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Important notes

Developing effective workplace relations

Teams

A team is a group of people who are working together for a specific purpose. Often each person has a different skill that they bring to the group so that they complement each other and are able to complete a wide range of tasks. The team may consist of the entire business organisation, a department or section, a group formed for a specific purpose which then disbands when the task is complete, or even a committee that meets every now and again. People are often members of a number of different teams at the same time.

Features and characteristics of successful teamwork include

• all members being committed to the goals of the team
• effective communication between team members so that each person understands what is expected of them
• each member co-operating with everyone and assisting others when they need help
• everyone being flexible with respect to the tasks they complete – the more multiskilled a team, the more work will be completed within the designated time frames
• sharing of ideas and everyone contributing to brainstorming activities, especially when problem solving
• everyone adopting a positive attitude
• people respecting differences in personal values and beliefs related to culture, religion and language.

For a team to be successful, responsibilities and duties must be undertaken in a positive manner to promote co-operation and good relationships. This can be achieved by following

• the requirements of your job description
• the goals and objectives of both the organisation and the team in which you are working
• the organisation’s business plan
• the organisation’s supervision and accountability requirements
• legal requirements, such as Occupational, Health and Safety regulations
• anti-discrimination policy
• access and equity principles
• ethical standards or industry Code of Conduct.

Seeking assistance from workgroup members

There are many times when a problem arises that you cannot solve by yourself. If you cannot finish a task, then you slow down the whole group. It is then necessary to ask for assistance, by approaching others, for example

• your supervisor
• your coach or mentor
• your colleagues or other members of the team
• another member of the organisation.

It is important to work together. This can happen in either a meeting, teleconference, face-to-face or online via the Internet.

Feedback

It is important that your work performance is monitored and that you receive feedback that is constructive and encourages you to strive for improvement.

Feedback on performance may include

• formal or informal performance appraisals, which generally occur on a regular basis. The first appraisal usually takes place three months after an employee starts a job then every six or twelve months thereafter. These appraisals allow for a formal method of feedback which can lead to modification of work performance, further training and re-evaluation of performance.
• obtaining feedback from supervisors and colleagues – mainly in the form of informal comments on a job well done or suggestions of how to complete a task.
• obtaining feedback from clients – hopefully positive praise rather than negative points.
• personal, reflective behaviour strategies – thinking about what you have done and how you can improve it next time.
• routine organisational methods for monitoring service – these include customer complaint or satisfaction forms, and surveys that are completed at the end of a task.

Performance appraisals

There are three steps in the performance appraisal process

1. Conducting: the studying of processes, people’s abilities and hence their performance.
2. Modifying: the changing of processes by introducing training to increase performance.
3. Evaluating: the process of review, to ensure that changes have been beneficial.

Contributing to workgroup activities

Providing support

It is important to provide support to team members to ensure that workgroup goals are met. Providing support to team members may include

• explaining or clarifying policies, procedures, instructions etc
• helping colleagues to complete tasks on time, especially if you have completed your own tasks ahead of schedule
• assisting with solving problems
• providing encouragement in order to foster a positive attitude
• providing feedback to another team member
• undertaking extra tasks if necessary.

Time management strategies

In order to ensure workgroup goals are met, it is important to apply time management strategies, including

• prioritising: the ordering of tasks so that the most important are completed first and so on to the least important.
• delegation: passing on specific tasks for completion by someone else, particularly if that person is more skilled to complete the job than you are.
• problem-solving: often achieved by brainstorming so that the best method of solving the problem is adopted and agreed on by all team members.
• decision-making: often the responsibility of the team leader so that tasks are completed within the set deadline.

Communication

Effective communication is important so that

• team members understand and agree with team goals
• goals and tasks can be clarified
• team members understand how their tasks fit in with other people’s tasks
• problems can be sorted out before they become too serious
• information that affects team goals can be shared
• the team can evaluate their progress and discuss ways to improve their work.

Communication may either be oral or written.

Oral communication methods may include

• discussion: to share ideas to facilitate a job being completed on time
• debate: when two people do not agree so put forward their point of view in order to convince the other person
• negotiation: when people discuss their differences of opinion but are willing to compromise with each other in order to get a job done
• speeches: for example, in a training session.

Written communication methods may include

• instructions: to explain how a task must be completed in order to limit misunderstanding
• schedules: to prioritise tasks so that the most important is completed first
• reports: often used as feedback or when evaluating a task/procedure.

Strategies and opportunities for improvement of the workgroup

It is important that strategies and opportunities for improvement of the workgroup are identified and planned in liaison with the workgroup. Some strategies or opportunities may include

• holding meetings: an important way for members to communicate and solve problems.
• brainstorming: many people are able to contribute ideas, particularly when trying to solve a problem, so that the best alternative is adopted.
• coaching, mentoring or supervision: enables more experienced personnel to help the less experienced in order to improve the latter’s efficiency and performance.
• formal and informal training provisions: formal includes attending courses whereas informal is often one colleague helping another, which will improve the performance of the person receiving the training.
• internal and external training provisions: internal training occurs on site whereas external is held at a TAFE College or other business premises, depending on the size and resources of the business. All training would result in improvements in awareness, performance and efficiency of the workgroup.
• work experience or exchange opportunities: allows a worker to see what is occurring in other work venues and can share ideas with team members to improve work performance of team.
• personal study: to improve knowledge and performance, which can then be shared with other team members.
• career planning and development: to have a plan for the future, which can benefit the team.
• performance appraisals: will identify the need for further training.
• workplace skills assessment: to determine what skills the members of a particular workplace have so that workgroups can be chosen with the knowledge that the best people for a certain task will be chosen to maximise the outcomes.
• recognition of prior learning: to ensure that the most experienced or the person with the most training will be chosen for each task to ensure that tasks are completed on time.

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