTight and clammyFriendly eye contactRelaxed and openMakes appropriate handgesturesStaring with narroweyesStands tall, head up andhands on hipsPoints fingers orclenches fistsConsequencesGive in to other peopleMiserableBuild good relationshipswith others and arehappy to compromiseUpset themselves andother people and feelangry Choice Business College Page 21 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0By being conscious of how you communicate with people, you can alter your communication style tothe preferred assertive type or to suit conditions. It is always a good idea to personalise yourcommunication 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 businessscenarios.The four types are:➢ Controller – they like the facts and are task orientated and want information that isto the point.➢ Promoter – are sociable and enjoy expect a get to know you conversation beforegetting down to business➢ Supporter – like to hear new ideas, are patient, balanced and adjust to change well.➢ Analyser – Like to hear every detail before making a decision, enjoy debating andlike to see charts and graphs with in-depth explanations.The Lewis model of cultural typesDifferent cultures attach varying meaning to language, both verbal and non-verbal. You will need tobe aware of the language styles and meanings behind things like gestures, so as to not bemisinterpreted, or to misinterpret the, communication styles.The Lewis model represents nations on a scale of business types:Multi-activeFamily, history,hierachy, emotions,feeling, multitasksReactiveListens, polite,indirect,diplomacy,conceals feelings,no confrontationLinear-activeFacts, plans,timelines, law,step by step,polite, directChoice Business College Page 22 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0Supporting the work teamYou can help team members to identify their communication styles and the communications stylesof others in the team through a workshop or training day. This could teach team members about thecharacteristics of different communication styles and the models of communication employed byvarious cultures, to open their minds to the various possibilities and situations they could findthemselves in. This will help employees to see past their expectations of certain groups, and seeeveryone as individuals, while also getting them to think about the cultural differences in theworkplace.Support team members by:➢ Conducting a workshop or training day – these could involve practicingcommunicating with each other in role play scenarios➢ Creating a questionnaire that helps team members identify theircommunication style➢ Get team members to think about positive and negativecommunication➢ Brainstorm opportunities for improving communicationprocedures➢ Conduct one-to-one sessions for team members who need todiscuss cultural issues further.Choice Business College Page 23 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0Use networks to build workplace relationships providing identifiableoutcomes for the team and the organisationWhat is networking?Networking is used by organisations to develop contacts within industry. Face to face networkinginvolves gatherings of people or organised meetings, but it is not the only option. Other methodscan be used to network for example, business networking websites, phone or email.By making connections, and building mutually beneficial relationships with people, you can promotenot only your organisation but yourself. Networking is often used as part of a marketing strategy togain 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 networkSome 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➢ Provide mentors for staff members➢ Use role-play to develop confidence in face-to-face networking➢ Give a presentation on the benefits of networking➢ Host a networking event➢ Give team members a factsheet with helpful places to start e.g. websites that theycan join.Tips for networkingIntroductionsIntroductions are important and allow you to make a good first impression of yourself and yourorganisation. You should look people in the eye, smile and introduce yourself politely. Body languageis important and you should try to keep it ‘open’ standing with your feet slightly apart and palmsfacing out.Choice Business College Page 24 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0Your ability to listen is also important and immediately tells the speaker that you are interested inwhat they have to say and makes a good impression. Give feedback to the speaker such as ‘mmm’nodding in agreement or make an interesting comment on what they have said. Try to be positiveand assertive with your comments.Tips for introductions include:➢ Prepare conversation starters, for example:o ‘How did you get into this field/industry?’o ‘What made you want to be a …’o ‘What are the major issues in your area at themoment?’o ‘What ways help to promote your business?’o ‘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 relationshipIt is important to think about how you can help to maintain the relationships you build after theintroduction stage and exchange of business cards. It is no good to simply create a list of contactsthat you do not engage with. You need to try and sustain the relationship if you want to beremembered; 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.Choice Business College Page 25 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0Conduct ongoing planning to ensure that effective internal and externalworkplace relationships are developed and maintainedOngoing planningOngoing planning can ensure that you are meeting your objectives. You should make it procedure tomonitor this plan so that you can be sure you are on track and can make the most of businessopportunities.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.ObjectivesAn objective is an aim or goal to be achieved by implementing the plan. You mayhave 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 shouldnot be ambiguous, but well thought out, so that you can make conclusions and evaluations todetermine the success of the plan. Objectives should lead to outcomes. For example introduceyourself to five new people and get their contact details at this months’ networking event.TargetsTargets can help you achieve objectives. You might for example, have an objective for yourorganisation that can be fulfilled through the individual daily, weekly targets that you set employeesor departments.Priority areasThis will involve assessing staff competencies for developing and maintaining relationships. Usingdata collected from managers e.g. through feedback, questionnaires, performance reviews and selfChoice Business College Page 26 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0assessments, you can discover information about your employees and their success or otherwise atdeveloping and maintaining relationships.For example you may find that staff are struggling to make connections because they have underdeveloped communication skills. You may find that staff have no problem finding contacts andintroducing themselves but cannot seem to maintain the relationship. These types of problems canbe resolved through additional training and support and therefore should be made a priority.How are you measuring effective relationships?This means what criteria you are referring to when you say ‘effective’. An effective relationship maymean one that results in a successful exchange of knowledge, new contacts, partnerships betweenorganisations, job opportunities, or it could mean that relationships that you are able to maintain fora period of time. You should be clear about what you mean by effective relationship.Methods used to develop and maintain relationshipsThere are a variety of methods that you can use to develop and maintain relationships. Some ofthese 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:o Partieso Award ceremonieso Lunches➢ Activity days for example:o Volunteering in the communityo Charity dayso Casual dress days.Choice Business College Page 27 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0External:➢ Networking events➢ Trade shows➢ Functions e.g. charity functions➢ Conferences➢ Business network sites➢ Lunch meetings➢ Email➢ Telephone.Tools to help you planYou will need to keep track of your workforce and their networking opportunities. You will need toplan 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 staffof 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.Choice Business College Page 28 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0Develop and/or implement strategies to ensure that difficulties in workplace relationships areidentified and resolvedAssess for potential difficultiesIt may be a good idea to try to assess whether there will be likely difficulties that could have animpact on work as it progresses. You should hold meetings with groups and individuals to gaugetheir 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 identifypotential difficulties or conflict.Resolving issuesIt is important when trying to resolve issues that you have a variety of options for communicatingavailable to you. Discussing issues is one of the most important steps to take when confrontingissues 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 onein a more senior role than the other giving guidance and advice.➢ Drop-in sessions – involve one or more people who are seeking support, advice, aquick word with a manager (there is usually a set time for drop-in sessions e.g. amanager will set 30 minutes aside every Tuesday to answer questions and discussissues).➢ Brainstorming sessions – is a creative process involving a group of people who cometogether to share their ideas and solutions to problems➢ Suggestion boxes – can provide an opportunity for staff to anonymously confrontproblems or issues.Additional communication training may be needed for team members to help them become bettercommunicators and prevent misunderstandings that lead to workplace conflicts.You could give out fact sheets on communicating with clarity, organise team building exercises andother training.Choice Business College Page 29 of 41RTO 41297 | CRICOS 03444CDec 2017 version: 2.0
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