ASSESSMENT TASK 1

WRITTEN QUESTIONS

1. Complete the table to describe legislative and organisational requirements

relevant to workplace communication
Description Example (provide two, with at
least one addressing digital
communication requirements)
Best practice Good practices that have ISO Standards for communication
been agreed upon by (industry specific) e.g., ISO
experts and have proven to 9921:2003 specifies the
achieve successful results. requirements for the performance
of speech communication for
verbal alert and danger signals,
information messages, and
speech communication in general.
ISO standards for artificial
intelligence and data security.
Legislation Legislation is a law or a set The Spam Act 2003, which
of legislation that has been regulates direct marketing by
passed by Parliament. telemarking and electronic means.
Law is a system of general Telecommunications Act 1997
rules of conduct set or regulates the activities of a
recognized by the state and number of participants in the
guaranteed to be telecommunications industry,
implemented to regulate including ‘carriers’ and ‘carriage
social relations according to service providers.
the purposes and
orientations of the state.
Legislation is the formal
term commonly used to
describe laws in general.
Laws affecting workplace
operations and the

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 relationship between
employers and employees
are often referred to as
workplace legislation.
Workplace laws are made
up of different federal and
state laws.
Workplace Workplace Employees should always be able
policies/procedure policies/procedures are a to say what’s on their minds
s concept that refers to the without retribution, and therefore
guidelines, methods, obtaining feedback and listening
procedures, etc., that are effectively are critically important
established to support the for good communication.
work to achieve the stated Written or electronic messages
objectives. In an should be supplemented by face
organization, businesses -to-face communication where
will have many different feasible, especially when they
types of policies suitable for involve organizational policy and
each area of activity. Policy strategies.
is built on a strategic In communicating, focus on local
foundation. Workplace issues, especially serious
policies also protect the business issues (such as
organization from risk. performance results, customer
Accordingly, policies will set feedback, and future direction).
their own boundaries and Messages sent on Digital
mechanisms. Thereby Communications systems are to
creating a limit for be written in accordance with the
administrative activities to standards of any other form of
conduct rewards and written communication.
punishments for
behaviours. Workplace
policies/procedures help
administrators and
employees know what can
or cannot be done. This
makes the business goals
more effective.

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Codes of conduct A code of conduct is a set There will not be a definite
of rules, principles, values, template for the code of conduct,
employee expectations, the way businesses choose to go
behaviours and for it will depend on the needs of
relationships that an the business and the regulations
organization considers in the industry.
important and believes are Example: “A diverse workforce is
fundamental to its essential for a business to thrive.
successful performance. We strive to attract employees
A well-constructed code of from a variety of backgrounds and
conduct will clarify the will not discriminate on the basis
mission, core values and of race, religion, ethnicity, gender,
principles of an age, etc.”
organization, help orient Make a direct connection between
and manage people with the code and the company's
ethical standards and mission statement and core
cultural values, relate to link values. For example, a business
them to legal documents could list company values in the
with sanctions. Therefore, introduction of the document and
the code of conduct then explain how the code will
becomes the most help all employees live up to
important part of the those values.
company's ethical
framework.
Reputation and Corporate Culture is the Highly person-oriented cultures
culture mindset and attitude of find socializing very important,
employees about the work because getting to know each
they are doing, the other is necessary to doing
customers they are serving, business together.
and the management and Social media is a tool that allow
owners of that business. people to post and repost media
Corporate culture is the and commentary in the internet.
values, beliefs, and forms Each social media platform has its
that everyone in the own culture.
company recognizes and Mass media – diversified media
thinks, says, acts like a technologies and their content
habit, like the spiritual life that are intended to reach a large

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 and personality of a person, audience by mass
and is a decisive part to the communication. Telephone
long-term success or failure conferences can be very effective
of the business. in improving business
In economics, corporate communication and cooperation
reputation is seen as a within international companies
reflection of a business'
past actions, providing a
signal to stakeholders about
its probable future activities
and strategic behaviour in
the market.
In strategic management,
reputation is viewed as a
unique, inimitable intangible
asset that represents a set
of impressions about a
business from many
stakeholders.
In the marketing industry,
reputation is seen as the
bond that individuals
establish with businesses,
the power to attract
customers and encourage
their loyalty.

2. Discuss communication challenges in the workplace.

Conflict - Conflict is unavoidable in any organization and should never be
disregarded. Employees may form incorrect assumptions and believe in rumour as a
result of a lack of communication. Poor communication not only leads to conflict, but it
also lowers productivity and morale among employees. Employees come from a
variety of backgrounds and experiences, all of which influence their personalities.
Problems emerge when employees fail to accept or appreciate the variations in each
other's personalities.

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TECHNIQUES TO RESPOND:
 Recognize the nature of the dispute
It's easy to make assumptions about conflict, especially when rumours are flying in
the workplace. But however, it should be a practice that we never make any
assumptions to avoid conflicts. Instead, discover out what's causing the conflict
between co-workers, it will be an excellent way than making assumptions.
Investigating the root of the problem is critical to addressing the problem
successfully.
 Encourage your workers to figure it out on their own.
Employees should be self-sufficient to the greatest extent feasible. Remember that
responding to each employee's complaint may exacerbate the problem. Some
workers may believe you are exhibiting favouritism as a result of your actions. But
just because you encourage employees to handle problems on their own doesn't
mean you won't need to step in and help, especially if you have employees who like
to avoid conflict. Don't give them the impression that you'll solve their problem for
them. Instead, if necessary, give direction or talking points to assist each employee in
approaching the other side in a good manner.

 Risks/safety hazards - A hazard is anything that has the potential to cause injury,
such as electricity, chemicals, working atop a ladder, loud, a keyboard, a workplace
bully, stress, and so on. A risk is the probability, high or low, that a danger may cause
harm to someone. Working alone outside of your workplace, for example, can be
dangerous.
TECHNIQUES TO RESPOND:
 Identify and Analyse the Risk - Identifying risks is the first step in establishing a
safe workplace. A checklist can assist you in examining your workplace, the activities
performed by your employees, and the gear and equipment in use. Checklists can be
used for routine or frequent activities, such as a maintenance checklist or a daily pre-
start checklist for equipment to ensure it is in safe operating condition. You should
also examine the number of individuals who will be affected by the dangers, and
keep in mind that everyone is different. Because of variations in physical strength,
experience, and training, a danger may represent a greater risk to certain persons
than to others.
 Fixing and Evaluating the Outcomes - Always attempt to completely eradicate a
hazard from your workplace. If this isn't possible, you should think through the
alternative possibilities systematically. Some problems may be handled quickly and
easily, while others will need more effort and planning. Concentrate on the most

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 critical dangers while disregarding those that can be dealt with swiftly. At the end
every assessment it is always essential to apply the solutions to fix all the problem
that appeared.

 Unethical communication - Unethical communication is a phrase that refers to any

verbal or nonverbal communication that encourages and executes unethical actions
such as plagiarism, encompassing both written and spoken modes of
communication; breach of confidence; and information manipulation.
TECHNIQUES TO RESPOND:
 Work on developing a devoted team. - The risks of unethical behaviour are
reduced if you strive continually to create a pleasant work environment where your
workers have adequate morale and devotion to you and your firm. As a result, ensure
that you foster such a community, and your staff will no longer feel compelled to
exploit you. Furthermore, if your employees feel safe and secure in your workplace,
they are more inclined to speak out if they see or experience unethical behaviour on
the part of a co-worker.
 Accountability - A lack of responsibility is frequently what leads to unethical
behaviour in the workplace. As a result, make sure there are clear regulations in
place and that all of your workers understand that they are responsible for their
actions and that if they do something severe, they will be discovered and prosecuted.
You may probably feel confident that you will have no issues this way.

 Organizational messaging - Organizational communication is primarily concerned

with forming and maintaining connections with internal organizational members as
well as interested external audiences. The sending and receiving of messages
among connected persons within a specific context or setting to achieve individual
and collective goals is what we call organizational communication. Organizational
communication is heavily influenced by context and culture. Organizational
members communicate through face-to-face, textual, and mediated methods.
TECHNIQUES TO RESPOND:
 Adhere - As a member, receive and reply to let the superior personnel know that you
got the message and give the assurance that you will obey and follow everything
written in it.
 Practice - Practice the application of the message to help improve the organization.
Not just the moment you received it but daily.
3. List five methods of workplace communication.
 Written means:

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  Electronic mail (email or e-mail) is a method of exchanging messages ("mail")
between people using electronic devices.
 A letter is a written message conveyed from one person (or group of people) to
another through a medium.
 A fax (short for facsimile and sometimes called telecopying) is the telephonic
transmission of scanned-in printed material (text or images).
 Verbal/oral means:
 A telephone call is a connection over a telephone network between the called
party and the calling party.
 A video call is a phone call using an Internet connection, sometimes called VoIP,
that utilizes video to transmit a live picture of the person making the call.
 Face-to-face communication is the distinction of being able to see the other party
or parties in a conversation.

4. Outline four communication styles using the table below.

Style Description
Passive communication Passive communication is a style of communication in which
style individuals engaged in communication develop ways to avoid
having to express their opinions or feelings. Do not dare to
defend their rights and do not accept their own needs.
Accordingly, passive individuals will not respond openly, they
avoid hurtful or angry situations. Instead, they allow grievances
and annoyances to surface, informally, but often without their
knowledge.
But once they cross the threshold of tolerance, into
unacceptable behaviour, they are prone to explosions. After that
outburst, they may again feel shame, guilt, and failure. Then
they return to passivity.
Aggressive Aggressive communication is a style in which participants in
communication style communication express their feelings, opinions, or justifications
for their needs in a way that infringes on the rights of others.
Accordingly, an aggressive communicator may use verbal
and/or physical abuse of another person.
Passive-aggressive Passive-aggressive communication style is a repetitive pattern
communication style of expressing negative emotions indirectly rather than openly
addressing them. There is an inconsistency between what
passive aggressive people say and what they do. A passive-
aggressive person can ostensibly agree – even enthusiastically

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 at times to other people's requests. However, instead of
complying with the request, she or he may express anger or
dissatisfaction by not doing it, overdoing it, or being late for a
deadline.
Assertive The assertive communication style is a style in which a person
communication style clearly states his or her opinions and feelings, and firmly
defends their rights and needs without infringing on the rights of
others. These individuals value themselves, their time, and their
emotions, mentally or physically. And they are strong advocates
for themselves while respecting the rights of others.

5. Five things a mentor should consider/do as they mentor and coach others.
The process of Mentee working with Mentor can become an invaluable experience for
both parties. In the process, Mentor and Mentee have the ability to learn new things
about themselves and each other to move faster towards their career goals. However, for
this relationship to be effective, each party needs to clearly understand its role.
Mentor's job is to:
- Mentoring and coaching: providing advice, guidance and feedback, sharing
experience and expertise as needed, providing input and decision-making for ideas and
action plans.
- Motivation: encourage and support Mentee to try new things, help them get out of their
comfort zone, praise them when they succeed, help Mentee realize when things don't go
as planned.
- Support resources and recommendations: identify resources that will help Mentee
grow personally (e.g., book recommendations, workshops or other learning tools),
encourage them to join the team Expand your network of relationships.
- Feedback: give appropriate comments to serve Mentee's development process,
motivate them to take risks, when necessary, help Mentee consider potential
consequences of decisions and actions to avoid risks and surprises can happen.
- Listening: Mentors need to be good listeners and have a positive attitude towards
challenges. They need to have integrity and be good communicators. Mentors need to
encourage and build a relationship of mutual trust as they work together to give honest
but encouraging advice.

6. Four key principles of cross-cultural communication.

The work environment includes employees and customers with a wide range of needs,
interests, abilities, and cultures. If we do not understand the cultures of the countries,

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misunderstandings can occur that negatively affect business success. Therefore, the
ability to communicate, especially effective communication between different cultures is
necessary. The way to overcome barriers and avoid misunderstandings in cross-cultural
communication is to first learn the basic elements of this type of communication. These
are: awareness, preparation, language, humour and openness.
 Awareness: Understanding different cultures helps entrepreneurs connect with
their foreign partners. Successful businesspeople recognize the importance of
cultural and linguistic understanding in international business. First, we need to
know that there are differences between cultures. Every culture has similar
behaviours and characteristics, but not all behaviours and characteristics in a
culture are the same. So, when taking one culture as a model for other cultures,
this causes a lack of knowledge and understanding of the culture. Become a
barrier in communication with other cultures.
 Preparation: After being aware of cultural differences, we should try to
understand the culture of our business partners or colleagues. To achieve that is
to study the aforementioned culture. Improve communication with others by
increasing awareness of their culture and the influence of beliefs, values, and
behavioural patterns. Be aware of how cultural backgrounds and experiences
form, what to value, and how to communicate.
 Language: Identify and adapt to language differences. If you are communicating
with people from other cultures, it's a good idea to learn about other countries'
cultures both verbally and non-verbally. Observe and learn the meanings of
nonverbal communication signals such as facial expressions, social distance to
converse, and hand gestures. Avoid nonverbal cues that can be offensive. When
speaking or writing, replace traditional language with common language to avoid
language that offends someone. Be sensitive and considerate of other people's
beliefs.
 Humour and Openness: When communicating with colleagues from different
cultures, we should be careful with the way we joke. Sometimes, jokes don't
translate well. Last but not least is openness and respect for cultural diversity.
Learn about other cultures' beliefs and religions without judging them by your own
identity and culture and without considering prejudice.

7. Four key principles to consider when communicating with people who have
special needs or disabilities.
 Please treat people with disabilities with respect, seriousness and courtesy.
People with disabilities should be respected like everyone else. We should see

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 them as normal people, not disabled people. You should follow the “golden rule”:
treat others the way you would like them to treat you.
 Never raise your voice to a person with a disability. When talking to people with
disabilities, do not use childish vocabulary, pet names, or speak louder than
usual. Don't use "superior" gestures like patting their back or patting their head.
These behaviours imply that you don't think people with disabilities are capable of
understanding, and you equate them with children. Speak with normal volume
and vocabulary, and talk to them like you would with a normal person.
 Don't think you have to simplify your vocabulary when you talk. You should only
use simple language if you are talking to someone with an intellectual disability or
communication difficulty. Interrupting the other person is not considered polite
and is not the same as talking to someone who can't keep up with what you have
to say. However, if in doubt, talk to them normally and see what their language
needs are.
 Talk to them directly, not through an aide or an interpreter. People with disabilities
will feel frustrated when talking to people who do not speak to them directly, but
have to go through an assistant or an interpreter.
 Be patient and ask questions if necessary. Speeding up a conversation or
interrupting someone with a disability can be engaging, but disrespectful. Always
let them talk and act at their own pace, don't push them to talk, think or move
faster. Also, if you don't understand because they speak too slowly or too quickly,
don't be afraid to ask again. Acting like you understand what they're saying can
be harmful or embarrassing if you misheard, so double-check.

8. Complete the table to explain communication protocols and their relation to

cross - cultural communication and special needs/disability.
General example (provide one) How to consider cross-
cultural and special
needs/disability in the
communication (provide
one example)
Internal and Nominated means of Include accessibility
external communication for identified requirements for webpage
communication purposes design
guides
Risk Emergency and Risks Protocol Include emergency guidelines
based/emergenc enables prompt and effective and evacuation plan for

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y communication responses to emergency people with disabilities or
guides situations. special needs.
Style/formatting A style guide lays out a clear Include grammar and web
communication framework for your standards, copy patterns,
guides communications, from the layout voice and tone guidelines,
and font to the style and tone of content types with examples,
the language used. a word list (and a blacklist),
and brand basics.
Allocation of Allocation is defined as the act of Allocate tasks evenly amongst
responsibility being portioned out for a certain team members, making use of
reason. team strengths or areas
Allocate roles to team members where development is
in such a way that the roles are desired.
coordinated to achieve the team's
goals and that team members
take responsibility for their
individual roles.

9. Discuss what negotiation in the workplace entails and three techniques that
can be used to ensure successful negotiation.
Negotiation is the process of negotiating and exchanging between two or more parties to
reach a final agreement. And in the negotiation process, it is inevitable that conflicts and
common concerns need to be resolved. In the work of office workers, the agreement and
cooperation between you and your colleagues, or between you and your boss creates a
good foundation for success in any job.
Negotiation skills are qualities that allow two or more parties to reach a compromise.
These are soft skills such as communication, listening, persuasion, problem solving and
decision making. Negotiation skills at work are very important, so learn how to practice
negotiation skills now to get benefits and success in work and life.
Negotiation is a fascinating subject but also causes a lot of problems for everyone. In
negotiation, you cannot only stand on your own position and interests, but also have to
see from the other side to be able to create a successful negotiation that benefits both
parties. That is the point of modern negotiation art.
Some techniques that can be used to ensure successful negotiation:
 Communication skills
In negotiation skills, communication skills are indispensable because if you have
communication skills in negotiation, you will be able to change your communication style
depending on any circumstances to meet the needs of your audience. me. Clear

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communication can avoid misunderstandings that could keep you from reaching a
compromise.
 Agree on the terms and scope of the dispute
Many negotiations break down at the wrong start because the parties involved have not
taken the time to clearly define the points on which they disagree. To improve your
negotiation skills in this case need:
o Identify where all parties agree and disagree - key points of consensus become
clear and the scope of the agreement can be more transparent.
o Explore the area of possible agreement – creating a more equilibrium before all
parties go any further.
o Define the scope of the dispute - you'll begin to have greater control over the
negotiation process later.
 See yourself from your partner's point of view
"Empathy" with a partner doesn't mean weakness, or sentimentality - it means the ability
to put yourself in the other person's shoes, to see the world from their point of view.
Empathy doesn't require "sympathy," it just requires understanding. You can agree or
disagree with whatever the other side sees or believes, but you'll actually understand
better. By understanding it, you will have the advantage of knowing how to present what
you seek as a fair outcome in terms.
 Be sincere, and accept the truth properly
You cannot negotiate successfully if you lose or lack credibility. Never intentionally make
a false statement or assertion, but even that is essential. For that reason, be sure to
prepare thoroughly before negotiating, so that you can speak more clearly about the side
of the issue at hand with confidence.
 Use silence to your advantage
Sometimes, the actions and words you express too much, or too carelessly, can work
against you. Good negotiators are often wiser in using words and actions at the right
time, they know how to pretend and hide such emotions at times, strategically. This rule
concerns the use of silence. It is a natural human response, especially in conflict, to try
to fill silence, instead of anxiety. But people who are nervous in the negotiation process
tend to say things that detract from their position. By being silent at the right moment,
you can show the other party your strength. So, partners will appear their own thoughts
and exchanges, you have created for them an opportunity to reflect and change their
mind to your purpose.

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