SITXCOM005 Assessment Tasks and Instructions Marking Guide

Instructions to assessor
The following sample responses are based on the resources provided and the principles of conflict and conflict
resolution featured in these.
Responses may vary based on students’ experience and/or work in industry and should be evaluated accordingly
using professional industry expertise and standards. The resources provide a general guideline.

Assessment Guidelines

What will be assessed

The purpose of this assessment is to assess your underpinning knowledge to complete the tasks outlined in the
elements and performance criteria for this unit of competency and relating to the following aspects:

 commonly occurring conflict situations in the tourism, travel, hospitality and event industries and their typical causes
 conflict theory:
o signs
o stages
o levels
o factors involved
o results
 conflict-resolution techniques:
o assertiveness
o negotiation
o use of appropriate communication
 resources to assist in managing conflict:
o counsellors
o internal security staff
o mediators
o other staff members
o police
o senior staff
 communication techniques:
o active listening
o empathising with the person's situation while upholding organisational policy
o non-verbal communication and recognition of non-verbal signs
o language style
o questioning techniques
o those appropriate to different social and cultural groups
 organisational policies and procedures for complaint, conflict and dispute resolution.
Place/Location where assessment will be conducted

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Instructions for assessment including WHS requirements
The assessment for this unit of competency consists of two parts, Part A and Part B.
Part A consists of 4 different scenarios, each followed by a series of questions.
Part B consists of questions to assess your underpinning knowledge relating to workplace policies and protocols
which form the basis to deal with and manage conflict.
You are required to address all questions to achieve competence. Your trainer will provide you with instructions
for time frames and dates to complete this assessment.
Once completed, carefully read the responses you have provided and check for completeness. Your trainer will
provide you with feedback and the result you have achieved.

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Assessment 1

Part A Scenarios

Your task:
Read the following scenarios and answer the corresponding questions for each.

Scenario 1:
You are working as part of the wait staff at a local restaurant. A customer you are serving has called you over to
her table and has complained that she has found a hair in her meal. However, she has finished her meal and
there is no hair to be seen. She is visibly unhappy and demanding a refund. This is not the policy of your
restaurant.

1. Name 3 conflict resolution techniques and explain how you will use these to resolve this conflict:

Responses
1. Assertiveness
2. Negotiation
3. Use of appropriate communication

Responses may include remaining calm and respectful, and speaking openly with the customer in a
conversational tone. Do not become defensive or emotional when explaining the situation to your customer. If a
customer is agitated or loud, try to move the conversation to a quiet area in the establishment.

Your response will involve attempting to find a positive outcome. Focus on finding a mutual solution that will
comply with the restaurant’s policies and works for your customer. Negotiate within your boundaries e.g.
organisational policies, and consider the validity of the issue, in particular in an instance as described in the
scenario where there is no evidence and all food consumed. This may be a meal voucher, discount or other
resolution.

2. What are the dangers of leaving this conflict unresolved?

Responses
 The customer may become increasingly agitated.
 The customer may make a scene in front of other customers dining at the restaurant. This could damage
the restaurant’s standing within the community.
 The customer will not return to your restaurant.
 The restaurant’s reputation could suffer. The customer is likely to tell others about the negative
experience she had and the poor service.

Scenario 1 Feedback/comments S NYS

Question 1

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Question 2

Scenario 2

You are working at a hotel that is popular with international tourists. A foreign tourist approaches you with a
complaint about his room, but you are struggling to understand his concerns due to his accent and language
barrier. You begin to understand that the customer has an issue with the cleanliness of his bathroom. He is
becoming agitated, aggressive, raising his voice and speaking quickly. He has crossed his arms and looks stiff and
tense, as well as frowning at you. How will you manage this customer’s complaint? Answer the following
questions based on this scenario.

1. What are the signs in this situation that conflict is occurring?

Responses
Student responses may include the customer’s agitated verbal communication and negative body language. The
customer has a raised or harsh voice and is speaking in an angered tone. His voice is quickening in pace and he is
frowning. He has closed body language, with crossed arms and tense posture, showing his disagreement and
negativity.

2. How could you overcome this communication barrier?

Responses
Employ active listening; Remain positive and respectful whilst speaking to the customer. Concentrate on what
the speaker is saying, and give them enough time to express their complaint. Do not raise your voice or become
defensive. For your communication to be effective, you need to manage your own emotions and remain calm,
polite and professional. Do not retaliate, and take a deep breath.

Ask the customer questions to clarify their complaint, such as “I’m sorry there is an issue with your room. We
value you as a customer and would like to resolve this straight away. What was the problem in particular?” This
will help clarify the details of the customer’s complaint. Show the customer that you empathise with their
concerns.

Use positive body language when communicating with this customer. Keep eye contact with the customer and
make sure they know that you are listening to them. Although you may have trouble understanding what they
are saying, body language can help make sure that your customer feels valued and assured that their concerns
are important.

If another employee at the hotel speaks the same language as your customer, you can also ask him/her for
assistance with the customer.

3. What actions can you take to resolve this complaint?

Responses
Once you identify the customer’s concerns, apologise if appropriate for the situation and offer a suitable
solution. For example, you can offer the customer a new room if it is available, or a meal voucher for the hotel’s

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restaurant while housekeeping checks the bathroom. Follow your organisation’s policies in regards to complaint
resolution.

Ensure that the solution you propose is followed through. Follow up on the complaint and inform the customer
of the results so that they know it was appropriately managed. You may speak to housekeeping and investigate
the cause of the issue, and discuss how to prevent this from happening again in the future. If there was a reason
for the bathroom not being adequately cleaned, it is important to find out why to ensure that this does not
become a recurring complaint. The outcome of these conversations will be communicated to the customer to
ensure they know that their complaint was heard and that they are valued as a customer. A follow-up phone call
to the customer explaining what has since been done to rectify this problem would be suitable.

4. What actions can you take to prevent this situation from happening again in the future?

Responses
Analyse the situation to see whether processes can be changed to prevent this situation from occurring again. A
new SOP may be able to be implemented to prevent this situation from occurring again. When a room is cleaned
it must be checked by the supervisor, and then confirmed with reception that it is ready for use.

5. What actions could management take to assist employees to improve their communication with
international customers?

Responses
As the hotel has a large international customer base, it may be necessary to provide staff with further language
training. If the hotel has a significant number of visitors from a particular language background, it may be helpful
to educate employees further or search for additional employees who are bilingual in the future.

Scenario 2 Feedback/comments S NYS

Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
Question 4
Question 5

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Scenario 3

Some hostility has been occurring among your work team as Sarah and James always receive the weekend off,
and the rest of the team is required to work both Saturdays and Sundays. The other employees are beginning to
resent Sarah and James for always receiving the weekend off work. The team rarely works with Sarah and James
due to this rostering, and when they do, there is conflict. The other employees hold fixed opinions about Sarah
and James and as a result, the working environment has become tense and there has been a lot of gossip. The
conflict has not been resolved, and is therefore increasing in severity. As a result, arguments have occurred
between Sarah and other employees. There has been a notable decrease in productivity.

1. Conflict theory can be divided into the following parts:

1) Signs
2) Stages
3) Levels
4) Factors involved
5) Results

Using the scenario, apply the situations to the relevant parts of conflict theory listed above. Which
aspects need to be addressed by you as the manager?

Responses
1. Signs - Gossip and arguments are signs that indicate conflict is occuring between your team members.
2. Stages - The conflict has reached the tension stage of severity, because team members’ working
relationships with Sarah and James are weighed down by their negative attitudes.
3. Levels – As the manager, you need to address the conflict as soon as it reaches the level where there are
incidents and productivity is affected. If you witness a team argument or notice a decrease in
productivity, it is necessary to intervene and help the employees to reach a resolution.
4. Factors involved – Rostering and effective communication have had significant impacts on this conflict.
5. Results – If this conflict is allowed to continue, it may result in crisis. Possible outcomes may be an
increase in arguments, negative impacts on the business and potentially an employee becoming
frustrated and leaving their job.

2. As the manager of this team, describe why you believe this conflict is occurring between Sarah and James
and the other team members.

Responses
The conflict is occurring as the team members have different expectations and opinions relating to what makes a
“fair roster”. Team members want to occasionally have the weekend off, and find it unjust that the same
employees benefit from the roster every week.

There is increased conflict as the rest of the team members rarely work with Sarah and James, and have had
minimal experience working well together. This prevents them from building a strong working relationship.
Therefore, when they are rostered on together, they feel as though they are working inefficiently.

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3. During the initial stages of this conflict, team members were uncomfortable about the rostering situation
but did not argue about the issue. Describe the stage of conflict that this situation has reached. What will
happen if it is ignored further?

Responses
Student responses may identify that this situation has reached the tension stage as working relationships have
been affected for the worse by team members’ fixed opinions regarding rostering. If it is ignored, it may reach
crisis point, as everyone’s behaviour will be further affected.

4. How can you use communication techniques to effectively manage the conflict within your team and work
well with the other members?

Responses
 Sarah and James’ rosters may be affected by law and awards, which clearly regulate requirements for
rostering. These rostering requirements may need to be discussed with the rest of your team.
 You can use empathy to try to see or feel things from another person’s point of view. Value and respect
each person’s perspective. There might be a reason for Sarah and James not working weekends, such as
award requirements, budgets or personal reasons.
 Reserve your judgement on the matter until it is resolved. Don’t participate in any gossip and remain
professional.
 Talk to senior management about your concerns in a calm and professional manner. Explain how the
conflict is affecting the team’s working relationship in addition to your personal concerns.

5. How can management work with you to determine and implement a possible solution to this conflict?

Responses
Management can attempt to come up with a win-win solution that suits Sarah, James and the other staff
members. This will involve brainstorming, asking what if questions, chunking down and chunking up.
Management can consult all parties involved in order to mediate the situation and come up with the best
possible rostering solution. Organisational policies, procedures and constraints need to be taken into account.
This might include employee skill levels and budgets from the organisation’s perspective.

Management may hold a meeting with all parties involved and encourage each person to present their views
without interruption. Asking each person what they need for the situation to improve will ensure that everyone
is aware of each other’s perspectives. Management can help drive the team to a solution and implement a new
roster that all employees are happy with.

6. What results will be achieved if this conflict is managed effectively?

Responses
Responses may suggest that a win/win resolution will be achieved if the conflict is managed effectively. The
team morale is likely boosted as individuals recognise that management considers all views and acts accordingly.
Employees, including Sarah and James, will likely be content with the outcome.

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Scenario 3 Feedback/comments S NYS
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
Question 4
Question 5
Question 6

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Scenario 4

A customer at your bar appears to have become drunk and disorderly. He is knocking over drinks, talking loudly
and has begun arguing with a new staff member working next to you at the bar when she refuses to serve the
customer. You notice that his behaviour is becoming increasingly threatening to customers and your fellow staff
member, who is becoming frightened of the situation.

1. How might this situation escalate if you do not respond appropriately?

Responses
The conflict could escalate to the customer becoming increasingly aggressive and potentially violent. His
reasoning is affected by alcohol. He may provoke fights with other patrons, and cause injury to himself and/or
others. Your other customers may be at risk if you do not take action.

2. What actions will you take and what resources can you use to effectively address this situation and prevent
escalation?

Responses
o Consider the degree of danger that may be caused by the patron. Consider the safety of colleagues and
customers who may become affected, Follow the organisational procedures for dealing with dangerous
and threatening situations. Request that the patron leave the establishment.
o Consider the resources that are in place for managing conflict, such as your manager and the venue’s
security. Involve the manager and call security to remove the person from the establishment if he
refuses to leave. If the customer becomes violent, phone the police immediately.

3. Which documentation do you need to complete in this instance? List 3 instances which must be recorded
associated with conflict situations in a workplace and explain the reasons why this needs to occur.

Responses
You might need to document the conflict and resolution process, particularly if it becomes violent and the police
are involved. Documentation may be necessary for legal compliance or as part of the bar’s organisational policy.
For example, if a customer causes multiple incidents at the establishment, it is helpful to keep documentation to
prevent future recurrences.
Documentation is required where conflict includes sexual or physical harassment, bullying, where conflict has
escalated and requires further actions, where there is evident breach of any legislation protecting employees in
the workplace as outlines by workcover (e.g. bullying), fairwork (breaches of employment conditions and
awards) or the human rights commission (discrimination, sexual, physical, disability etc.)

Scenario 1 Feedback/comments S NYS

Question 1
Question 2
Question 3

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Part B – Questions Workplace policies and protocols to deal with and manage conflict

1. Outline the common procedures and policies which could be part of a company policy regarding the
requirements for reporting and management of conflict. What does this need to include?

Responses
Depending on the situation and seriousness of the conflict, it may be necessary to document the conflict and the resolution
process. This may be necessary for legal compliance or simply as an established business policy, so that there is
documentary evidence of the conflict resolution attempts in case the situation worsens.
Commonly, issues are reported in an incident report and kept in the employee’s file. It may also be helpful for your own
personal record to keep track of details surrounding the incident as they may be of use in the future. Make sure that all
documentation is completed very soon after the process, so that all details are clear and accurate.
Also consider customer service policies e.g. refund policies etc.
1. Implement a code of conduct outlining what is and is not acceptable behaviour
2. Take proactive steps to prevent antisocial behaviour
3. Implement a complaints/grievances procedure

4. Take appropriate action to deal with grievances in a timely manner

2. What are the regulatory, industrial and legislative requirements related to the handling of disputes?

Responses
It is important that businesses ensure that grievances are handled properly and quickly. Failure to do so could have serious
legal consequences for the business and its management.
Under federal and state legislation, such as anti-discrimination, EEO and WHS, employers have a legal responsibility to
ensure that workplaces are safe from harm, including psychological hazards. Bullying, harassment and discrimination are all
considered psychological injuries. An employer can be held liable for any unlawful workplace behaviour unless they can
prove that all reasonable steps have been implemented to avert unlawful behaviour. That is why record-keeping is
necessary.

3. Explain the variety of communication skills which could be employed to ensure the effectiveness of dealing
with conflict and conflict resolution.

Responses
Empathy is our ability to see or feel things from another person’s point of view. It is different to sympathy, which means we
feel sorry for someone else. Empathy arises from our deeper knowledge of another person, the level of respect that we feel
for them and the ability to put yourself in someone else’s place. Using active listening helps you to develop empathy. Using
empathy in conflict situations enables you to: act more professionally; understand situations more clearly; instil confidence
that a solution can be reached; and encourage working relations.
For example, imagine that a customer in your hotel has just arrived on an international flight. Even though they have
arrived well before the usual check-in time, if you put yourself in their position you will be able to offer high quality
customer service and prevent potential conflict. Try to make them as comfortable as possible and see if you can have a
room prepared earlier than usual. Using empathy to prevent conflict before it occurs is an excellent skill to have.
Using empathy in dealing with conflict:
 Take people seriously
 Value and respect others
 Employ active listening skills
 Show interest

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  Encourage further/deeper clarification

4. What are the procedures where conflict involves drugs, alcohol or violence?

Responses
If drugs or alcohol are involved, state clearly what the desired behaviour is and, if needed, get assistance to remove the
person. This may involve asking your manager for help or calling security or the police. This can also apply to a workplace
conflict that gets out of hand.
TH&E businesses have procedures for dealing with dangerous and threatening situations, which vary between businesses.
The exact nature of the dangerous situations may vary, as do appropriate responses. Housekeeping staff are commonly
trained to lock themselves in a room in the event that a visitor goes crazy. It is a requirement to provide information and
training for dealing with emergency and other procedures.

5. What should be covered in an induction program with regards to conflict situations?

Responses
It is important that employees understand what is considered to be unlawful workplace behaviour and what avenues they
have available to raise their concerns. This includes which persons in authority they should speak to and alternative steps to
take should they not be happy with how their concerns have been handled.

6. To whom (other than the HR department) should escalated conflict situations or problems be reported in an
organisation?

Responses
Depending on the situation and seriousness of the conflict, it may be necessary to document the conflict and the resolution
process. This may be necessary for legal compliance or simply as an established business policy, so that there is
documentary evidence of the conflict resolution attempts in case the situation worsens.
Commonly, issues are reported in an incident report and kept in the employee’s file. It may also be helpful for your own
personal record to keep track of details surrounding the incident as they may be of use in the future. Make sure that all
documentation is completed very soon after the process, so that all details are clear and accurate.
Supervisors and senior management, councillor if existing in the organisation.

7. What is the purpose of evaluating conflict situations? Provide examples how this could be achieved
effectively.

Responses
It is good practice to analyse your conflict resolutions and evaluate their success. This provides an opportunity for all parties
involved in dealing with the conflict to think about the process and whether the outcomes have been successful. If some
parties are still unhappy or the matter has not been completely resolved, then further steps must be taken.
Evaluation steps are:
1. Seeking and providing feedback on the incident from all parties concerned
2. Evaluating and reflecting on what happened

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 3. Judging the effectiveness of the solution
4. Addressing the causes, providing suggestions for improvements

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