Lesson 1: Communication Sources

Introduction
Indeed, communication is a vital part of being a team. However, there are other
people, besides your team, you also need to communicate with. These are the
appropriate sources. These are the people who communicate relevant information with
you, such as requests, commands, and inquiries.

These sources are classified as internal and external sources.

Internal Sources

Internal Sources refer to the people who are already inside or are already part of
your company that you communicate with. This includes:

Team Members
Supervisor/Department Head

xternal Sources

External Sources refer to the people outside your company you communicate with.
This includes:

Suppliers
Trade Personnel
Local Government

Although they are termed as sources, in a true communication flow, these sources
can either play the role of a sender or a receiver of the message.

Topic 1: Communicating with Team Members

Communicating effectively with your team builds a happy and healthy workplace. It
makes the team more efficient and the work easier for everyone. Whether dealing
with agreeable or difficult workmates, here are some tips to ensure effective
communication.

Take responsibility and be a good example

As the one who understands, take the responsibility of being the model of what you
want your members to be. Lead your team by setting a good example.

Adjust

Learn how to adjust depending on the personality of your team members. Understand
them by observing both their verbal and nonverbal cues. Their personalities will
affect how they would respond and communicate.

Discuss communication issues

If there are problems in the workplace, talk directly to the ones involved. Avoid
sharing stories to those who are not involved in the problem. Always talk things
out and never let conflicts pass without talking about it.

Discuss rift among members

If your team members have personal issues with each other, try to help in resolving
it by listening to everyone’s grievances. Be sincere in talking to them. Make your
team members feel secure in sharing problems to you. Mediate if you can. Make sure
to apply your active listening and understanding skills.

Keep a tight agenda

Always know what to talk about and when to talk about these things. Do not deviate
from your plans. Allot right timing for everything. When in a meeting, provide your
team members a detailed agenda of what you are going to talk about.

Ask for questions from others

Check if things have been clear to everybody. Encourage them to ask questions and
clarify instructions.

Topic 2: Communicating with a Supervisor/Department Head

Communicating with bosses, supervisors, and department heads can be challenging

especially if you feel very inferior to them. However, communicating with them does
not need to feel challenging or intimidating.

Here are some tips to help you communicate with them effectively:

Go straight to the point. Do not say unnecessary things. Respect their time.
Show numbers and visual representations. When presenting numbers to your boss, do
not just present them in paragraph forms.
Schedule your appointment. Do not expect that they are always ready for an ambush
talk. They are busy people and their time is precious.
Prepare your agenda. Before speaking to your boss, plan what you need to say. Make
a list. This will help you remember all your concerns.
Be solution-focused. When consulting problems, always have a solution in mind.

Topic 3: Communicating With Suppliers

Communicating with your suppliers is as important as communicating with your

customers. It saves you from future problems regarding the services and products
provided to you. Keep in mind that you and your suppliers need each other.

1.) Specify what you want.

If you want a specific part of a chicken, or a specific size of a vegetable, say it

to your suppliers. Order exactly what you want to get.

2.) Avoid jargon

Jargon are words that only you and those in your industry understand. Make sure to
give clear instructions and clarify whether your suppliers understand them. For
example, instead of saying “I need a low-boy” say “I need a refrigerator that can
be put under the counter."
3.) Talk as if they are customers

Just like making sure to have regular customers, it is also important to make sure
you have regular suppliers. Maintain good relationship with them. Talk to them
clearly, concisely, and politely.

4.) Put things in paper

As much as possible, make transactions between you and your suppliers legal. Have
contracts if necessary. Write down your agreements.

5.) Communicate regularly

Once in a while, update your suppliers whether they are still operational or
whether they still have what you need. This will save you from cramming on where to
find other suppliers when they fail.

Topic 4: Communicating with Trade Personnel

Trade personnel are people skilled in a specific task. They provide services.
Maintaining constant communication with them is very important especially when you
depend on their services.

Here are some tips to effectively communicating with trade personnel:

1. Be precise with what you want. Most trade personnel want to know what
specific things they need to do for you.

2. Ask them how much time is needed to complete their tasks.

3. Ask them what other things you need to prepare in advance.

4. Do not be too demanding. Know their limitations.

Topic 5: Communicating with Industry Bodies

Communicating with industries and organizations can be both overwhelming and

challenging. Some cannot be tapped immediately. Here are several ways to reach
industry bodies.

1. Reach them through email

Communicating through email gives a more formal appeal than communicating through
phone. However, not all industries respond immediately to emails.

2. Be updated on their newsletters and magazines

Important announcements and development of the industry bodies’ projects are

published through their newsletters and magazines. Knowing these things can be
effective when building rapport with your industry partner.
3. Networking meetings

To talk to them personally, you can attend network meetings. This would be helpful
especially if your concerns are urgent and need face-to-face communication.

Topic 6: Communicating with Local Government

Communicating with the local government, especially regarding legal matters, can be
challenging. You need to go to different stages and offices, and talk to different
people. However, there will be instances wherein you will be obliged to communicate
with them.

Here are some ways on how to communicate to local government.

1. Be present in the different events that the local government is organizing to be

aware of the internal processes that they do.

Example:

Council annual planning

Council consultations
Other proposals
2. Directly talking to officials.

3. Monitoring of Local Government performance

Topic 7: Communicating with Customers/Guests

Of course, communicating effectively with your customers is essential in
maintaining the reputation of any business. When employees are polite and are
effective communicators, customers will most likely come back to avail services. In
order to maximize your customer communication skills, here are some points to
remember:

Establish a genuine relationship.

Listen well.
Use easy words, and not jargon when explaining complex topics.
Address issues or misunderstanding immediately.

Effective customer communication skills also increase the likelihood of customers

going back to your establishment. Thus, communication is really needed in
increasing trust and reliability of your business or organization. Here are some
tips you can apply in order to keep connected with your customers:

Send e-Newsletters or emails informing them of new promos or offers.

Give out survey sheets to see their needs and opinions.
Use social media platforms to keep your audience informed and updated.

Handing Difficult Customers

Handling difficult situations will be unavoidable when you get to the industry.
However, here are 3As that you should keep in mind should such occurrence occur.

1. Apologize. Immediately say sorry to the persons involved.

2. Attempt to solve the problem.

3. Alert your supervisor.

Lesson 2: Presenting Yourself in the Workplace
Topic 1: Presenting Yourself - Voice
Your voice is the sound produced by your vocal organs and it is affected by many
factors such as pitch, volume, rate, quality, etc. Make sure that all these factors
work together in order to deliver your message well. Here are what you should
consider in order to present your voice:

Pitch – the highness or lowness of your voice

Volume – how loudly or softly you should speak
Rate – the speed of your speech
Intelligibility – if the message is understandable
Articulation – using the tongue, teeth, palette, jaw, and lips in order to produce
vocal sound
Pronounciation – form and accent of various syllable of a word
Accent – Inflection, tone, speech habits of a speaker
Vocal expression – variety in voice which can be a achieved by changing and
appropriating the pitch, volume, rate, as well as stressing certain words and
phrases
Monotony – should be avoided since it is lack of vocal expression. This occurs when
there is just a constant pitch, volume, and rate

Topic 2: Presenting Yourself - Appearance

Appearance play a major role in communicating effectively. It can boost an
employee’s confidence and it can also represent the image of the organization or
the industry where the employee works for. In addition to that, good appearances
can also maintain a good first impression; thus, it really is something that should
not be overlooked. Here are some tips in presenting a good physical appearance:

1. Consider the receiver of your message and the situation

Always consider your audience and make sure that your appearance fit their
expectations. Dress appropriately. Doing so would increase your credibility in
delivering the message.

2. Consider the topic and the purpose

For example, the more serious your topic or purpose is, the more formal you should
dress. If there is also a set uniform for a specific situation, you should adhere
to these rules.

3. Do not be over the top

Too much of something is never admirable. For example, too much make-up or extreme
clothing may distract your audience instead of actually paying attention to you.

Besides these guidelines, here are some basic grooming tips that you can apply in
the workplace:
Uniform

Complete uniform should be:

Clean and wrinkle free
Replaced when they are no longer up to standard
Worn properly
Shoes and socks/stockings suitable for the job
No missing button
Name Plate

Should be worn at all times

Worn on the left side of the chest
Hair

Short and well-trimmed for males

Tied up for females
Must be natural colored
With hairnet for females
Clean and shaven beard for males
Nails

Short and trimmed

Nail without polish
Must be cleaned regularly
Jewelry

Only simple earrings for females is allowed

No other jewelry except for wedding ring and wrist watch
Make up

Excessive make up is not allowed

No visible tattoos are allowed
Odor

Strong perfumes are not allowed

Must use deodorant or antiperspirant daily.
Personal hygiene

Take a bath before going to work

Brush teeth regularly
Hands and face must be washed regularly
Personal belongings

Personal bags are not allowed in the work areas

Mobile phones and gadgets are also not allowed in the work areas

Topic 3: Presenting Yourself - Posture

Posture is referred to as how you position your body. It is important in the
workplace since it shows how confident and credible you are in delivering your
message. In our previous lessons, good posture also depicts good nonverbal
communication skills.

One must take note that when engaged in face-to-face communication, display an
upright stance and squared shoulders to show confidence.

When doing video calls or online meetings, sit properly. Sit upright on a chair
with squared shoulders as well.

Topic 4: Presenting Yourself - Attitude

Skills and experience are important in the workplace; however, a right attitude
builds a team and makes a person more agreeable in the workplace. A right attitude
will make the people around you be more comfortable in working with you, thus,
productivity and efficiency will be inevitable in the workplace.

Besides the empathetic skills that were discussed in Module 1, here are some
attitudes that you must embody in the workplace:
Respect for your workmates—may it be your superiors or subordinates
Enthusiasm in the workplace
Commitment to the job
Creative ideas
Industriousness
Genuine kindness

Lesson 3: Participating in Workplace Meetings and Discussions

Topic 1: Participate in Simple Conversation with Colleagues

Starting Conversations
Starting conversations is not an easy task; however, it is necessary to keep
relationships in tact in the workplace. Executing and understanding opening
statements are necessary skills in the workplace. Learning this skill can leave a
good impression to your co-workers, while neglecting this skill may cause
misunderstanding and confusion in the workplace.

Examples of Opening Statements:

How are you?

Have you eaten?
Anything new today?
Are you busy?
What time do you finish work?
Good morning!
Nice to meet you.
Where are you from?

Suggestions when starting conversations:

Find common interests.

Listen well.
Relax.
Avoid gossip and controversies.
Be genuine.

Closing Conversations

Meanwhile, closing out conversations is just as important as initiating

conversations. If not done properly, your listener may be left hanging and you can
come off rudely. The key to concluding conversations is to make sure that both you
and the receiver enjoyed the conversation. You don’t want to make a customer feel
unwanted because he/she seemed like a boring conversation partner. Instead, you
would want someone to learn something from your talk or to gain something positive
from the conversation.

Examples of Concluding Statements:

Thank you. I had a nice talk with you.

Goodbye. I hope to talk with you again soon.
Thank you for staying at Hotel Eleganza!
Have a great time.
I will call again to confirm. Thank you.

Suggestions when ending conversations:

Be genuine.
Use appropriate closing remarks.
Be clear and direct. Do not be ambiguous.
End on a good note.
Avoid unnecessary comments.

Topic 2: Respond to Simple Requests

Do not be afraid to ask for clarifications especially when there are things you do
not understand. When you do understand a task, it is important to confirm whether
you have received the message effectively.

Confirm Understanding
You could use short messages or nonverbal language to communicate your
understanding to your supervisor.

Examples of short responses:

Understood.
Yes, Sir/Ma’am.
Noted, Sir/Ma’am.
Nonverbal language to showing understanding of simple requests

Thumbs up
Okay hand gestures
Nodding your head
Doing the instruction correctly.

Asking for Repetition and Clarification

There will be times when requests will be quite difficult to understand. However,
the challenge is that people find it hard to clarify questions because they feel
shy or they think that they are not eloquent enough. This topic will aid you in
politely and effectively asking for clarification in the workplace:

Examples:

Could you please repeat your order, Sir/Ma’am?

Sorry, I did not catch that. Would you care to repeat?
Can we go over again, please?
I would like to confirm that you would want me to...
So, I should be...
What would you like me to do?
Make sure to give yourself time to understand the instruction first. Repeat the
instruction to confirm, and if you still cannot understand the instruction, ask for
repetition of the request.

Topic 3: Make Simple Requests

Polite language is a good form of first impression. Using polite language in the
workplace, especially when requesting something, will make you appear more
agreeable in the workplace. Failing to use polite language when making requests
will make you seem rude or demanding.

Using the words, “Please”, “Thank you”, “Will you…”, is helpful in constructing
polite statements.

Example:

May you please give this form to...

I was wondering if I can have a glass of water, please.
Thank you so much.
May I have your name, please?
Do not forget to express your gratitude when people respond to your request. When
you fail to affirm the person by expressing your thanks, it may lead to negative
feelings. Saying even a simple “Thank you” can be uplifting to a person.

How about those who do not respond to your request? There will be times when some
people would not agree or respond to your request. However, the best way to address
this is to still approach them with kindness and professionalism.

Topic 4: Express Likes, Dislikes, and Interests

Different people have varying opinions, especially in the workplace. You will
encounter various people with different likes, dislikes, and interests. Thus,
knowing how to adapt to these kinds of situations will be helpful in dealing with
your co-workers and in avoiding misunderstanding and confusion.

The present simple past tense is used in order to talk about things you like or
things that interest you. The present simple tense can also be used to express
dislike or discomfort toward a certain person, activity, or situation. Whatever the
likes or dislikes of your co-workers may be, it is important to approach them
kindly.

Here are some phrases or expressions that can assist you in expressing your likes,
dislikes, and interests:

Expressing your interest

I love...
I like...
I enjoy...
I am into...
I am fond of...

Expressing your disinterest

You can use the negative forms of the verbs you used in expressing your likes in
order to show your dislike. For example:

I am not into...
I am not fond of...
I am tired of...
Maybe you can improve on this...
The most crucial part in agreeing or disagreeing is the way you deliver the
statement. Disagreeing should not come off as disagreeable or rude, and expressing
likes or interest should not come off as fake. Be genuine when expressing that you
like something, yet be kind when expressing disinterest.

Topic 5: Giving and Receiving Constructive Feedback

Sandwich Technique
A method known as sandwich technique is also helpful in expressing your criticism
or dislike in the workplace. Basically, the sandwich technique involves three
steps:

Start with a positive comment.

Say the constructive criticism while still using an affirmative tone.
End with another positive observation or comment.

This is called the sandwich method because you “sandwich” a criticism between two
positive comments. Using the sandwich method helps in lessening the damage of a
negative statement and the same time, affirming the receiver of his/her efforts.

Scenario: A workmates is too energetic and positive every morning that it distracts
other employees from working. How would you confront this situation?

Using the sandwich method: "Janet, I noticed your bright aura every morning and
its just refreshing since it’s also encouraging to some of us here in the office.
However, I heard that it can somehow be a bit distracting to your other workmates,
so let’s try to balance the positive energy and the interactions between you and
your workmates. But it is encouraging Janet. Some have affirmed you for having an
encouraging aura."

Topic 6: Work Meeting Etiquette

Good First Impression

First impressions are important because it can greatly influence how people would
be treating you in the future. If you gave off an aloof impression, people will
most likely treat you the same in future interactions. When you treat people
politely and professionally, you will get respect in the workplace. Here are some
tips in making good first impressions:

Maintain eye contact

Give a gentle, but firm handshake.
Genuinely smile at people
Dress professionally
Be alert! Avoid falling asleep during meetings.

On treating people
Learn people’s names. Keep their business cards. Forgetting people’s names will
make it seem like you do not care about the person.
Do not judge people based on their job position. Treat managers, maintenance staff
members, and administrative support staff the same way.
Be careful when sharing your personal life with co-workers.
Respect people’s personal space. Know proxemics. Before getting overly familiar or
comfortable, check whether the other person is comfortable.

E-mail correspondence
Compose grammatically correct e-mails. This ensures professionalism in the
workplace.
Return calls and e-mails within 24 hours. Do not forget to reply.
Avoid using CAPS LOCK.

During Meetings
Arrive on time.
Do not judge people.
Listen well.
Express your opinions politely.
Avoid confrontations. There is a time and place to confront someone, and it should
never be done in a meeting. Doing so will be embarrassing for the both of you and
can result to more conflict.

Lesson 4: Communication Storages

Introduction
There are two ways of storing data- the manual filing system and computer filing
system. Manual filing system refers to the act of storing data in paper files,
folders, and cabinets. Computer-filing system refers to the act of storing data in
electronic devices.

Topic 1: Manual Filing System

Advantages

Filing is less complex.

Files cannot be tampered or edited illegally.

Disadvantages

Files can be physically damaged due to fire, flooding etc.

Files can be slower and harder to access because they need to be looked for
manually.
Files cannot be edited thus a new copy should be produced when mistakes occur.
Files may be out of order depending on who handles them.

Topic 2: Computer Filing System

Advantages

The texts are searchable thus the files are easier to access
Cost is cheaper because there is no need to buy supplies like cabinets, folders,
and papers.
Files can be edited immediately and shared to people even from distant places.

Disadvantages

Confidential files can be hacked and accessed by anyone.

Accessing files may be complex especially to those who do not know how to use
computers.

Topic 3: Storing Organizational Information

Information that has been collected and assessed for relevance to the
organisation’s activities is usually stored for future use, or passed on to another
person for use within the organisation. These records must be stored in their
correct place directly after using them, so that they can easily be located when
needed again.

Records are often stored for many years, so the storage system needs to keep
records in good condition, secure and accessible. Your organisation may have
different systems for storing:

print documents
electronic documents
confidential documents
archive documents.
Archives are old documents that are kept in long-term storage. These documents
cannot be destroyed, for legal or other reasons, before a specified date.

Much of the stored information should be kept confidential, and your organisation
will have developed policies and procedures relating to storing and disclosing of
information, based on privacy legislation and regulations.

Information Storage Protocols

The organisation in which you work is responsible for the safe and secure storage
and handling of its documents and records. This system must be supported by your
organisation’s policies and procedures for documentation, methods of filing and
retrieval, release of information and maintenance of confidentiality.

Examples of relevant policies include:

Record keeping policy

Access policy for confidential information
Record disposal policy
Confidentiality policy
Privacy policy

Legal and Operational Requirements

The storage of most operational documents, and particularly personal and case-
related documents, is prescribed by legislation or organizational protocol.

Using Databases
A database refers to any structured collection of data, for example, sets of client
records saved on a computer, or kept in files or folders in a cabinet, or contact
details or records kept on an index card system. Protocols for naming files and
storing them in appropriate folders will enable other staff to locate and access
the documents they require.

Regardless of its physical format, you still need to rely on information being up-
to-date and accurate. When access to the database is open to many users,
maintenance of the data can be more difficult and critical.

Strategies for ensuring accuracy of data need to be formalised in a system. This

system should be time-efficient, simple to use and effective. All users need to be
educated regarding their responsibilities to ensure ongoing maintenance

Lesson 1: Guidelines in Completing Relevant Work-Related Documents

Introduction
It is unavoidable that as part of the workforce, you would need to submit work-
related documents. Documents are necessary to ensure formality and record-keeping
in the workplace. It can also demonstrate the professionalism of an employee. Forms
may include HR/Personnel forms, telephone message forms, safety reports, etc.

Written communication is just another mode of communication. Thus, it is important

for employees to be able to understand written texts, as well as create them. For
this unit, different workplace forms will be identified. In addition to that,
guidelines that must be followed when accomplishing written documents will also be
tackled.

Topic 1: Guidelines in Completing Relevant Work-Related Documents

Workplace Forms and Documents

Most business operations rely on complete and accurate workplace documents for
communication, information management and record keeping. Your role may require you
to write emails and letters, and complete documents and reports

Determine authorizations and permissions

You might prepare documents to be signed by delegated persons, or be authorized to

sign certain documents yourself. Some information is protected by privacy and
confidentiality policies that determine who can see it.

dentify any rules and formats that apply

Organizations are often specific about how to present formal correspondence and
case management notes, as well as reporting and record keeping, including for legal
purposes. Workplace guidelines, templates and forms are often provided to ensure
that these tasks are completed correctly.

Check your information thoroughly

Misleading, incorrect or missing information is not only frustrating for the people
who process or refer to the information; it could have client service, financial,
duty of care or reporting implications for which your organization is legally
liable. If you are in rural or regional areas, incorrect information could delay
important processes that could severely affect your client. If you are unsure how
to fill out forms or complete documentation, always ask – don’t guess.

Topic 2: Administrative Protocols

A protocol is simply a set of rules that describe the standard way to approach a
task. Following administrative protocols means that you perform tasks in accordance
with your organization’s policies, procedures, and expectations.

Some of the areas covered by administrative protocols may include:

designated officers required to approve or sign a document

time frames set for completion or submission
restrictions on who can access or use the information
storage and archiving requirements
obtaining comparative quotes for goods or services.

Topic 3: Communicating Your Message

On occasion, you may be required to develop a new form or document for a specific
purpose. The format you choose will be determined by the preference of your
organisation. Whatever format you choose, pay particular attention to how well your
document conveys your message, through:

• its purpose, message and audience

• the layout of the information

• use of headings and paragraphs to make the document easy to read

• use of logos, disclaimers, privacy, and copyright statements.

Topic 4: Organizational Policies and Procedures

Procedures provide specific guidelines for completing a task, such as filling out
and submitting a form. The procedures are normally based on organisational policy,
which deals with broad issues, roles and functions relating to the specific area,
such as case management, workplace safety or purchasing.

If you are unsure of the policies or procedures that apply in your workplace, ask a
more experienced co-worker to assist you, or refer to your organisation’s
guidelines or manuals. Procedures you must follow may be similar to the following
examples:

Most business operations rely on complete and accurate workplace documents for
communication, information management and record keeping. Your role may require you
to write emails and letters, and complete documents and reports.

You might prepare documents to be signed by delegated persons, or be authorized to

sign certain documents yourself. Some information is protected by privacy and
confidentiality policies that determine who can see it.

Organisations are often specific about how to present formal correspondence and
case management notes, as well as reporting and record keeping, including for legal
purposes. Workplace guidelines, templates and forms are often provided to ensure
that these tasks are completed correctly.

Misleading, incorrect, or missing information is not only frustrating for the

people who process or refer to the information; it could have client service,
financial, duty of care or reporting implications for which your organisation is
legally liable. If you are in rural or regional areas, incorrect information could
delay important processes that could severely affect your client. If you are unsure
how to fill out forms or complete documentation, always ask – don’t guess.

Lesson 2: Types of Workplace Forms

Topic 1: Formal Letter

Block Letter
The most commonly used format for business letters is the Block format. In this
format, all the parts are aligned left. Block format uses single spacing.
Parts of a Business Letter
1. Date – State the month, date, and year that you wrote the letter.

2. Sender’s name and address – State your name and company address. This part
is sometimes no longer required when writing business lettters.

3. Inside address – State the complete name of the receiver of your message.
If you can, also include his/her position in the organization. Also add the address
of her organization.

4. Salutation – Remember to use a colon ( : ) instead of a comma ( , ) since

this is a business letter.

5. Body Text – State the reason why you are writing the letter. Do not forget
to use a professional and affirmative note when writing the content of your letter.

6. Closing/”Call to Action” – At the end, mention what your receiver needs to

do or how to reach you should there be follow-up questions.

7. Signature – End your letter with your signature. Use black or blue ink
only.

Guidelines in Writing a Business Letter

1. Use a professional tone and save chatty, lengthy, and casual language for
email. Business letters should be professional sounding, yet friendly.

2. Be clear. Be straightforward when writing your letter. Avoid using jargon

or words that will not be understood by your receiver.

3. Organize your information well. Before writing your letter, you can write
an outline first to organize information first.

4. Know your reader. Write the appropriate message for your receiver. If they
follow a style guide or guidelines in their organization, use that format when
writing your letter.

5. Do not forget your “call to action”. Do not let your reader hanging at the
end. Let them know what they should do after getting your letter. In addition to
that, let them know how they can reach you should they have follow-up questions.

6. Proofread! Check if there are any errors or information which you forgot
to add.

Letter of Insufficiency in Supply

Topic 2: Memorandum

A memorandum is a workplace document intended to point out and resolve issues.

1.) At the top of the page, type MEMORANDUM

2.) TO: (Intended receiver)

3.) FROM: (Sender of the memo)

4.) CC: (Carbon Copy/ other secondary receivers)

5.) DATE: (Date the memo is made)

6.) SUBJECT: (The problem that needs to be addressed)

7.) In writing the body, skip the salutation.

8.) Introduce the problem in the first paragraph.

9.) Suggest the needed solutions.

10.) Close the Memo with a warm note such as:

“I am looking forward to your response.”

11.) Sign your name below.

12.) Use Arial typeface unless your organization has a standard format.

Topic 3: Circular
A circular is a formal and official letter addressed to a group of people in the
workplace, a department, or a whole organization.

1.) Letter Indexing. The first line refers to the organizational level and the
second line refers to the specific department a circular is addressed to.

2.) Date

3.) Receivers

4.) Subject: (What the letter is all about)

5.) Body

6.) Sign off with “yours faithfully,”

7.) Sender’s name and position

Topic 4: Notice
Notices are short formal documents that are sent to send urgent or important
matters.

What a notice shall contain:

Name of the issuing workplace or organization

Date
Eye-catching header
Description of the header
Purpose why it is written
Other important details

Types of notices:

Notice of an event
Lost and Found notice
Notice about future tours, camps, or fairs

Lesson 3: Utilizing Electronic Media

Topic 1: Social Media

Because of the emergence of the social media, different offices have enforced
policies regarding the proper use of them. Our social media accounts represent us
and we represent our companies. When using the social media, remember some of these
basic reminders:

● Stay professional and polite.

● Don’t spread gossip and malicious content.

● Don’t share personal information.

● Adhere to your organization’s social media policy

● When using social media as a workplace communication tool, stay professional

when chatting with others.

● You may talk informally if the conversation permits but never forget to
address people accordingly.

● Double check your messages or posts.

Topic 2: E-Mail
Electronic mail (e-mail) is the most commonly used medium of communication in the
workplace especially when you are communicating with people away from you.

Here are some rules when sending e-mails:

1. Always add a subject.

Your subject should contain what your e-mail is about. Make your subject sound
professional. It should also be clear and concise. Avoid using ALL CAPS as it may
look like you are shouting to the receiver.
2. Know the difference between the BCc and the Cc.

BCc stands for Blind Carbon Copy while Cc stands for Carbon Copy. When you use the
BCc, the email address of those you sent the message to will not be visible to
others. On the other hand, when you use the Cc, the e-mail addresses will be seen
by others. Use the BCc when the recipients do not each other. This will ensure
their privacy. You can use the Cc when the recipients belong to the same workplace.
3. Address the recipient properly.

Know your recipient. Know his/her full name and position. Add salutation.
4. Compose your e-mail as if composing a formal letter.

Take note of your proper capitalization, punctuations, and grammar.

5. Be cautious when replying to all.

Do not click reply to all if your message to a single person is not relevant to
others.
6. Check your attachments.

If you have attachments, state it in your message.

Example:

Attached in this e-mail is…

Attached herewith...

Rename the files before attaching it. Avoid sending files with informal titles.
Make sure there really is an attachment if you say so.
If you are sending large files, ask permission first. If the file is directed to
the drive, also state it in your e-mail.
7. Include sign-offs before your name.

Example:

Sincerely,

Respectfully yours,

Regards,

8. Limit your signature to 5-6 lines only.

Topic 3: Fax Machine

A facsimile or fax machine is used to send a document electronically to another fax
machine. Fax machines operate on phone network.

To send a document:

· You need to have a fax machine and a working telephone.

· Make sure your machine has ink (toner) and paper.

· Take the document you want to send and place it in the feeder. Make sure
it is placed properly in the correct direction.

· Dial the number you want to send the document to.

· Press send.

In receiving a document:

· Do not answer the phone when a fax document is being sent.

Set it to automatic if you want to receive a document

Topic 4: Text Messaging

Nowadays, Short Message Service (SMS) or text messaging is one of the most used
mediums when doing business transactions. However, it must be utilized with care.
Here are some guidelines should you decide to use text messages to communicate with
your communication sources:

1. Make sure that the message you are sending is appropriate to send via SMS. As
much as possible, it is more appropriate to use email in the workplace. However,
SMS can be used for urgent requests or when you immediately need feedback.

2. Do not send messages after work hours. Do not call a client to remind them of an
appointment during the wee hours of the night—may it be text or call.

3. Keep it short and simple. Also avoid use of abbreviations and emoticons.

4. Use correct grammar and punctuation.

5. Write text messages as if you were writing a formal business letter or email.

Receiving and Responding to Workplace Communication

Lesson 1: Workplace Etiquette

Introduction
Work etiquette is a set of rules or expectations expected in the workplace. This
ensures that everyone’s rights and personal space are protected, as well as,
ensuring that everything that happens in the workplace is in its proper place.
Whatever your position may be in the workplace, it is important to follow the
following work etiquette.

Interactions are important in the workplace. It is impossible to perform workplace

duties without communicating with your officemates. However, the workplace will
require certain expectation as to how you behave and perform certain workplace
tasks.

For this unit, we will be discussing the different attitudes and actions that are
expected of you in the workplace such as work etiquette and common organization
guidelines.

Lesson 1: Introduction to Communication

Communication is the process of exchanging information and ideas through different
modes. Human communication does not only refer to the exchange of words but also to
the interaction between two or more persons. This involves a sender of the message
and a receiver who interprets the message.

In this lesson, we would be talking about communication and how knowing about the
processes of communication could help in creating a more efficient and effective
workplace environment.

Topic 1: What is Communication?

Communication is a systemic process of people interacting with and through symbols
in order to create, share, and interpret meanings. It is referred to as a process
because its beginning and end are hard to identify. It can also take place in
different modes. Modes refer to the way by which communication can be expressed.

In order for communication to take place, two main actors work together. They are
called the sender and the receiver. Being able to send the message to a receiver
does not guarantee a successful communication process. Effective communication
takes place when the sender receives a feedback or response that he initially
wanted the receiver to have.
Meanwhile, workplace communication is defined as the process of information
exchange, may it be through verbal, nonverbal, or written communication, within an
organization. A workplace is identified by employees from different cultures and
backgrounds. Given these differences, effective communication is crucial to unite
employees and ensure that all workplace processes are properly done.

Communication is essential for every employee to function and interact properly.

Managers and supervisors need communication in order to adapt and give feedback to
their employees. Communication is required in developing business plans and
carrying out workplace tasks. In addition to that, it is need to communicate with
various communication sources such as team members, supervisors, industry bodies,
trade personnel, etc.

Effective workplace communication guarantees that all processes needed in an

organization are properly executed. Effective communication increases productivity
and efficiency in the workplace. Without it, unwanted error and mistakes may occur.

This course would hopefully help you in developing your communication skills in
order to give you advantage whether it may be in finding employment opportunities
or in interacting with your current workplace set-up.

Topic 2: The Communication Process

Shannon and Weaver Communication Model
There are many communication models. For this lesson, we will be getting an idea
from Shannon and Weaver’s model of communication. Through understanding the
components of the communication process, workers can know what area to improve on
and contribute to successful and effective communication flow in the workplace.

Parts of the Communication Model

Like any other process, the communication process also has parts or elements.
Namely:

Source – One who sends or delivers a message. One who initiates the communication
process. The source can also be called as the sender or author.
The source plays a crucial role in the process, because if the source failed to
deliver the message properly, then the entire communication process may fail.

Message – Transformed thoughts into a form (i.e. voice, audio, text, signals,
etc.) that the source sends to the receiver. It is the information that the source
wants to transmit.

Channel – Type of medium used to send messages between the source and the
receiver.

Receiver – One who receives the message. The communication process is considered
successful when the receiver responds the way the source intended. Like the source,
a receiver’s role is vital in the communication process. He or she must also be
active and intentional in receiving messages. In that way, the receiver can respond
the correct way.

However, the communication process does not end there. The effect of the message
and the feedback of the receiver should also be noted in order to know the result
of the communication process.

Effect – Response of the receiver after getting the message from the source
Feedback – An important product of the communication process. It tells the source
how effective the selected message and channel are upon the receiver. Furthermore,
it allows the source to adjust the communication process so that it is more
effective. Feedback confirms whether there is mutual understanding between the
source and the receiver. Without it, the source would not know if understanding
took place.

The communication process is not always ideal. Sometimes, interference can also
occur when the source sends a message. This is called:

Noise – Disruptions in the communication process. In the workplace, noise can be

common especially when unfamiliar people communicate with each other.

Later on, we will identify noises that hinder effective communication in the
workplace.

Topic 2: The Communication Process

Activity: The Communication Process
Directions: Drag the specific part of the communication process to its right
definition. You can try this activity multiple times.

Topic 3: Communication Modes

Humans communicate through different modes. It is impossible to communicate with
only one mode in your entire work life.

Communication modes are defined as the ways by which communication can be

expressed. It can be through verbal communication, nonverbal communication, and
written communication.

Let us tackle them one by one!

Topic 3: Communication Modes

Verbal Communication

Lesson 8: Hindrances to Communication

Going back to the model, as you can see, the idea of noise is included. Noise is
anything that prevents the receiver to obtain the whole message sent by the sender.

Noise may come in different forms:

Physical Noise
refers to the everyday environmental noise that disrupts the messages such as low
telephone volume, a distracting seatmate, or the the sound of vehicles.

Physiological impairment such as deafness or blindness may also be considered as

physical noise.
Semantic Noise
refers to when a sender and a receiver interprets words in different ways.
Syntactical, organizational, and cultural noises are kinds of semantic noise.

Syntactical Noise are mistakes in grammar and tenses that elicits different
interpretations.

Organizational Noise are mistakes in the structure of the message that create
confusion. It can be unclear or badly stated directions that can confuse a
receiver.

Cultural Noise are inconsistencies in the meaning due to cultural barriers.

Example: For Arabians, the nodding of the head signifies disagreement while for the
Filipinos, it signifies an approval.

Psychological Noise
refers to thoughts and feelings that can distract a person from fully understanding
a sender’s message. It can be bias, anger, strong emotions etc.

Verbal communication refers to the mode of communication that involves speaking. It

occurs when you speak or when you use words. This includes face-to-face
communication and communicating through a medium such as:

● Telephone

● Cellphone

● Video calls or conference calls

Nonverbal Communication

Meanwhile, nonverbal communication refers to non-speech type of communication. It

is any type of communication that does not include spoken word. Examples: body
signal (kinesics), object signal (artifacts), time signal (chronemics), space
signal (proxemics), touch signal (haptics)

It can refer to the way we say the words, surroundings that may affect
communication, objects, patterns, and more.

Remaining in silence or not responding at all is also a form of nonverbal

communication. So, when it is quiet, it does not necessarily mean that
communication is not taking place. Silence can also mean something.

Written Communication

Written communication refers to communicating through writing:

● Letters

● E-mails

● Text messages

● Writing memorandum

● Etc.

Topic 4: Importance of Workplace Communication

Communication is essential because it ensures that you can properly explain your
thoughts in in the workplace. When you can explain your ideas, you can achieve your
personal and professional goals, as well as, better relate to your workmates. It is
the key to your success, may it be in the workplace, being part of the community,
or in whatever place or situation you are. For businesses and organizations, all
employees must be able to communicate may it be through verbal or nonverbal
communication.

In addition to that, communication is necessary in a workplace because it ensures:

● Unity - Good communication creates a strong foundation in building

relationships and uniting the team members.

● Sharing - Good communication establishes an open environment where team

members can share their ideas easily.

● Professionalism - Good communication can help individuals develop positivity

and professionalism.

● Good Output - A team with good communication produces good outputs.

Topic 5: Skills You Need to Communicate Properly

Everything you do in the workplace results from communication. However, people are
not necessarily born with exceptional communication skills. Like any other ability,
communication is learned and improved through repeated practice.

Therefore, to communicate effectively, here are some skills that you need to learn
and hone. Later on, we will be diving deeper on how these specific skills could be
improved.

Listening – referred to as an active, complex processes that include being mindful,

physically receiving messages, selecting and organizing information, interpreting,
responding, and remembering.

Speaking – speaking happens when you make vocal sounds. It can also mean to talk,
converse, express one’s thoughts through verbal language.

Critical Thinking – the ability to think clearly and make informed decisions. It
needs to execute reflective and independent thinking.

Empathetic Skills – empathy involves a deep sensitivity to recall, relive, and tap
on the feelings and experiences of others. When you gain understanding of others’
feelings, every member of the workplace is able to see themselves more clearly.

Empathy can be demonstrated when:

Restating
Clarifying
Questioning
Interpreting
Confronting
Reflecting feelings
Supporting
Facilitating
Initiating
Setting goals
Evaluating
Suggesting/Giving feedback
Blocking

Lesson 2: Listening
When we talk about communication, people have the tendency to only focus on the
talking part. However, talking is just a small part of communication. It’s not
even the greatest component of communication. Effective communication entails
active listening and understanding. However, the reality is that people pay less
attention to listening and tend to focus on speaking.

This lesson will be focusing on developing your active listening skills in order to
make you better communicators. Furthermore, this lesson would help you in knowing
why listening is important to becoming effective communicators.

Topic 1: Hearing vs. Listening

Is there a difference between hearing and listening?

Hearing is referred to as the physiological process that happens when the brain
distinguishes sound waves. Meanwhile, listening refers to the process of receiving,
attending to, making meaning, and responding to messages.

Hearing is the process, listening is when you intentionally hear and try to
understand the message. In the workplace, you are expected to not just hear, but to
listen.

Why is it important to listen?

Listening is a very important skill because the way you listen affects your
effectivity and efficiency in your job. Instead of talking more, we should practice
listening more in the workplace. Active listening lets you hear what was delivered
verbally, as well non verbally. Listening is important especially in getting
instructions.

Active listening is not just hearing, but also understanding the meaning behind the
message. Active listening entails a lot of focusing because it requires the
listener to repeat in his/her own mind what the speaker is saying.

Facts about listening

Here are some facts about listening:

-Human beings listen at a rate of 15-250 words per minute.
-55% o what we mean is derived from facial expressions
-2/100 people had a formal education about listening.
-The information that we hear goes directly to our short-term memory and we can
only retain 7 bits of information at a time.

Topic 2: Stages of the Listening Process

Stages of the Listening Process

1.Receiving - listening to both verbal and nonverbal messages.
2.Understanding - processing and extracting meaning.
3.Evaluating - balancing options, deciphering whether what you heard is the truth,
or whether it is important or not.
4.Remembering - transfer from the short-term memory to the long-term memory
5.Responding - giving of feedback.
Source: DeVito, J. A. (2000). The elements of public speaking (7th ed.). New York,
NY: Longman.

Topic 3: Barriers to Listening

There are two main types of barriers to listening: external and internal obstacles.
Take note of these challenges, so you could identify these issues and hopefully
overcome them to listen better in the workplace.

External
Message overload – This occurs when there is an overwhelming amount of message.
When there are too many messages, it makes it harder to focus on one message. It
can also happen when you communicate with using two channels at a time. For
example, talking on the phone while writing an e-mail.
Message complexity – When a job gets harder, of course the descriptions necessary
to do the job gets more complicated. Thus, there will be times that it would be
harder to follow. Message complexity refers to situations where a message is too
complicated to understand.
Environmental distractions – Finally, the surroundings can also affect listening.
When the environment is noisy, it could be harder to listen.

Internal
Preoccupation – When there are many thoughts or concerns in your head, it would be
quite harder to listen to someone talk.
Prejudgments – Initial judgement of a person or a situation also makes it harder to
listen. When you already have a preconceived idea about someone or your co-worker,
you might assume that it is no longer necessary to listen to his or her ideas.
Lack of effort – Because active listening requires active effort, some are unable
or unwilling to intentionally listen.
Difficulty in adjusting to communication style – Different people communicate
differently. Thus, there are some people who are easier to understand, and some
will be quite challenging.

Whatever the issue you face in when it comes to listening, active listening and
understanding entails conscious effort. You really need to try in attending,
understanding, remembering, evaluating, and responding to a message in order to
show that you are an effective listener.

Attentive listeners will try to remove environmental distractions such as

televisions, phones, or laptops when talking to someone.

Source: Wood, J. T. (2011). Communication in our lives. Cengage Learning.

Topic 4: Active Listening Strategies

Strategies to develop active listening skills

Here are some strategies that can aid you in every step of the listening process:

1. Attending – intentionally understanding by focusing on the speaker and the

message

Be physically, mentally, and emotionally prepared to listen to the other speaker.

Remove physical or mental distractions (i.e. noise, distracting thoughts, etc.)
Defer judgment and hear the speaker out.
Discover what learning you can take home from the speaker.

2. Understanding – Accurately representing the message

Identify the main idea and major points of the message.

Do not be afraid to ask questions.
Summarize your understanding.
Observe nonverbal cues.

3. Remembering – Ability to retain and recall information.

Repeat the message to confirm understanding.

Make use of mnemonic devices. This tool associates special words or statements with
longer information.
Take notes. You can only remember 20-30% of what you hear. Taking down notes is
very important especially when you want to remember details, or when you are
receiving instructions.

4. Evaluating – Determining whether the message is trustworthy by critically

analyzing it.

Here are some important questions you can ask when evaluating a message. Asking
these questions would help you in evaluating whether you should accept the message
as true:

What are the facts that support the statement?

Is the information connected to the main idea?
Are there contradictions to the statement?

Source: Verderber, R., Sellnow, D., & Verderber, K. (2014). The challenge of
effective speaking in a digital age. Nelson Education.

Lesson 3: Speaking
The ability to speak properly is a very important skill as well. It is necessary
that you know what to say to different people in different circumstances.

You should also learn what and how to respond to people talking to you.

This lesson will hopefully aid you in developing and improving your workplace
speaking skills.

Topic 1: Types of Speaking and Conversations

Three Types of Speaking:

1. Interactive – participants alternately speak and listen.

Ex. face-to-face conversations, telephone calls, group meetings

2. Partially interactive – only the speaker speaks and the feedback is the
audience’s

attentiveness, small gestures like nodding, etc.

Ex. giving a speech to a large audience

3. Non-interactive – the audience cannot interact immediately.

Ex. Radio/Television broadcast

Types of Conversations
Besides the types of speaking that were discussed earlier, it is a reality that you
will also be communicating with varying work groups in the workplace. It is
important for you to be prepared should you encounter and talk to different numbers
of people. Here are some forms of conversation that you may encounter in the
workplace:

1. One-on-One Conversations

One-on-one conversations is a structured conversation where in two people exchange

information. Examples of one-on-one conversations is communicating with your
supervisor when presenting a report.

2. Small Group Conversations

Three or more people who communicate in order to reach a common goal. They consider
themselves as interdependent—as somehow needing one another.

3. Large Group Communication

Group communication is referred to as information or message exchange with people

who share the same values and are culturally, linguistically, or geographically
alike.

Source:

Burton, G., & Dimbleby, R. (2002). More than words: An introduction to

communication. Routledge.

Suárez Vilagran, M. D. M. (2008). Four language skills: speaking. Retrieved from:

http://diposit.ub.edu/dspace/bitstream/2445/21326/1/4%20skills%20-%20speaking.pdf

Topic 2: Guidelines in Speaking

Speak Appropriately
entails using language that will not offend your listeners.

1. Relevance

It answers the question, “What does it have to do with me?” The person you are
talking to will be more interested on your stories if it something that he or she
can relate to. Most of the time, listeners want to hear something that is timely to
them, something that is related to their work, and something that is useful to
them.

2. Common ground

Finding out related knowledge, background, information, and shared experiences that
your audience can relate to. Setting common ground can be done by using “we”.
3. Linguistic sensitivity

It is using language that is respectful of others and not offensive to them. To be

linguistically sensitive, make sure to use appropriate words for a specifc
industry. Avoid offensive humor, profanity, and vulgarity. Make sure that the words
you use are also culturally appropriate.

Speak Accurately
Use of words that tell the meaning you initially intended. Make sure that when you
speak it is understandable, in the right context, and gives off a positive and
neutral tone.

Speak Clearly
1. Use specific language – using precise words that will not make your message
ambiguous.

2. Avoid jargon – Jargon refers to technical terms that are used by a specific
trade or profession.

3. Avoid slang – Slang refers to words or vocabulary that are used by a specific
group or culture. Overusing slang and jargon may also hinder clarity. Never assume
that all people can understand jargon and slang just because it is common to you.

Source: Verderber, R., Sellnow, D., & Verderber, K. (2014). The challenge of
effective speaking in a digital age. Nelson Education.

Topic 3: Showing Confidence When Speaking

When you speak confidently, you increase the credibility and effectiveness of your
message. However, there are some instances that people get anxious or nervous
whenever they communicate. These instances can also be referred to as communication
apprehension. Although getting nervous is normal and natural, too much can hinder
the flow of messages.

Here are some tips you can remember when you get communication apprehension:

1. Have a positive mindset

When you let your mind be preoccupied with anxious thoughts, it may hinder you more
in communicating effectively. Instead, think of it as a natural occurrence that can
be resolved.

2. Use positive help talk

In industries where you would have to communicate with larger groups (i.e. hotels,
restaurants, etc.), you can use positive help talk when you feel nervous. Affirming
words such as “I can do this,” or “I can guide these customers,” can gelp you in
communicating.

3. Do positive visualization
Positive visualization is a technique used to reduce anxiety when speaking. It is
done by simply visualizing or picturing that you are communicating effectively. In
the workplace, it can be applied when someone pictures that he or she is doing well
with a presentation.

4. Practice!

Like any other skill, effective speaking skills can be honed through constant
practice. Try speaking in front of the mirror before delivering a presentation or
talking to a client. It can really improve your skills.

Lesson 4: Effective Nonverbal Communication

Introduction

Nonverbal communication is all forms of communication that does not use spoken
words. It may include the way we utter words, the surroundings affecting the
message, objects that influence personal preferences, etc.

Topic 1: Categories of Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication includes all speech elements other than the use of words
themselves.

Nonverbal communication can be categorized into:

1. Body Signal (kinesics ) – Also known as kinesics and are nonverbal signals of
the body.

Example: Shaking hands, slumping posture, peace sign

2. Object signals (artifacts.) – Nonverbal messages identified through physical

objects. These are also known as artifacts.

Example: Clutter on the table, picture frames on the workplace table

3. Space signal (proxemics. )– Also known as proxemics. It can also be sent by

use of personal space.

Example: Distance when you talk to your boss in the workplace, distance of office
chairs and tables

4. Time signal (chronemics )– Also known as chronemics and identified by time

actions.

Example: Being punctual or late to work

5. Touch signal (haptics)– Also called as haptics. These are nonverbal messages
executed through touch.

Example: Patting someone on the back, touching someone

Source: Mehrabian, A. (2017). Nonverbal communication. Routledge.

Topic 2: Guidelines for Improving Nonverbal Communication

1. Monitor your nonverbal communication

Be cautious of your nonverbal communication. Think about its proper use and how it
would affect the people you are directing it to. Also ask yourself the kind of vibe
or image it gives off to other people.

2. Interpret others’ nonverbal communication cautiously

Just as how you monitor your own nonverbal communication, be wary of other people’s
nonverbal cues too. Do their nonverbal cues show that they are interested on what
you are saying?

In addition to that, we should also be careful in generalizing nonverbal cues. We

cannot conclude that a particular behavior means to specific people in a particular
context.

3. Be mindful of space

As discussed in the previous topic, space can also be a form of nonverbal

communication. In order to effectively communicate nonverbally in the workplace,
take note of people’s personal space.

Source: Wood, J. T. (2011). Communication in our lives. Cengage Learning.

Lesson 5: Questioning
Another important skill is questioning. When you ask relevant questions, it gives
the idea that you want to know and understand more. There are different types of
questions. You have to know when to use these types of questions appropriately.

Topic 1: What is Questioning?

Questions are defined as statements used to clarify information or to get details.
Questions are also used in order to request for information that can encourage your
audience or listeners to think and search for answers related to the topics.

Questioning is important in the workplace because it can be used to clarify

understanding. In addition to that, questioning also:

Develops critical thinking skills

Increases cuiriosity
Evaluate understanding
Encourages discussion
Encourages employees to seek information on their own
Reviews and summarizes topics
Develops problem solving skills

Topic 2: Types of Questions

1.) Closed-Ended Questions

Questions that are answerable by YES or NO

Example: “Were you able to finish the report I asked you to do?”
2.) Open-Ended Questions

Questions that cannot be simply answered by YES or NO. It requires a longer

explanation.

Example: “Why were you not able to finish the report I asked you to do?”

3.) Funnel Questions

Set of questions that begin with a broad, general question which is followed by
more specific questions.

Example: “Can you tell me more about that place?”

4.) Probing Questions

Questions that are asked to elicit more details. These are done by asking up to 5
whys until you get to the bottom.

Example: Your customer does not want to pay for the dish he ordered.

5.) Leading Questions

Leading questions are questions that make the respondent answer in the way you want
them to. These questions are commonly used for persuasion. Because of this, you
should be very cautious in asking and answering this type of question.

Example: "Would you say that you are extremely satisfied with our care?"

6.) Rhetorical Questions

These are questions that do not need any answer at all. They are just statements in
question form and are commonly used to make a point.

Example: "Can we do better next time?"

Topic 3: The Art of Questioning

It is not enough to simply enough to know the different types of questions.

Questioning is not just for getting information or for just getting tasks done.
Questioning can actually engage or interest your audience or listeners. Through
effective questioning, one can shift from concrete and factual thinking to more
analytical and evaluative thinking. In addition to that, it also promotes
reasoning, problem solving, and evaluation. Through questioning, critical thinking
skills are also developed. It promotes higher thinking in the workplace.

The art of questioning can be very beneficial when in group meetings or when in
brainstorming meetings.
Here are some principles that you can apply when initiating effective questioning:

1. Actively involve everyone by distributing questions

When in a brainstorming or group meeting, allow everybody to involved in

questioning.
2. Balance factual, and though-provoking questions.

Make sure to balance out closed-ended questions and open-ended questions.

3. Promote answering completely and encourage feedback.

When asking questions, give the listener or the team sufficient time to give their
answers and feedback.
4. Personalize questions.

Another suggestion when conducting effective questioning is personalizing

questions. Try asking situational questions such as, “Let’s say you were confronted
with this situation...”
5. Collaborate!

Suggest ways on how you can collaborate with one another to address the question ot
situation.

Lesson 6: Critical Thinking and Decision Making

Topic 1: Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking refers to the way of thinking by analyzing, assessing, and

reconstructing the thought. It is the thorough pondering of ideas.

Here are several critical thinking skills you can use in the workplace:

1.) Analyzing – separating a whole thought into parts.

2.) Applying Standards – judging according to personal, professional, or societal

standards.

3.) Discriminating – identifying similarities and differences, then classifying

things.

4.) Information seeking – searching for evidences and other details related to a
specific problem to further elaborate.

5.) Logical reasoning – making reasonable conclusions from justified evidences.

6.) Predicting – foretelling a plan and its possible consequences.

7.) Transforming knowledge – changing the form of information to make it more

understandable.
Why should you think critically?
Critical thinking is needed before giving feedback. One needs to make sure that a
message is thoroughly processed or thought of before delivering it to the intended
person. Critical thinking ensures that no unnecessary comments or feedback are
thrown in the workplace.

Finally, critical thinking allows an employee to relate better to the experiences

of others. Because of this skill, an employee gets to perform well with other
people—and perform well in the workplace, in general.

Topic 2: Problem Sensitivity and Social Perceptiveness

Social Perceptiveness is referred to as being aware of what your co-workers are

thinking through observation. It is being aware of the reactions of others and
understanding why they react that way. It is the ability to sense not only sense
the verbal cues—but also the nonverbal cues of your co-workers. Meanwhile, problem
sensitivity is being aware when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.

Nowadays, companies and organizations prefer to have employees who are not
necessarily smarter, but employees who possess high socioemotional skills. Social
perceptiveness and problem sensitivity are some of the socioemotional skills
considered to be crucial in career development.

When you are socially perceptive, you know what to do when people react in a way
that you did not expect. For example, you can determine if someone is already
feeling uncomfortable in a situation.

Here are some tips that you can do in order to develop problem sensitivity and
social perceptiveness:

1.) Become a better listener

2.) Be aware of people’s background and preferences

3.) Focus on nonverbal cues

Topic 3: Creative Problem Solving

Have you encountered an issue in the office that felt too difficult? Perhaps you
have been loaded with too much workload that you no longer have an idea where to
begin. You can still improve your performance in the workplace by practicing the
creative problem solving model.

Challenges and obstacles will be a mundane part of the office life. However, you do
no have to stress over it. Creative Problem Solving can be used in order to make
balanced decisions and choosing the right course of action.

Creative Problem Solving Model

Here are the steps in doing the creative problem solving model:
First, clarify or identify the problem. Next, ideate or formulate a plan to address
the situation. Afterwards, develop the necessary strategies needed to address the
problem. And finally, implement or apply these strategies.

Lesson 7: Empathetic Skills

Introduction
Empathy is being able to genuinely relate to the feelings, emotions, and thoughts
of others. It involves being sensitive to others and the ability to step into
someone’s shoes to understand them.

Empathy is important in the workplace because it is a way of showing respect to a

co-worker and to show care instead of just simply following rules and regulations.
Empathy skills strengthens leadership and camaraderie of a team.

Topic 1: Empathetic Skills

Empathy is referred to as being able to relate to the feelings, thoughts, and

emotions of your co-employees in the workplace. Though it may sound like a soft
skill, empathy is a necessary skill in fostering team work in the workplace. Thus,
many employers prefer to hire employees who possess this skill.

Empathetic Skills
The following skills below are identified as group leadership skills by Corey in
his book, Theory and Practice of Group Counseling. However, these skills can also
be applied in the workplace. In addition to that, the skills stated below can also
indicate or show your respect and empathy towards your colleagues in the workplace.

Like any other skills, these skills can be learned and honed.

Here are some empathetic skills that you should apply in the workplace:

Active Listening

Paying total or complete attention to a speaker and being attentive of both verbal
and nonverbal cues.

Restating

Repeating or reaffirming what a speaker said. This can also be an extension of

active listening.

Clarifying

Responding to confusing aspects of a message.

Summarizing

Summing up important elements of a discussion in order provide continuity and give

direction to a session.

Questioning

Used to elicit further discussion, stimulate thinking, and gather information about
a topic or subject.
Interpreting

Offering possible reasons for occurring thoughts, behaviors, and feelings.

Confronting

Pointing conflicting words or verbal messages that may have hurt a team member.
Encourages honest evaluation and awareness of self.

Reflecting Feelings

Communicating understanding of feelings. It is letting members feel that they are

heard and understood.

Supporting

Giving affirmation to team members to create an agreeable atmosphere in the

workplace.

Initiating

Encouraging participation among group members by letting them lead.

Suggesting

Providing advice and information to group members in order to improve workplace

processes.
Modeling

Demonstrating ideal behaviors to group in order to lead an example.

Source: Corey, G. (2004). Theory and Practice of Group counseling 6th. CA:
Brooks/Cole-Thomson Learning.

Lesson 8: Hindrances to Communication

Topic 1: Hindrances to Communication

Going back to the model, as you can see, the idea of noise is included. Noise is
anything that prevents the receiver to obtain the whole message sent by the sender.

Noise may come in different forms:

Physical Noise
refers to the everyday environmental noise that disrupts the messages such as low
telephone volume, a distracting seatmate, or the the sound of vehicles.

Physiological impairment such as deafness or blindness may also be considered as

physical noise.

Semantic Noise
refers to when a sender and a receiver interprets words in different ways.
Syntactical, organizational, and cultural noises are kinds of semantic noise.

Syntactical Noise are mistakes in grammar and tenses that elicits different
interpretations.

Organizational Noise are mistakes in the structure of the message that create
confusion. It can be unclear or badly stated directions that can confuse a
receiver.

Cultural Noise are inconsistencies in the meaning due to cultural barriers.

Example: For Arabians, the nodding of the head signifies disagreement while for the
Filipinos, it signifies an approval.

Psychological Noise
refers to thoughts and feelings that can distract a person from fully understanding
a sender’s message. It can be bias, anger, strong emotions etc.

Topic 2: Managing Hindrances to Communication

To get rid of noise that cause misunderstanding, the receiver of the message should
also do his/her part in receiving the intended message. Truly, effective
communication is a collaborative effort between the sender and the receiver.

There are many factors to consider when addressing barriers to communication.

First, you should identify what type of noise is at present. Is it physical?
Semantic? Or psychological? Then from there, you can identify the right type of
intervention for that kind of noise.

Managing Physical Noise

Look for the source of the noise.
Remove physical sources of noise such as mobile phones, computers, etc.
Close windows and doors to eliminate environmental noise, if necessary.

Managing Semantic Noise

Semantic Noise occurs when words or language are interpreted the wrong way. In the
context of the workplace, this can commonly occur when handling written
communication requirements. Thus, here are some tips to manage semantic noise:

Consider the length of your messages. Make sure that the length of your messages is
appropriate for your audience.
Do not write in rush. When writing an important e-mail or presentation, really set
time to create the content.
Proofread.
Consult others. If uncertain on use of terminologies, spelling, words, etc., do not
hesitate to ask a co-worker about it. It is better to consult with others first
than to have semantic noise later.

Managing Psychological Noise

Be an active listener. Sometimes, the answer to misunderstandings in the workplace

is to simply listen. When you listen and not just attempt to hear out an issue, you
may find the solution to the problem.
Focus on the issue, not the person. Do not take things personally. Think critically
before solving matters at hand. Solve problems than to attempt to bring down a
person.
Ask questions and clarify.
Do not jump to conclusions.
Be genuine.
Be open.
In the next modules, we will discuss how to better and effectively communicate with
different communication sources that you will encounter in the workplace.

Source: Overcoming communication barriers. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2018,

from https://www.icas.com/professional-development/overcoming-communication-
barriers

Topic 3: Successful Communication in Difficult Situations

Difficult situations can also be a form of noise or a hindrance to successful
communication in the workplace. There will be times where in you will need to talk
or coordinate with people who are difficult to communicate with, especially when it
comes to sensitive issues.

Remember that success in communication is not winning an argument, but being able
to resolve conflicts by empathizing with others.

Here are some strategies that you can take note when faced with such situations:

People who are angry…

Anger is a result of frustration, loss, or hurt. To reduce anger, empathize and

reduce these emotions by clarifying or restating the message.

I’m sorry that the system seems unfair to you.

I’m sorry this happened to you.
That must be hard to deal with.

People who listen and then say, “Yeah, but…”

There will also be people who—no matter what you suggestions or offers you say—will
try to contradict you. There will be instances where in your ideas will never work
out for them. When you determine this kind of person in the team, try to talk to
him/her personally and let him/her know how it makes you feel.

Ex. “When you tell me that none of my ideas work out for you, I feel kind of
frustrated because I don’t know wthat else to suggest. Would you mind telling me
what we can do both better?”

People who want you to provide all the answers

Finally, there will also be people who would want to you to provide all the
solutions and answers without thinking for possible interventions first.
Encountering these personalities may come off as frustrating to you when it always
occurs. This can be addressed by asking open ended questions, instead of simply
keeping silent.

“How about you? Do you have any suggestions as to how we can address this?”
“What are your thoughts on this?”

Source: Harris, M. J. (2006). Communication and Problem Solving. California:

California Childcare Health Program. Retrieved from:
https://cchp.ucsf.edu/sites/g/files/tkssra181/f/6_CCHA_Communication_0406_FNL.pdf

Receiving and Responding to Workplace Communication

Lesson 1: Workplace EtiquetteIntroduction

Work etiquette is a set of rules or expectations expected in the workplace. This
ensures that everyone’s rights and personal space are protected, as well as,
ensuring that everything that happens in the workplace is in its proper place.
Whatever your position may be in the workplace, it is important to follow the
following work etiquette.

Interactions are important in the workplace. It is impossible to perform workplace

duties without communicating with your officemates. However, the workplace will
require certain expectation as to how you behave and perform certain workplace
tasks.

For this unit, we will be discussing the different attitudes and actions that are
expected of you in the workplace such as work etiquette and common organization
guidelines.

Topic 1: Face-to-Face

EtiquetteWhen it is your first time to meet someone, you can follow these tips:
Stand up. Establish eye contact. Smile.
Shake his/her hands or greet him/her if necessary.
Introduce yourself if necessary.

When talking to someone, remember these:

Speak at a right pace. Not too fast or not too slow.

Do not ignore others who are also present.
Do not discuss work solely. You can ask how is he/she feeling once in a while.
Nonverbal communication matters. Maintain eye contact and avoid mannerisms.
Consider proxemics. Proxemics is defined as how people view or use space in order
to achieve communication goals.

Avoid sensitive conversations and negative personal comments.

Avoid looking at your mobile phone.
Say thank you.

When in a meeting, remember these:

As a participant in the meeting, you should be aware of your responsibilities.

Encourage everyone to express their views by showing them you are willing to
listen.
Be prompt. As much as possible, start and end the meeting based on your schedule.
Respect each other’s’ views and opinions.
Participate and encourage others to participate as well.

In a meeting, it usual to have a clash of ideas. You may think that you have the
brightest idea but others might have different opinions on the matter. When this
happens, do not take things personally. Consider this a constructive comment. Keep
in mind that not everything you want to happen can happen at the time you want it
to. Do not let your ego lead you into saying harsh words or remarks.

Topic 2: Mediated Communication Etiquette

Receiving Telephone Calls

Answer the phone immediately. As much as possible do not let it ring more than four
times.
Be courteous in greeting people.
Immediately ask their reason for calling.
Speak properly to the caller. If you do not know the answer to their callers, know
who to refer them to.
Tell them properly before putting them on hold or making them wait.
End the call politely.
Some guidelines:
Speak clearly, audibly, and politely.
Use your normal tone of voice. Avoiding speaking too loudly and too soft.
Do not eat or drink while talking.
Do not use slang words and jargons.
Address the caller properly.
Focus on the call and listen carefully to what the caller is saying.

Guidelines in Using a Two-Way Radio

Two-way radios use a one-at-a-time system of communication. When you press the talk
button, no one else in your group can speak or be heard.
Identify yourself and who you are talking to when you share a common radio channel.
Be clear and concise. Use short messages only.
After pressing the button, pause before speaking. There may possibly be a short
delay before the radio transmits sound.
Use phonetic alphabet and radio language when using two-way radio

Phonetic Alphabet

Radio Language:
"Over" - I've finished speaking.
"Say again" - Repeat your last message.
"Stand by" - I acknowledge your transmission, but I can't respond right now.
"Go ahead" - I can respond, go ahead with your message.
"Roger" - Message received and understood.
"Affirmative" or "Negative" - Yes / No
"Out" - Conversation is finished. The channel is clear for other users.

Topic 3: Written Communication Etiquette

Aside from the telephone and radio etiquette, there are also some protocols you
need to follow when communicating through writing and handling written documents.

Six Steps to Good Writing

1. Be clear about your purpose.

Analyze and assess the information that you will include in your written work.
Identify the key issues and really determine the most relevant topics to discuss.
2. Outline what you need to say.

Outlines produce well-crafted outputs. It’s better to have all your details and
topics laid before you before diving into writing immediately.
3. Create a draft.

Here are some questions you can answer while creating your draft:
Who is my audience?
What are my objectives?
What do I want them to take home from my document?
4. Revise.

You can seek the advice of your other co-workers or your supervisors if there is
anything you need to revise from your work.
5. Type the final draft.

6. Proofread.

Letter Writing Strategies - Neutral or Good News Letters

Identify the request or inquiry in the subject line when writing e-mails.
Open with a short inquiry and shirt backgrounder.
Indicate if there is a need to respond.
Be courteous and friendly.
Be specific. Most organizations will not have time to read through your entire
message, so be clear and concise.
Close by saying what you can do for the reader and what you want the reader to do.

Letter Writing Strategies – Order Refusal Letters

Start by acknowledging the order.

List out the factors explaining your decision.
Be clear and courteous when refusing.
Close with a positive, courteous paragraph.

Saying “No” or Declining Invitations

Start with a neutral opening.
Give a positive explanation why you chose to refuse.
Say “no” corteously.
Close the letter with a positive language.

Topic 3: Written Communication Etiquette

Seven Cs of Documentation
1. Clear – can be easily understood by the reader.

2. Concise – conveys everything even with minimum words.

3. Complete – includes all necessary information.

4. Correct – includes accurate and well-detailed information.

5. Corteous – starts and ends off on a polite tone.

6. Clean – there are no corrections, may it be in physical or digital form.

7. Checked – material is checked and free from error.

Lesson 2: Organizational Guidelines

Organizational Guidelines are a set of rules, principles, or policies that an

organization follows. It is designed to have a uniform mindset within the workplace
and to ensure that every worker follows the same procedure in the workplace.
Organizational guidelines may include information documentation procedures, company
guidelines and procedures, standard operating procedures (SOPs), organizational
manuals, Departmental Policies and Procedures Manual, Service Manual.

Topic 1: Common Rules in the Workplace

1. Punch in and out of time. If you are late for work, your pay will be deducted
accordingly.

2. If you must be absent or late, inform your supervisor before work begins.

3. Use equipment carefully. Keep work area neat and orderly. Do not forget to put
supplies and equipment to their proper places before going home.

4. Obey safety rules and signs. Wear proper safety clothes. If there are any
accidents, report it to your supervisor immediately.

5. Come to work with clean clothes and clean body.

6. If you don’t understand, do not be afraid to ask. Mistakes are expensive and can
cause delays.

On Attendance

Attendance is a very important aspect of the workplace because it displays your

commitment to the job. Excuses should be valid and its urgency should be determined
in lieu of the work that you will leave in the case that you will absent yourself.

There are two (2) types of reasons:

EMERGENCY REASONS -- this type of reason is usually accidental and does not happen
all the time. You are usually allowed to absent if circumstances permit you to
attend to the emergency. Otherwise, you have to stay and continue your work.
Emergencies happening before going to work should be brought to the attention of
the immediate supervisor at least 3 hours before work time begins.
SPECIAL OCCASIONS -- these are usually planned activities and can not be taken as
emergencies. You are required to inform your boss at least two (2) weeks ahead of
time about this schedule. To some extent, permission is granted depending on the
discretion of your boss.
Skipping yourself from work without giving notice to and without permission from
your boss will declare you AWOL - Absent Without Official Leave. If you continue
to be AWOL, you will consequently get fired or terminated. Getting another job
would be very difficult because you have acquired a BAD ATTENDANCE RECORD. Show
your commitment to your job by appearing regularly and consistently at work.

Topic 1: Common Rules in the Workplace

Topic 2: Unwritten Rules
Besides the tips stated above, here are more tips that you should remember when in
the workplace. These are rules which are already expected from you whether you are
a new or an old employee.