WORK IMMERSION

Accountancy and Business Management

Grade 12

Introduction and Preliminaries

Week 1-4

Prepared by: Zyna C. Burgos

What is Work Immersion?
According to the definition from DepEd Order No. 30, series of 2017, Work
Immersion refers to the subject of the Senior High School curriculum, which involves
hands-on experience or work simulation in which learners can apply their
competencies and acquired knowledge relevant to their track.
Goals of Work Immersion:
a. To develop in learners the competencies, work ethic, and values relevant to
pursuing further education and/or joining the world of work.
b. To provide learners with opportunities:
1. To become familiar with the work place
2. For employment simulation
3. To apply their competencies in areas of specialization/applied subjects in
authentic work environments

Objectives of Work Immersion

Work immersion will help develop among learners life and career skills, and will
prepare them to make decisions on postsecondary education or employment.
It aims to make the learners:
1. Appreciate the importance and application of the principles and theories
learned in school
2. Enhance their technical knowledge and skills
3. Enrich their skills in communications and human relations
4. Develop good work habits, attitudes, appreciation and respect for work

Lesson 1: Understanding Work Immersion

I. Expected behaviors.
To understand how one should act in a workplace, we need to understand
the basic behaviors one is expected to have in a workplace. These
behaviors should not only be practiced during work immersion but must be
exemplified when you are in a real workplace.

A. Work Ethics
B. Safety in the workplace
C. Workplace rights and responsibilities
D. Effective conflict resolution and teamwork skills
A. WORK ETHICS
Ethics can be defined as the well-founded standards and fundamental
principles of an individual. Ethics are used to determine what is right and
wrong, and usually dictate our course of action in our daily lives.

Good work ethics play an important role in bringing benefits to a business in

many ways. Generally, strong ethics attract customers/clients who appreciate
honest services that will then boost the sales and profits of your company.
Having a respectable reputation also helps to attract new customers and
builds higher loyalty among customers. Having a strong ethical behaviour and
corporate social responsibility would bring confidence in investors, thereby
maintaining the high value of the company’s position in the marketplace.

Having an honest, hardworking workforce with high values in integrity will not
only improve the company’s business and reputation but also lift the overall
morale of the employees. A strong ethical culture will then undoubtedly attract
more talents who share the same ethics and values, reducing the costs of
recruitment and enable the company to obtain a pool of talented employees in
its workforce.

Common Work Ethics:

1. Integrity
  Integrity is the “quality of being honest and having strong moral
principles, a personal code of conduct that goes above the level of good
conduct and encompasses the spirit of good conduct.” Employees with
integrity are usually the ones you can count on, the ones with the highest
moral values and the ones who are bent on doing the right thing at all times.

Persons with integrity are also dedicated in their work. Part of a good
work ethic is commitment and dedication to the job. They know how to focus on
tasks without being distracted. These employees usually work until they finish their
duties. They stay with one company for long periods of time.

2. Honesty
Being an honest individual means you do not deceive others by giving out
misleading information. This includes the truthful way of conduct that is
usually without the intention of lying, cheating or any form of falsification.
Customers typically only deal with a business or a service provider whom
they trust. In a workplace, an honest employee is the one you can rely on
to continue doing their best in their jobs for the company’s benefits.

3. Discipline
Discipline is an essential part of showing a good work ethic. Highly disciplined
employees show determination and commitment to the job. They strive to meet
 or exceed expectations and seek opportunities to learn new skills and improve
their performance.

At times, an employee may be talented in his line of work but lacks the
commitment and dedication to complete the tasks given. It requires a
certain level of discipline to not only complete the tasks within a certain
time frame but to also execute them well, instead of doing just the bare
minimum at the very last minute. Disciplined employees are extremely
important as they ensure that all assignments and projects are delivered
and executed in a timely manner.

4. Fair and Respect

Achieving an ethically strong workplace involves the cooperation of every
employee, from top decision-makers/leaders to entry-level employees. No
matter which level you are at, you need to ensure that all your actions are
fair and just, particularly if you are entrusted with a position to lead. This
will ensure a positive work culture in your organization. Always remember
that every one of your staff deserves to be treated with respect and dignity,
regardless of who they are, or which position they are at.

5. Responsible and Accountable

If an employee has a strong sense of responsibility, he or she would

undoubtedly turn up for work on time and complete the tasks given with
the best effort that he or she can offer. Nevertheless, there will be a time
when an employee may make a mistake, hence it is important to also be
able to acknowledge these mistakes, be accountable for it and accept any
consequences. In certain scenarios, an ethical manager will take
accountability for their staff or colleagues for reasons that are not for self-
interest but for the well-being of all parties involved.

Responsible employees are also reliable. Employees with a strong work

ethic are very reliable. You can expect these individuals to be on time for shifts
and meetings. They meet their deadlines and offer quality work. A reliable
coworker makes an excellent teammate because they contribute fairly to
projects.

6. Productive and cooperative

A strong work ethic translates to outstanding productivity. Productive employees
often have a higher output than their counterparts. They complete projects early
and do more than the minimum requirements.
A good work ethic is something that employees often spread to those around
them by cooperating willingly on projects. They show good teamwork and
readily assist others when needed.
 7. Professionalism
Employees with a good work ethic almost always maintain their
professionalism. They exhibit a professional attitude clear in the way they dress,
speak and carry themselves. They’re respectful, focused, organized and neat.

Ways to demonstrate work ethic

1. Put away things that might distract from your work, such as your cellphone.
2. Ask trusted colleagues or mentors to help you identify areas for improvement
and set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-bound)
goals.
3. Spend your time wisely on tasks that align with your goas and prioritize tasks
by impact.
4. Organize your notes, email inbox, and workspaces for increased focus,
motivation and time management.
5. Take breaks throughout the day and practice a healthy work and life balance
to avoid burnout.
6. Identify aspects of your work that motivate you such as tasks, goals, or
colleagues.
7. Practice time management to complete quality, on-time work and to be more
present during meetings.

Work Ethic skills for a job interview:

The interview is the best place to show your work ethic. You can exhibit the essential
values associated with a good work ethic throughout the interview process by:

 Arriving promptly before the interview

 Dressing professionally

 Giving a firm handshake and making eye contact

 Speaking respectfully to your interviewer

 Responding honestly to difficult questions, such as why you’re leaving your

current job

 Providing examples of your integrity, such as an instance where you made a

mistake but admitted to it and took steps to remedy the error

 Mentioning your willingness to work long hours to get the job done

Activity 1:
If you are to go into a work immersion, how will you conduct yourself in the
workplace? Write an essay about it integrating proper work ethics. Write this in
a short bond paper. Output may be hand-written or encoded depending on
your preference. If handwritten, please write legibly.

B. SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE

Keeping workers safe is one of the employer’s most important job. Employers
should provide their employees with working conditions that are free of known
dangers. Not only is it the law to keep your workers safe, but it is your moral
responsibility. Those working in the facility or at the worksite have families,
friends, and lives outside of being employed and their safety and health
should not be comprised for a paycheck. It is critical to keep safety as top
priority and ensure workers are returning home safely every day.

Workplace safety encompasses many things: emergency procedures,

chemical safety, first aid, equipment safety, fire safety, electrical safety, and
much more.

The following are the basic rules of safety in the workplace:

 Your safety is your personal responsibility.

 Dress appropriately according to your job. This includes clothing and
footwear.
 Always follow the correct procedures.
 Never take shortcuts.
 Take responsibility and clean up if you made a mess.
 Clean and organize your workspace.
 Ensure a clear and easy route to emergency exits and equipment.
 Be alert and awake on the job.
 Be attentive at all times to your work surroundings.
 When in doubt, contact your supervisor or manager for instruction,
guidance, or training.
 Never take risks when it comes to safety.
 Obey safety signs, stickers, and tags.
 Take short breaks when you keep up a repetitive motion for a long
period of time, and sit, stand, or walk with good posture.
 Report serious injuries immediately to a supervisor and get
emergency assistance.
 Keep things in perspective. Hazards may be limitless, so focus on the
most likely risks first.
 Observing safety in workplace as a team:
 Educate everyone in the workplace about the safety requirements and
consider posting a list of workplace safety tips. A workplace safety
training will help them reduce or eliminate injuries and illnesses from
occurring in the workplace.
 Always keep the communication lines open with your co-workers,
employers, or employees in order to promote and maintain a safe
environment.
 Immediately notify others of any (new or old) hazards that you
perceive.
 Be alert to hazards that could affect anyone— not just yourself; in
this respect, maintain a team mentality at all times.
 Report a hazardous condition immediately to your manager or
supervisor.
 Be conscious as to what others are doing around you, and do your
best to ensure you don’t pose a hazard to them (and vice versa).
 If you’re an employer, invite and involve your employees in safety
planning; obtain their insight, give and take suggestions, and ensure
that everyone is on the same page.

Activity 2:
Write an essay on how will you conduct your self in the work place during this
time of pandemic. Specify how to make your self safe at the same time
keeping your clients/customers safe, too. Write this in a short bond paper
(either encoded or hand-written.)

C. WORKPLACE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Main Responsibilities of Employees

Employees have responsibilities towards their employers, even if they
work part time or don’t have a written contract with their employers. 

These are the main responsibilities of employees:

 to personally do the work they were hired to do 

 to do their work carefully and seriously
 to avoid putting themselves or others in danger   
  to follow their employer’s instructions except if an employer asks an
employee to do something dangerous or illegal
 to be loyal

If employees don’t do their responsibilities, the employer is allowed to take certain

actions: 

 discipline employees, such as giving a written warning, or suspending them 

 take other action against employees, such as giving a letter
evaluating their  performance, or demoting them or giving them a lower job 
 fire employees if they do something very serious, such as stealing from the
office 
 sue employees for some grave offenses

Employers’ Responsibilities Towards Employees 

These are the main ones:  

 Employers must give their employees a place to work and make

sure they have access to it. They must give them the tools, equipment
and other things they need to do their work. 
 Employers must pay their employees the salary and benefits they agreed
to, including vacation, paid holidays and other types of holidays.  
 Employers must make sure their employees’ working conditions are safe.  
 In some cases, employers must give their employees written
notice that their contracts are ending or that they are being laid off. 
 Employers must treat their employees with respect. They must
make sure their employees are not harassed or discriminated against. 

  
NOTE: If an employee signs a written contract with the employer, it might place more
responsibilities on the employer than the ones required by law. 

For example, an employment contract might say that the employer has to pay
employees who have to use their own cars to do their jobs. Or
the contract might also say that the employer has to pay back their employees for
travel or entertainment expenses if they show their receipts. 

When Employers Don’t Perform Their Responsibilities

Employees and employers can try to settle things by talking to each other. In some
cases, employees must try talking to their employer before taking any further steps. 

Employees can file a complaint with the Department of Labor and Employment

(DOLE) for private industries. For government workers, complaints are filed with the
Civil Service Commission.
Activity 3:

In a short bond paper, write what will be your responsibilities if you will be
given a chance to go on immersion in an office or a business entity. After
which, write down what are the possible consequences if you will not be able
to meet your responsibilities. Then as a second part of the activity, write what
are the responsibilities of the organization where you will have an immersion
towards you?

D. CONFIDENTIALITY IN THE WORKPLACE

Keeping personal and company information confidential is extremely
important. Breaking confidentiality can compromise an organization in two
ways:
a. It can destroy business relationships.
b. When information falls into the wrong hands, it can lead to
criminal acts such as discrimination, fraud, theft, and many
more.

Workplace confidentiality refers to any confidential information that you come

across in the course of business. These can be the following:

 Personal information of customers

 Employee information
 “proprietary information” or business information or otherwise known as
trade secrets.
Business information can include anything from business
documents to the ins and outs of business processes, financial data, list of
clients, the software code of your product and marketing strategy. Letting
this information out can give an edge over competitors.
A Confidentiality Agreement (or Non-Disclosure Agreement) is a legal
document created between two parties that wish to share confidential information
between them, while legally forbidding either party to disclose the information to any
other person or entity. Types of confidential information that may be applicable are
such things as inventions, trade secrets, new products or manufacturing processes,
or any other trade secret items or data. The Agreement may be one-sided (designed
to prevent one of the parties from disclosing the information) or mutual (whereby
both parties cannot disclose any confidential information received from the other
party).

Examples of A Breach of Confidentiality In The Workplace

If your former employee leaves to work for a competitor and shares your list of
clients, this could potentially leave your business dry.
Or, imagine a contractor creates a software code for your new product, but then uses
the exact same software code when they are contracted under another business.
Then that would mean you have an identical product to another business.
This is the last thing you want happening to your business, and so there are a few
things you can do to avoid it.

Maintaining Confidentiality In The Workplace

There are legal and non-legal steps you can take to make sure that confidential
information is protected in and outside of your workplace.
Have It Down In Writing
 Confidentiality Clauses
This should be included when new employees, contractors, service providers,
suppliers or customers are new to the business. Start with a legally binding
contract, but it’s always a good idea to include a “confidentiality clause”.
This is an important first-step: safeguard your business information
from being stolen by anyone that comes into contact with your business.
 Non-Disclosure Agreements/ Confidentiality Agreements
Confidential information can sometimes make its way outside of the
workplace – so you want to make sure you’re protected from that too.
Even though you may not be formally engaging with someone as an
employee or contractor, you might still be sharing business information through
commercial discussions.
For example, an investor may be interested in your business.
This could involve a series of discussions where you might be disclosing
lots of confidential business information to make your business look good – from
your financial data to clientele and sales strategy.
If this is the case, it is always a good idea to have a Non Disclosure
Agreement (NDA), or a Confidentiality Agreement, to make sure that investor
doesn’t use or share that confidential information anywhere else.
 IP Assignment Deeds
This is a type of legal document that completely transfers ownership of any
intellectual property (IP) created by one person to another person.
IP is key to the success of many businesses – and making sure that your
IP is protected also makes sure that your business is protected.
In business, having this legal contract will make sure that any employees,
shareholders or contractors who access or contribute to any intellectual property
 made within the course of your business will therefore assign that IP right back to
you.
For example, if you hire a contractor to help create your company logo,
you want to make sure that company logo belongs to your company.
Otherwise, that contractor will have every right to resell and distribute that
logo to other businesses.
Under an IP Assignment Deed, that contractor will assign all rights of the
logo to your company, so that only you and your company have an exclusive right
to use it.

 Confidentiality Policies
Lastly, you may also want to consider a Workplace Policy.
When you run a workplace, it’s important to make sure all your workers
understand their roles, responsibilities and obligations.
Well-drafted workplace policies ensure your guidelines are consistent
and practical.
This is a good opportunity to include rules around workplace
confidentiality, which will constantly remind your workers that you take it very
seriously.
In the Philippines, we have several laws that protects a person, a business entity or
an organization with regards to data protection. One example of which is the
Republic Act 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012 also known as “An act
protecting individual personal information in information and communication systems
in the government and the private sector, creating for this purpose a national privacy
commission, and for other purposes”.
Activity 4: Write an essay on how you will maintain confidentiality when you
will go into an immersion. Provide examples or scenarios related to
confidentiality that you can possibly encounter and explain how you will
resolve it. Your output may be encoded or hand-written.

E. EFFECTIVE CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Conflict at work, while unfortunate, is to be expected. Everyone is different.
Differences lead to conflict when individuals cannot agree. And because conflict is
inevitable, it’s best to prepare so that we can handle ourselves when disputes arise.
Five ways or five Cs to approach conflict in the workplace:
1. Carefully listen. 

Every conflict has sides. Before deciding how to resolve a conflict, make sure to
listen carefully to what each party is saying. Careful listening is one of the best ways
 to handle conflict as it allows you to validate others’ ideas and let them know that
they are being heard, regardless of whether you agree or not. 

Let both sides present their ideas. Make sure that one group doesn’t interrupt the
other, reserving comments during this phase. This presentation of ideas isn’t about
establishing whose argument is better, but about carefully listening to each side.
Perhaps these seemingly opposing ideas can be combined for a more effective
outcome — but you and your team won’t know it unless everyone learns to listen
carefully to each other.

2. Considerately look at the situation. 

When conflicts arise, emotions and anxieties are heightened. To avoid worsening the
situation, make sure that your teams learn to understand each other, even when they
don’t agree. Part of being able to listen carefully is being able to understand and
accept others’ ideas. Remember that you’re not always right, and your ideas aren’t
necessarily the best. Remind your team of this, as well, as you mediate the conflict. 

Careful thought and consideration are important. After having your team listen to
each other, give them time to consider what they have said. Have them summarize
their points of agreement and disagreement and ask them to work together on a
compromise. Keep an open mind, and make sure that your team members keep
their minds open to others’ opinions and ideas.

3. Calmly discuss the conflicting perspectives. 

How we respond to conflict can intensify tension. Conflicts worsen when the

arguing parties become emotional, and the argument becomes personal. The best
way to handle conflict is to stay calm: Calmer minds produce clearer ideas. Keep
yourself and your team calm. Avoid showing signs that you agree with one group
and not another. Show your team that you can keep calm and reasonable. Insist all
parties talk to each other in a relaxed and civil manner. Don’t let emotions
overwhelm the situation by making sure no one shouts, makes offensive comments,
or blames. 

4. Conscientiously look at the facts. 

Be sure you have all the facts before making any decisions to resolve a conflict.
Clarify the points first, taking into consideration each person’s different perspectives.
For instance, if a conflict arises while the team is deciding how to solve a problem,
try to identify what each team member perceives as the problem. Different
perspectives on the same problem will lead everyone to consider different solutions.
Let everyone present their ideas without interruption so that you can all get the
relevant facts you need to make an informed decision. As with careful listening and
 consideration, be sure to listen to each person and consider the facts they present.
Be thorough in your investigation.

5. Cooperatively work together. 

All four C’s should help your team to work together in resolving the conflict. With
each of these tips, you’re focusing your team on addressing the shared problem
instead of attacking each other’s personality. Because you and your team carefully
listened, considerately looked at the situation, calmly discussed perspectives and
conscientiously looked at the facts, you can all cooperate despite initial
disagreement.

Letting everyone be a part of conflict resolution teaches your team how to handle
conflict for themselves.

Other ways to resolve conflict:

1. Embrace conflict.

When conflict arises, don’t avoid it or pretend nothing has happened. As time goes
on, tension will build -- and the conflict only will get worse. Deal with these
uncomfortable issues as soon as possible, before problems and bad feelings
become embedded in everyday work.

If you notice a conflict between employees, encourage them to find a way to work it
out. If conflict develops between two teams, it's a good time to improve
interdepartmental communication. If you have a conflict with one of your employees,
address it head on and in private.  

2. Talk together.

Set up a time and place so you can talk for an extended span without outside
interruptions.

When you do meet, each person should have adequate time to say what he or she
believes the other party needs to hear. Don't let any individual monopolize the
conversation or control the topic. Each person should talk about the disagreements
and how he or she feels about the situation.

Remember, this is not the time to attack or assign blame. Focus on the problem, not
your opinion of the other person’s character.

3. Listen carefully.

It's essential to give your complete attention to the person who is talking. Do not
interrupt the other person.
Make sure you're getting the message he or she intends to send. Rephrase and
repeat back what you've heard to confirm understanding. You might say something
along the lines of, “Let me make sure I understand. You’re upset about _____
because _____.” 

Ask clarifying questions if needed. You can request that the other person repeat a
central idea or reword his or her frustrations in a way that makes sense to you. 

Listening always should be about gaining understanding. Don’t let yourself

become reactionary to the other person's words.

4. Find agreement.

Your conversation primarily will focus on the disagreements, but resolution is

possible only when you find points of agreement. You should emerge from the
experience with some positives instead of all negatives.

Shed light on commonalities. Share examples or instances in which you agree with

the other person or can see another point of view. For example, if you disagree on
new sales tactics, you might share what you liked about the other person’s idea or
the motivation to work harder for the team.

Looking for agreement demonstrates your willingness to seek out common ground

and build a relationship around those trust elements.

5. Provide guidance.

If you're in a leadership position, there are times you may need to mediate work

conflict. Don’t take sides, ever. Realize you are there simply to help your employees
work out their problems.

You might need to guide the conversation. And if hurt feelings run high, it's likely
you'll need to redirect the topic so your employees return to the real problem. If
you're in a position to give advice on next steps, highlight the positive aspects of the
process and suggest related topics or actions they can work through after the
meeting.

6. Be quick to forgive.

Every conflict needs a clear resolution that acknowledges hurt feelings and finds a
solution that begins to mend them. 

Apologize. Tell the other person you're truly sorry for any ill words or actions -- and
mean it. You'll also need to forgive the other person. Agreeing solely for the sake of
appearances can lead to grudges that deepen over time, undoing any progress
you've made together.
Activity 5: As a student who will go for an immersion, what possible conflicts
can you think of which you may possibly encounter? How will you resolve
these issues? Write these things in an essay in a short bond paper.

LESSON 2: APPRECIATING THE IMPORTANCE OF CREDENTIALS

Credentials play a key role in applying for a job. In your previous subjects English for
Academic and Professional Purposes and in your Filipino subject Pagsulat sa Piling
Larang, you have learned how to prepare your credentials. In this chapter, you are to
apply what you have learned in those specialized subjects by doing the activities that
follow.

In a long folder compile the following:

1. Your resume. Details on your resume must contain only the real ones. This is
to allow you to prepare your resume based on what you really have achieved
as of now. Please DO NOT INCLUDE IMAGINARY ACHIEVEMENTS.

2. In a long bond paper, prepare a process flow chart for each of the following on
how to get the these in your area:

a. Barangay Clearance

b. Police Clearance

c. Mayor’s Clearance

d. Medical Certificate

Note: process flow-chart only. NO NEED to get the mentioned clearances.