BSBPEF301 Student Guide 02-07-21 PDF

STUDENT
GUIDE
BSBPEF301
ORGANISE PERSONAL
WORK PRIORITIES
BSBPEF301 | Organise Personal Work Priorities | Student Guide I V2.0 | Mar 22
Macquarie Education Group Australia Pty Ltd t/a MEGA Education | RTO Code 91305 | CRICOS Code 02657J 1
First published 2021
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Business Works is a series of training and assessment resources developed for qualifications within the Business
Services Training Package.
Contents
Overview 4
Topic 1: Completing work schedules 5
Topic 2: Evaluating your performance 17
Topic 3: Developing professional and personal skills and knowledge 24
Overview
The Student Guide should be used in conjunction with the recommended reading and any further
course notes or activities given by the trainer/assessor.
Application of the unit

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to organise personal work schedules, to
monitor and obtain feedback on work performance and to maintain required levels of competence.
The unit applies to individuals who exercise discretion and judgement and apply a broad range of
competencies in various work contexts.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of
publication.
Learning goals
Learning goals include:
• You are able to organise and complete a work schedule to maintain levels of competence.
• You are able to evaluate your own work performance against expected and actual work
carried out.
• You are able to coordinate personal skill development and learning for your job role.
Topic 1: Completing work schedules
In this topic we cover developing work goals and key performance indicators to complete task and
organisational requirements including prioritising workloads, identifying factors that may affect
achieving work objectives and developing personal work plans. This topic also includes principles
and techniques of goal setting, measuring performance and time management skills.
Personal work priorities

First, let’s look at why you need to organise personal work priorities.
When you are working for an organisation, you
will have a responsibility to reach expected
standards of performance, complete work
within timeframes allocated and scheduling
work in order of priority.
In some cases, you may be allocated work
tasks within a timeframe specified by your
manager and provided with performance
criteria to meet. For example, to open post
every morning, complete a post register,
deliver to each department by 10am and
ensure that all junk mail is appropriately
handled. On the other hand your task may be
to deliver post every morning and you are
responsible for the criteria to follow for
completing the task, when you do it and how
long it will take you.
Image by STIL on Unsplash
When you have competing priorities and you are responsible to organise your own personal work
schedules, maintain a certain level of competence and perform to a certain standard, then you will
need to exercise discretion and judgement to work objectives, according to the task and
organisational requirements.
This includes developing work goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) according to what the
task you have been asked to do and any organisational requirements. We will now look at how you
can achieve this in the rest of the topic.
Work goals and KPIs

An organisation will have high level plans that can dictate the way in which work is carried out and
provides managers with objectives and goals to follow. These can be filtered down into the work
that they allocate their team and how it will be managed in order to meet these goals. For example,
these can be included in plans such as business plans, strategic plans or operational plans to meet
organisational goals.
Strategic Plan
A business plan is usually developed to set up a business, whereas a strategic plan is used
for implementing and managing the strategic direction of the organisation.
Business Plan
• A business plan is a documented set of business goals, objectives, target market

information and financial forecasts. The business plan is usually relevant to a specific
period of time such as one or two years.
• Preparation of a business plan is particularly important when establishing a business,

although it should also be regularly reviewed and updated as required.
Operational Plan
• Another type of plan is an Operational Plan. Operational Plans are detailed plan used
to provide a clear picture of how a team, section or department will contribute to the
achievement of the organisation's strategic goals.
• It is written by taking specific strategies from the company’s Strategic Plan, and
adapting them to short term goals. An operational plan is usually informed and defined
by a strategic plan.
This can then be broken down into work team goals and then further into individual goal levels.
• Work team goals could be to meet budgets for a project, production targets, sales targets,
reporting deadlines or to work collaboratively to reach project objectives.
For example, a team that you work for may have a work goal that includes ensuring that any
materials and equipment used for carrying out a project follows sustainability practices.
Another example could be completing a project to specific deadlines, within time frames
allocated.
• Individual goals are those that you need to achieve to meet those teamwork goals.
For example, completing a task that you have individually set within the allocated time, or
participating with other team members to collaborate on achieving project outcomes.
There are several benefits for setting goals at work:
• Improves employee engagement
• Employees know what is expected and how their performance will be measured (KPI)
• To align work with the organisation’s goals
• To improve team collaboration and cohesion

Key performance indicators (KPIs) provide a set of targets, such as a work goal that can be used to
measure performance. KPIs could include areas such as:
• Meeting customer service standards
• The quality of work carried out
• Punctuality to work
• Meeting deadlines
• Operating within procedures

Each KPI would have a measure attached to it so that a manager can evaluate how well a worker
is performing. For example, KPIs for “meeting customer service standards”:
• All calls to be answered within three rings.
• Customer ratings on social media must average 4 stars within a three-month period.
• Customer enquiry emails to receive a reply within 24 hours of receipt.

The data can be collected from employee records (for example days absent, recorded incidences),
data analytics collated from information systems (for example sales targets), reports from project
management software (for example task completions and schedule targets).
It can be used to gain insight on performance and skill gaps, training needs, evaluating individual
performances and information for performance appraisals and/or professional and personal
development.
Task and organisational requirements

Your task requirements are the work activities that have been given to you to complete. When you
start working for an organisation you will be given a position description with a list of your
responsibilities and duties that you are required to complete to meet your job role and certain
expected standards.
The position description should clearly outline the work that you are required to carry out, goals,
objectives and any KPIs that relate to your role.
For example, a position description for a human resources manager could include a reference to
developing and implementing strategies to become an employer of choice.
Therefore, work goals could be to identify relevant strategies, seek approval for these strategies
and then implement them. Sometimes it may even be necessary to negotiate work goals and
objectives with a supervisor. Review the following for typical information that can be found in a
position description:
Your specific duties.
Your specific role and responsbility.
The conditions under which you work.
The number of hours you work.
What you are not expected to do.
Who you report to.
The support, resources and materials you need to undertake your job role.
Activity: Research and discuss
Research a job role of your choice. Make notes on:

• The description of the job role
• The roles and responsibilities of the job role

• Any information about organisational goals and objectives
• Any key performance indicators associated with the role

Your trainer/assessor will facilitate a discussion after you have completed the activity.
The work goals that you develop and key performance indicators, should be both ambitious, as well
as SMART. The SMART acronym stands for:
Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Timely
Specific: the goal must state exactly what must happen

Measurable: defined using metrics
Attainable: it should be within your ability to achieve but still be challenging
Relevant: it must relate to something such as an organisational goal
Timely: the goal must have clear timeframes for when it should be achieved by
For example, a SMART work goal could be: Participate in professional development at least four
times during 2020, achieving a high level of competency above 65%.
These goals and KPIs may change over time, according to how your job role progresses, your
performance, organisational changes, technological changes, as new workers are employed and in
a lot of cases, the way in which your job role develops. The changes should be incorporated into
your job role and goals and KPIs adjusted accordingly.
For example, you may develop a skill that can be utilised in other roles within the organisation or
suffer from a health problem that requires adjustments within your role to cope with the change.
Activity: Research and discuss
Refer to the job role that you researched earlier.

Using the SMART criteria, choose three work goals and create a SMART goal for
each.
What could be at least three personal work goals based on the position description
for the role?
Your trainer/assessor will facilitate a discussion when you have completed the
activity.
Within your role you may also have day to day tasks and priorities that are required to be
completed; this may be in the form of an emailed request, a teamwork list, a verbal set of
instructions or a list of project management tasks via project management software.
There will also be policies and procedures, rules, protocols and compliance to legislation that can
affect a worker’s role and responsibility and therefore the way in which work must be undertaken.
Some common organisational requirements are:
• Following organisational policies and procedures relevant to your work task such as workplace
health and safety (WHS), privacy, confidentiality, and security.
• Abiding by legal compliances as set out in the organisation’s policies and procedures such as
duty of care responsibilities, privacy and confidentiality of data and information, discrimination
and harassment, mandatory reporting, or human rights regulations.
• Following operational procedures when carrying out work.
• Abiding by business and performance plans.
• Following codes of ethics and conduct.
• Access and equity, diversity and inclusion practices.
• Following systems and processes for carrying out work.
• Complying to quality assurance.
• Working within the boundaries of your work role.
• Following the leadership and instruction from managers or colleagues with higher level
authority, as required.
The following are common organisational policies and procedures that employees may be required
to follow work:
Work health and safety Ensures the health and safety of every employee – your own
policies and procedures health and safety as well as the health and safety of others.
Code of Conduct Sets a standard for behaviour at work, and so that employees
know what is expected of them.
Anti-discrimination policy Ensures that no one at work is discriminated against.
Internet and email policy Helps employees to understand what is expected of them when
using internet services, and how they should use their devices at
work.
Developing work goals according to task and organisational requirements provides direction and
focus so that you can reach goals and targets. Furthermore, an employee’s work goals and plans
must be aligned with those of the organisation to ensure that the organisation’s overall objectives
are achieved.
Work goals can also be personal. Some examples of general personal work goals could be:
Being
Developing
Sticking to your Being clear emotionally
Defining strengths,
principles and about your aware of how
priorities knowledge and
values ethics you relate to
expertise
others
Improving communication with Manging stress Managing time Being an active

colleagues and teams better effectively listener
The personal goals above are general; personal work goals may also need to be quite specific and
be based on an organisation’s plans and an individual’s job role.
Activity: Read
Review the information at the following links about personal work goals:
https://www.lifehack.org/798287/personal-goals-for-work
Take any notes to summarise what you have read and keep for future reference.
Prioritising workload
Once you understand the goals, objectives and KPIs you need to meet, it is important to assess
and priorities your workload to ensure that you can complete all tasks within the required timelines.
A good way to prioritise tasks is to:
• create a list of tasks
• identify those tasks that are urgent versus non-urgent tasks
• create a priority list based on urgency or otherwise of tasks.
Activity: Read
Review the information at the following links about prioritising work:

https://blog.rescuetime.com/how-to-prioritize/
Planning is the best way to achieve work goals! It provides time for you to review on what needs to
be accomplished, create a chance to consider priorities, provide clarity and structure to your day or
week and so that you are organised to meet any deadlines.
Mostly when you are prioritising you are doing so in order to meet a deadline or to ensure that
tasks are completed within a period of time.
You may also find that these priorities are change and require updating, depending on what you
have been asked to do in a day or week.
You may have a list of tasks which need to be completed by the end of the week. If you list the
tasks down and when they are due, attach a priority you can then create a prioritised list according
to the timeframes allocated.
The due date and priority may be given to you by a manager, may form part of your day to day task
requirements, or you may be responsible for organising your own work load as long as they are
completed within a certain time frame.
For example:
Tasks: Filing, replying to customer enquiries, typing invoices, opening post, banking
You may have to open post every morning, research new social media apps, bank once a week,
file by the end of each week, reply to customers within one working day and type invoices as soon
as they arrive in your inbox. Some tasks therefore may be routine and some may be part of a
bigger project.
The prioritised list may look like this:
Task Timeframe Priority
Filing invoices End of the week Low
Replying to customer By the end of the day High

enquiries
Typing invoices By the end of the day Medium
Opening post Every morning High
Banking Once a week Low
Research social media apps 15th June Low
You could then put them in order of importance:
• Open post
• Reply to customers
• Type invoices
• Banking
• Filing
• Research social media apps.

However, as time passes, you may find that some tasks will take priority over others or you are
given a new task that takes priority over others.
As in our example above, if the Research social media apps is always a low priority, it may always
remain at the bottom of the list until the deadline is close and then it will be of a more prioritised
task if it is not completed. In this sense, you also have to use your own discretion and continually
review and update the priorities of tasks, according to the time allocated or deadlines set.
Activity: Read and discuss
Review the Eisenhower Matrix for prioritising work using to do lists:

https://todoist.com/productivity-methods/eisenhower-matrix
Write down the important takeaways from reading the framework.
Your trainer/assessor will facilitate a discussion after you have finished reading the
article.
Timeframes
As you can see from the above example, you can’t really prioritise workloads without some type of
timeframe allocated. You may need to also allocate specific dates, the amount of time it takes to
complete tasks and include specific time allocations during a day to work on specific tasks.
This is referred to as time management, another important skill when it comes to planning
workloads. Time management refers to the way a person organises and plans how long they will
spend on specific activities.
There are commonly used time management techniques and strategies that can be used to help
with managing time, some of which we have already discussed:
• SMART Goals
• The Eisenhower Matrix / The Eisenhower box
• Kanban Board
• The Pomodoro technique
• Prioritising tasks
• Breaking tasks up into smaller chunks
• Avoiding distractions.
Time management can result in several benefits such as greater productivity and efficient and less
stress. The consequences of managing time poorly in contrast can include missing deadlines, a
poor reputation and higher stress levels.
Time management can be a quite challenging task. Like prioritising tasks, however, it is very
important to ensure that all tasks are achieved.
Using your time efficiently in the workplace is important because time costs money for your
employer.
Work goals are defined and deadlines set because managers are held accountable for how time
is used in their departments and within their teams.
Working long hours and being stressed may be a factor of poor time management!
Ultimately, being in control of your own workload allows for more focus on the important aspects of
your job and can lead to better performance in your work role.
Making realistic estimates of how long a task will take and sticking to deadlines can help eliminate
stress and panic and also help you to not only meet the deadlines but finish well before they are
due, freeing your time for other tasks and keeping your workload to a capacity that is easier to
handle.
Activity: Watch
Watch the following video on time management.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2X7c9TUQJ8 (18:31)
Write down your key takeaways.
Activity: Research
Research the Pareto Principle (80/20 rule) with regard to time efficiency.
Your trainer/assessor will facilitate a discussion after you have finished the activity.
Achieving work objectives

There can be several factors that can affect whether you achieve work objectives. You need to be
able to plan ahead and address any potential problems, prepare for factors that can affect your
ability to achieve work objectives and implement any contingency plans to minimise the impact of
not meeting them.
Let’s look at some common factors:
• Working to a budget or costing.
• Taking time off work due to illness.
• Competing work demands.
• The availability of resources, equipment, materials and support.
• System failures or unavailability of technology due to faults or communication issues.
• Incidents that are not expected.
• Workplace accidents, risks or non-compliance issues causing work to stop or be rescheduled.
• New legislation or compliances.
• Environmental factors such as flooding, fire, disasters.

Some of these are avoidable and some are unknown or unexpected. For example, with competing
work demands, you may have done all the planning and preparation in the world so that you are on
track to meet work deadlines that you have been set and then a colleague falls sick and you have
to cover some of their workload or a manager requests a work task that means all your workload
needs reshuffling.
In these instances, you need to really examine and evaluate what you have been asked to do and
if it will affect your own workload to a point where you are not meeting your own work objectives.
For example, you may need to speak with a manager and discuss how it will affect your priorities.
Contingency planning
When planning a work schedule, being able to factor in every possible eventuality would be perfect,
but unfortunately it is not possible as you cannot know if there is going to be a workplace hazard, a
pandemic causing a lockdown or a system failure. However, there are some identified risks that
you may be able to plan for, for example, if there has already been a lockdown due to a pandemic;
or if there have been known system failures during electrical storms then you may be able to factor
in contingencies for identified risks.
For example, you may create your own back up of work or quickly ensure that you have a copy
saved of your work on a different drive, just in case there is a system failure or an electrical storm.
Or you may need to check that equipment is available and working for a presentation at a meeting.
Or if you are going on holiday, ensure that you have planned the workload so that there are no
urgent tasks outstanding when you leave.
You can create different contingency plans so that you can still achieve your objectives with
minimum impact on your work and with minimum stress.
When planning your work schedule, it can be useful to look at key tasks required and ask yourself
‘What if I get delayed to the presentation’, ‘What if the equipment doesn’t arrive on time?’, What if
there is a work shutdown?’. You can then identify any factors which may impede your ability to
perform the tasks on time and to the required standard.
Personal workplans
One way to document, manage and control workloads and schedules and demonstrate that you
are achieving goals and objectives is to use a work plan. It helps to plan and prioritise tasks, to
provide a record of what needs doing and what has been achieved and also to keep track of what
needs doing and when. Work plans:
• Are not always created for every single thing a person has to do, but they are commonly
prepared for significant, important or extraordinary tasks.
• May be prepared by a team leader who then shares them with and explains them to the team.
• May be prepared as a team exercise where individual team members contribute to their
development.
Some common features of a workplan include:
• Name or title for the document and dated
• A list of objectives to achieve
• A summary to do list
• Assigned priorities
• Breaking tasks into smaller chunks
• Listing resources required
• Noting down deadlines, key dates or milestones for completing activities
• Identify any risks and contingencies
• Start and finish times, dates and breaks.

Sometimes expected/unexpected issues come up with work tasks, for example, another staff
member is sick or on holiday. Work plans will therefore need to be adjusted to take these factors
into account. The following are some of the most important elements that should be included:
Element Importance
Task Having a clear idea of what a task involves can help an employee to
requirements complete all of their tasks effectively within the correct timeframes.
Timeframes It is important to judge whether activities are urgent, important, both or

neither, so that less time is spent on tasks of low priority, and more time on
tasks that are more important.
Risks By identifying factors that will hinder the achievement of goals, you can plan
and set realistic timelines for tasks.
Contingencies for Having a contingency plan will enable you to deal with risks and get work
identified risks done within the right timeframes.
Activity: Project
Consider a work position you may have held in the past, your college course, work
that you must complete at home, school or college, or use the job role you
researched earlier.
• Think about and list down all of the tasks and activities that you may have to
undertake in a typical day (or week). Include work breaks, lunch and times you
would start and finish work.
• Do you have any personal demands placed on you during the course of the day
or week?
• What factors can arise that could impact the completion of work tasks (such as
risks)?
• How can you address any contingencies for identified risks?
• How would you prioritise your tasks and manage your time?
• Review the following article on writing work plans:

https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Work-Plan
• Create a work plan for one day (or week) that reflects work activities and task
requirements, the priority of tasks, schedules, timeframes and any risks and
contingencies.
• Research one business technology that could be used to input work tasks,
manage work schedules, and help priorities workloads. State its purpose, how it
can be used and an example of its use (for example it could be a scheduling
software or app such as Monday.com). Provide a link to the source or
screenshots showing its use.
Ensure that you complete the work in the timeframes allocated and schedule your
work accordingly.
Write all work in a professionally presented document that has been proofread and
checked for grammar, spelling, structure, suitability of style and format. Assume that
it would be requested from a manager and you ae submitting for feedback.
Submit to your trainer/assessor for feedback.
Topic 2: Evaluating your performance
For this topic on evaluating your performance, we look at identifying variation between expected
and actual work performance according to the task requirements given and any key performance
indicators and then reporting on any variance. Then we discuss seeking feedback for solutions to
minimise these variations, and then finally researching source of stress and accessing appropriate
supports.
Expected v actual work performance

The idea behind goal setting and creating workplans is so that you can achieve task requirements,
organisational requirements, complete work on time and meet objectives. This then forms part of
your work performance. You may be expected to:
• start work on time
• meet deadlines
• complete tasks set
• follow organisational policies and procedures
• meet key performance indicators.

You must be able to evaluate your own work performance so that you can monitor any variations
between the expected and actual work performance according to the task requirements and key
performance indicators.
By doing this you are taking control and managing your own work performance so that you are
maintaining the required levels of competence as expected by your employer.
Self-assessment is a strategy that can be used to monitor your own performance. It involves, for
example, reflecting on your own quality of work, identifying strengths, weaknesses and areas for
improvement. It can also be used to identify skill gaps, further education and self-development
needs. Some methods that can be used include:
Reflection of everyday activities
Informal feedback from others
Workplace professional development activities
Undertaking study
Performance reviews at work
Staff meetings
Discussions with supervisors, colleagues, or third parties
Self-assessments offer several benefits to an organisation. They demonstrate to managers how an
employee sees themselves as well as how they fit within the overall organisation and how they
understand what is expected of them. Self-assessment for an individual on the other hand, allows
an employee the chance to offer feedback to their managers about what is working and what isn't.
For example, if your expected work performance is to arrive to work on time at 9am every day, pay
invoices by 4pm every Friday, always answer the phone within four rings, reply to every customer
within 24 hours and meet your task deadlines but your actual work performance shows that you are
not meeting these standards then you need to address these variations.
This could be due to:
• Not having enough skills or knowledge to complete tasks set
• Not being given reasonable time to complete work
• Lack of understanding for organisational policies and procedures
• A change in personal circumstances
• Being given work outside of your job role to complete that interferes with your work priorities
• Poor leadership and management or lack of support
• Covering for colleagues who are not fulfilling their own work commitments
Performance reviews are often used as a self-assessment, which allows employees the opportunity
to review themselves, and often, their managers and their organisations. This can show any skill
gaps, requirements for training and professional development, highlight any issues, problems, and
provide a platform for communicating how an employee is generally performing in their role.
Self-evaluation can occur in a number of different ways so it is important to find a method that suits
you the best. The following are different self-assessment models:
• Journals, diaries or reflection logs: these record your thoughts and feelings allow you to reflect
on and evaluate your ideas and actions
• Checklists: this may be an established tools or something you develop yourself that helps you
review your skills and abilities
• SWOT analysis: to help you look at your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
• Reflective questions: ‘What do I understand now after this experience?’, ‘How does this affect
my future practice?’
By identifying any variations, you can address any issues or problems or reasons why you have not
been meeting the expected work performance.
Activity: Read
Read the following blog on steps to follow when writing a self-evaluation:

https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-write-a-self-evaluation/
Activity: Watch
Tips for making your self-evaluation more meaningful.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-blNWDCjDcQ (03:06)
Your trainer/assessor will facilitate a discussion.
Reporting variations
It is important that you keep on top of your work performance and report any variations of expected
and actual work performance so that these can be addressed and rectified before it becomes a
problem.
You may do this by arranging to meet with your supervisor or manager, human resource personnel,
a project manager or the person which you report to for performance reviews.
It is best not to wait until a formal meeting for performance as this could be an annual event and
should be left for long term objectives rather than addressing short term objectives that you are not
meeting.
The variations may be caused by factors that are out of your control, a workplace conflict, stress,
an inability to meet requirements due to personal issues or health problems, or an area that you
cannot rectify due to lack of resources, leadership, support or understanding.
It is very important to document the variations that
have occurred in a formal, professional manner
such as in a report, an organisational performance
review template or by addressing points in an email
with supporting documents such as a workplan, or
data analysis from project management software,
employee records or recorded task requirements
and outcomes. This provides evidence that can be
used to help you work through problems or address
issues.
Image by Firmbee.com on Unsplash
Seeking feedback
The purpose of reporting variations is to seek feedback and try to come up with solutions to
address them. Feedback may be informal or formal and address personal or work solutions that will
minimise any variations in performance and work outputs.
Informal feedback might occur if you were to ask your manager for extra time to complete a task or
support from another colleague to provide expert advice on a project outcome. These could be
variations relating to daily tasks and activities that could be immediately resolved by seeking simple
solutions.
Being able to receive feedback from your peers and colleagues is a useful tool that can support
your own work performance. Here are some methods to elicit, analyse and interpret feedback when
you are communicating with colleagues:
Listen carefully and use effective listening skills such as paraphrasing what you hear
and clarify with questioning.
Seek examples of performance that exemplify the feedback.
Keep the feedback in perspective.
Check in with others to determine the reliability of the feedback you have
received (to ensure there is no bias).
Demonstrate that you welcome feedback.
Only you can decide if the feedback is worth doing something about.
Show your appreciation to the person providing the feedback.
Formal feedback, however, may be to come up with a solution that requires following a procedure,
policy or formal processes. For example, you may ask if you can come in later to work and leave
later due to changed personal circumstances, or you may need expert advice and support that can
be provided using the formal organisational processes such as employee assistance program,
further skill development or resources needed to support your work. In these situations, there may
be approvals required from different managers or departments, formal documentation to sign or a
specific process to follow for a procedural request (for example working overtime, changing hours
of work or taking leave without pay).
Formal performance feedback could include areas such as:
• Quality of Work: for example, minimising mistakes, presentation of work.
• Work Habits: such as being on time, completing work to schedule and being organised.
• Service: for example, how you communicate, undertake tasks and take responsibility for own
work.
• Team Skills: such as how you work with a team, collaborate and support one another.
Assessment of performance can be undertaken using different methods such as formal
performance appraisal, performance analysis, performance gap analysis, training needs analysis,
skills gap analysis or a formal meeting between a manager, worker and human resource
personnel.
These methods can be used to determine how you are performing at work and what improvements
you need to make, identify training and development, your future direction, job advancement and
opportunities.
Support at work
It is important that you understand the available supports at work or accessible via your
organisation. This is part of self-care and important for looking after stress and your health and
wellbeing as it can help you to improve on your own professional practice.
Understanding workplace stress is important. Sources of stress can be caused by:
• work overload • poor leadership and management
• tight or unachievable deadlines • conflicts with colleagues
• harassment in the workplace • not taking enough breaks, working

overtime not taking holidays
• discrimination in the workplace
• inability to perform to standard due to
• bullying in the workplace
gaps in skills or knowledge.
Signs of stress include:
Trouble thinking Memory Difficulty in

Poor judgement
clearly problems concentrating
Easily upset or
Anxiousness Moodiness Irritability or short temper
hurt
Agitation, unable
Feeling Sense of loneliness Depression or general
to relax or keep
overwhelmed and isolation unhappiness
still
Headaches, Nausea, Chest pain, rapid Lack of sleep,

trembling, sweating dizziness heartbeat dreams, nightmares
Eating more or Sleeping too Isolating yourself Procrastinating or

less much or too little from others neglecting responsibilities
Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax Tightness in muscles, aches and pains
Activity: Read
Read the information at the following link:

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/HealthyLiving/work-related-stress
Take any notes to discuss.
Following are some strategies that can be used to manage stress and achieve a healthy work-life
balance.
• Setting small, manageable and achievable goals.
• Planning and organising ahead to allow enough time to get tasks done.
• Use 'to do' lists and set priorities to help you achieve your goals.
• Choosing to have a positive attitude.
• Seek guidance and support when you are feeling stressed.
• Practicing relaxation techniques or meditation.
• Eating a well-balanced, healthy diet.
• Exercising regularly.
• Getting enough sleep.
• Create a balanced lifestyle and allow time for recreation and relaxation.
By understanding if you are stressed, you can also access the appropriate supports to increase
wellbeing, keep healthy, reduce stress and ensure that you are working in a comfortable and safe
environment.
Organisational policies and procedures such as codes of conduct, bullying and harassment, health
and wellbeing, operational procedures or acceptable internet usage policies carry guidelines and
standards that should be complied to in the workplace and what the consequences are if these are
not followed.
Furthermore, they may contain strategies and support networks for employees who are suffering
from stress. Some common support could be:
• conflict resolution strategies
• workplace health and safety obligations and responsibilities
• employee assistance programs
• applying for long service leave
• internal counselling and support

It is also important to ask for support if and when you need it from a family member, friend, doctor
or other specialist service.
This transfers to the workplace and self-care within your own job role can also be beneficial. This
could be using strategies such as:
• Being a good communicator with friends at work, asking for support when needed from
supervisors.
• Addressing stressors that are happening at work.
• Having a healthy work and life balance (for example not working overtime all the time).
• Exercising to and from work by walking or cycling.
• Seeking the support available at work.
Activity: Project
Refer to your project work.
• What appropriate supports are available at the organisation you have selected
for this project?
• What organisational policies and procedures can support an employee for

coping with stress in the workplace?
• What is the purpose of the employee assistance program and how could it help
an employee when dealing with stress?
• Research four sources of stress and what support you can access for each (at
your chosen organisation).
• How do you manage your own stress, health and well-being both at work and at
home?
Ensure that you complete the work in the timeframes allocated and schedule your
work accordingly.
Write all work in a professionally presented document that has been proofread and
checked for grammar, spelling, structure, suitability of style and format.
Topic 3: Developing professional and personal
skills and knowledge
For this last topic we cover identifying personal and professional development needs for a job role,
opportunities to undertake personal skill development activities, accessing and recording
professional development opportunities, and then incorporating any feedback into reviewing further
learning needs.
Personal and professional development

Valued employees are those that seek opportunities
to extend and expand their expertise, skill and
knowledge.
Developing skills and competencies can be for your
own benefit as well as professional development.
There may be opportunities at work for this or you
may have to seek it yourself.
To identify personal and professional development
needs for your job role, you can use the informal
feedback received from your colleagues and formal
Image by KOBU Agency on Unsplash
reviews from supervisors as well as:
• Analysing your current skill set
• Reflecting on your own quality of work
• Identifying strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement.
• Identify skill gaps
• Identifying self-development needs.
Development can be through formal or informal methods such as:
• One-on-one instruction at work such as on the job training
• External formal courses
• Inhouse professional development training
• Attending conferences, workshops and events
• Being mentored
• Building professional networks
• Using job rotation to develop skills and knowledge outside your own role
• Using secondment to develop skills and knowledge in a different environment
• Professional study including research, journals and articles.
Regularly participating in review processes such as personal self-reflection, employer or peer
feedback and performance appraisals demonstrates a commitment to self-development and
upgrading skills and knowledge.
Personal and professional development can enable you to build networks, improve opportunities in
the workplace, develop self-management skills, focus on performance and undertake best
practices.
Developing personal and professional development plans provides documentation that can be
used to record your development needs and the actions that you will undertake to achieve them in
order to build upon your skills, knowledge future direction, personal advancement and professional
career.
There are some common components of a professional development plan:
Competencies or skills required for the job role
Learning or development need or goals
Priorities
Expected outcome
Roles and responsibilities
Resources, materials or equipment needed
Timelines
Activity: Read
Read the following articles on professional development plans.

What is a professional development plan:
https://www.scienceofpeople.com/professional-development-plan/
How to write a professional development plan:
https://hr.duke.edu/managers/performance-management/professional-development-
plan
Tips for professional development:
https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/careers/professional-development
Personal development needs will be those that are about you! This could be learning, emotional,
physical, social or physical and include different areas that affect you personally. For example:
• Communication skills • Problem solving
• Interpersonal skills • Work ethic
• Organisation • Anger management
• Time management • Self-awareness.
• Self confidence
As discussed previously, self-assessment can help you to identify your own strengths, weaknesses
and areas for improvement. It can:
Highlight your accomplishments
Point out areas that can be improved
Provide information to help you constantly adapt, learn and change
Record achievements and provide satisfaction and validity
Support your cause in a professional manner
Activity: Read
Read the following articles.

How to tackle your personal development plan:
https://www.michaelpage.com.au/advice/career-advice/productivity-and-
performance/how-tackle-your-personal-development-plan
Personal development plan workbook:
https://www.mindtools.com/courses/lnV924x0/PersonalDevelopmentPlanning.pdf
Activity: Develop
Create your own personal and/or professional development plan.

Firstly, search for a position that you would like as a career. Use www.seek.com and
enter in the location and position then select one that is close to your dream job.
Look at the criteria required for the position.
Based on this, identify your personal and professional development needs for that
job role.
Develop a plan that you could use to support your skill development and learning.
Learning styles
In considering the right type of personal learning and professional development, it is important to
understand your own learning style.
There are many recognised learning styles and learning strategies. Everyone is different, with
different skills, abilities, learning capability and cognitive understanding. Some examples of
learning styles are:
Visual
Solitary Aural
Learning
Styles
Social Verbal
Logical Physical
Activity: Read
Read the article providing an overview of learning styles:

https://www.learning-styles-online.com/overview/
Read about different learning strategies:
http://www.ldonline.org/article/5627/
Read more on the different strategies of learning styles:
VARK:
https://ace.fsu.edu/sites/g/files/upcbnu296/files/Study_Strategies_by_Learning_
Styles.pdf
Felder-Silverman:
https://thepeakperformancecenter.com/educational-
learning/learning/preferences/learning-styles/felder-silverman/
Activity: Quiz
Take a quiz to find out your own learning style. Write down the name of the quiz, a
link to the result and provide an overview of the type of learning style suited to you.
The following are some currently online, however there are many so just find one
that suits you.
Which learning style is best for you?
https://www.training.com.au/ed/which-learning-style-is-best-for-you-take-the-
quiz/?utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F
What’s Your learning Style?
http://www.educationplanner.org/students/self-assessments/learning-styles.shtml
Complete the following table:
Name of Quiz Link and overview of result.
Do you agree with the quiz? Undertake another quiz and find out if it gives you
the same result.
Name of Quiz Link and overview of result.
Your trainer/assessor will facilitate a discussion after the activity where you can
share your results.
It is important to understand ourselves and our preferences of learning styles and learning
strategies so that you are learning in a manner that suits you. You can then plan to undertake
professional development that is the most effective for your learning.
Identifying opportunities
There will be different opportunities available to you for personal skill development that can be
accessed through your workplace or externally. For example:
• Undertaking a formal course qualification

• Observing others
• Researching, watching videos, listening to podcasts
• Self-study, undertaking a free online course

• Mentoring and coaching.
The avenue you take will be dependent on your learning style, what resources are available for
your learning needs, professional development training available at work, learning and
development opportunities available at work, time and resources that you are provided with funding
or budget requirements or support for undertaking personal development opportunities such as
external study.
By consulting with your supervisor, manager or human resource manager you can work together to
identify the best opportunities and what is available to you. They may also be able to give you
advice and support you in your request for specific opportunities.
The professional development opportunities available to you could include courses run by the
organisation that apply directly to your job role, those available to employees who which to develop
specific skills or workshops and training courses run externally. For example:
• First aid courses
• Watching videos on workplace health and safety
• Modules that provide information and quizzes on organisational compliance requirements
• Workshops for effective communication
• Ongoing courses that can be attended to support professional development in an area of work
(for example upskilling for a new software application or computer system).
You may be able to access professional development opportunities for free, via a formal
application, by applying for funding, or you may need to find and pay for these out of your own
pocket.
Recording professional development

Any professional development that you undertake should be recorded either in your professional or
personal development plan or a professional document showing what you undertook, when it was
undertaken, how long it took, a summary of the learning, an overview of what was learnt and
learning outcomes and how this relates to identified learning development needs. This record can
be used:
• for demonstrating to a manager that you are completing activities as per your professional
development learning plan
• as evidence for your own records that can be given to prospective employees
• for inclusion on a CV or online networking site such as LinkedIn
• to include on a professional development plan or online record of achievement for your

workplace
• to support your progression or advancement within an organisation
• to demonstrate to your manager your continuous learning process
• to support your own career development.
Activity: Practical
You are to access one professional development opportunity that relates to the
professional development plan you created earlier.
It could be a module available in your workplace or college, or a free course, a
website, podcast or video that you can access online. Note down:
• The name of the development opportunity
• How it relates to your professional development
• A summary of what you learnt
• A link, screenshots or screencast showing that you have undertaken the

development opportunity.
You are to then write a summary that could be included in a resume.
Further learning needs

Just because you have a professional development plan and are undertaking learning or training, it
doesn’t mean that your learning must stop there.
You may find that you have further learning needs. This could be due to:
• a promotion
• a need to upskill for your job role
• the professional development may not have met your needs
• you may have further skill or knowledge gaps that need addressing
• you may feel that the professional development doesn’t suit you and need a different
approach.
It is important to self-reflect and gain feedback so that you can improve your own professional
practice. Constructive feedback, whether negative or positive, will provide a way of assessing your
own performance. Receiving and giving good quality feedback means that we have a good idea of
how we are developing. We can find out:
• what we did well
• what improvements we can make.

The feedback received from external organisations, events or online courses can also be
invaluable as it allows for a different view and as it’s from a third party it is also impartial and may
provide you with a different perspective of your professional development needs.
With all feedback, this should be incorporated into a review of further learning needs. The review
may be your own self-reflection, a formal performance appraisal or a progress meeting with a
human resource manager. Either way, it will help to re-evaluate any further gaps, learning needs
and opportunities to support the continuation of professional development.

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STUDENT

BSBPEF301 | Organise Personal Work Priorities | Student Guide I V2.0 | Mar 22

© 2021 RTO Works

BSBPEF301 | Organise Personal Work Priorities | Student Guide I V2.0 | Mar 22

BSBPEF301 | Organise Personal Work Priorities | Student Guide I V2.0 | Mar 22

Application of the unit

BSBPEF301 | Organise Personal Work Priorities | Student Guide I V2.0 | Mar 22

Personal work priorities

Work goals and KPIs

BSBPEF301 | Organise Personal Work Priorities | Student Guide I V2.0 | Mar 22

• A business plan is a documented set of business goals, objectives, target market

• Preparation of a business plan is particularly important when establishing a business,

• Improves employee engagement

• To align work with the organisation’s goals

• To improve team collaboration and cohesion

• Meeting customer service standards

• The quality of work carried out

BSBPEF301 | Organise Personal Work Priorities | Student Guide I V2.0 | Mar 22

• Operating within procedures

• All calls to be answered within three rings.

• Customer enquiry emails to receive a reply within 24 hours of receipt.

Task and organisational requirements

Your specific duties.

Your specific role and responsbility.

The conditions under which you work.

The number of hours you work.

What you are not expected to do.

Who you report to.

BSBPEF301 | Organise Personal Work Priorities | Student Guide I V2.0 | Mar 22

Research a job role of your choice. Make notes on:

• The roles and responsibilities of the job role

• Any key performance indicators associated with the role

Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Timely

Specific: the goal must state exactly what must happen

Activity: Research and discuss

Refer to the job role that you researched earlier.

BSBPEF301 | Organise Personal Work Priorities | Student Guide I V2.0 | Mar 22

• Following operational procedures when carrying out work.

• Abiding by business and performance plans.

• Following codes of ethics and conduct.

• Access and equity, diversity and inclusion practices.

• Following systems and processes for carrying out work.

• Complying to quality assurance.

• Working within the boundaries of your work role.

Anti-discrimination policy Ensures that no one at work is discriminated against.

BSBPEF301 | Organise Personal Work Priorities | Student Guide I V2.0 | Mar 22

Improving communication with Manging stress Managing time Being an active

• create a list of tasks

• identify those tasks that are urgent versus non-urgent tasks

• create a priority list based on urgency or otherwise of tasks.

Review the information at the following links about prioritising work:

BSBPEF301 | Organise Personal Work Priorities | Student Guide I V2.0 | Mar 22

Task Timeframe Priority

Filing invoices End of the week Low

Replying to customer By the end of the day High

Typing invoices By the end of the day Medium

Opening post Every morning High

Banking Once a week Low

Research social media apps 15th June Low

You could then put them in order of importance:

• Research social media apps.

BSBPEF301 | Organise Personal Work Priorities | Student Guide I V2.0 | Mar 22

Activity: Read and discuss