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Entertainment

Home > Entertainment > Entertainment Industry (240 hours) > Compulsory Units > Work with others > Work with others

Key terms and concepts

Communication techniques
Effective communication facilitates efficient, safe production processes. Key factors to consider include:

• the message and the medium used to relay information from the sender to the receiver
• the growing importance of the use of new media including email, 3D mobile phones and computer technology
• verbal and non verbal communication skills
• awareness of interpersonal and cultural contexts
• effective questioning (asking the right question to encourage the right answer)
• active listening (listening for full meaning before making judgements or interpretations).

Conflict resolution
Conflicts in the workforce originate from individual differences in needs, values and motivations. Most conflicts can be resolved but it is important to choose action appropriate to situation. Some conflicts may need to be passed on to a supervisor or appropriate personnel for assistance with resolution. In these cases, some form of mediation will usually occur with the aim of reaching consensual agreement.

For related information look at the following websites:

(Websites not yet in use)

Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission

Anti-Discrimination Board, Law Link

Constraints
Constraints are limitations that influence how a job is completed. They include:

• materials
• time
• budget
• workspace and storage
• labour and skilled expertise.

Deadlines
Deadlines are dates set down for completion of work. Contractual obligations (both written and verbal) provide the basis for work completion dates. Managers typically oversee all the production elements and are responsible for coordinating supervisors and the employees under their care. Meeting deadlines can be critical to the team/production.

Delegation
Delegation is primarily about entrusting authority and decision-making to others. This style of management allows staff to use and develop their skills and knowledge to their full potential. Information regarding the delegated job needs to be detailed and communicated clearly to all involved parties.

Diversity
This refers to the unique skills and knowledge each employee brings to the workplace. It acknowledges that different individuals also have different needs and preferences. These include gender, cultural and religious differences.

Empathy
Empathy is the ability to imagine oneself in another’s place and understand their feelings, desires, ideas and actions. In other words, empathy is about rapport and openness between people. It requires appropriate communication, particularly active listening.

Groups and teams
Formal groups or teams are made up of individuals within a company who together are responsible for producing the desired goal. Different types of groups include:

• Ad hoc work unit: A part-time/casual group of employees brought in to deal with one event, performance or show.
• Task force: Temporary groups created to accomplish a specific task. Once the task is complete, the group is disbanded.
• Project group: A group of employees who have joined together as a team or group because they bring expert skills needed for a specific project. Once that project is complete the group is disbanded.
• Committee: A group of employees directed to investigate, report or act in special cases relating to a particular issue in the workplace. For example the OH&S committee may conduct an assessment of the company’s policy and procedure in relation to risk assessment in production.
• Working party: A group of individuals appointed to investigate a particular element of a project and make formal recommendations. This group may then be directed to complete the project.

Linguistic and cultural differences
This refers to differences in the use of language and cultural norms between different individuals. In a multicultural community it is common to find linguistic and cultural differences in the workplace. Under anti-discrimination laws employers and employees are obliged not to prejudice against these differences. In some cases special consideration or arrangements may need to be made in order to accommodate these differences.

Occupational Health and safety (OH&S)
OH&S refers to legislation making it compulsory to ensure safe and healthy practices in and around the workplace. Further information can be found on the Workcover NSW website. http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au

Prioritisation
The production process for events and performances is complex and relies on many different departments to complete their work on time and to budget. Production schedules are used to prioritise tasks and monitor the progress of each department as they work towards a common goal. Schedules can change and teams need to remain flexible, as priorities will also change.

Records
Records document the work process. They provide an archive or reference for any future referral and assist in the management of the production process from planning in the pre-production stage through to performance presentation, bump-out and review. Examples include:

• prompt copy (stage management and technical record)
• model box (scaled design of the set on stage)
• time sheets (calculate wage entitlements)
• risk assessment and accident reports (OH&S)
• box office receipts (profit/loss)
• homepage hits (marketing review)
• lighting plot from the desk (copy for safety or loss)

Resources
These include everything that is needed to complete a particular task and include for example:

• personnel
• money
• equipment and facilities
• materials and supplies,
• information and technology.

Role definitions
Each organisation has a distinct purpose and set of goals it strives to accomplish. Personnel are employed to assist the company meet these goals. Each employee has a job description, which outlines his or her particular role and responsibilities. To explore role definitions of different jobs in the entertainment industry follow this link: Job_titles_and_roles.html

Task management
Effective management of job tasks is underpinned by the following factors:

• clear understanding of the requirements of the task including start date, due date, priority, status, and resources needed
• open lines of communication to supervisors
• awareness of risk to self and others through consistent practice of OH&S, including safety checks and risk assessment
• consensual agreements of the terms and conditions of your employment, including roles and responsibilities
• appropriate documentation and reporting.

Team work and team building
Team work refers to a cooperative effort by a group. Most productions rely on team work, with individual members taking responsibility for specific tasks as part of the production process.

The work produced by a team improves as members build trust and familiarity with each other and with the needs of the show.

Time management
Measuring work demands in relation to production schedules requires careful consideration and management of available time. The benefits of successful time management include:

• improved productivity and efficiency
• lower levels of stress
• improved workplace relationships.

Work ethic
This refers to an accepted workplace philosophy where employees demonstrate the following:

• reliability
• willingness to learn
• effective communication
• ability to get along with others.

In addition employees’ behaviour should be consistent with Ethical Practice and Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO)

Work management tools
These involve identifying individual, group and organisational barriers to staff performance and introducing strategies to reduce/eliminate those barriers. Key applications include:

• improving communication effectiveness
• managing conflict
• planning for work improvement
• performance evaluation
• training and development.

Work requirements
For roles and responsibilities employees should refer to their job description. Changes to work requirements should be negotiated between the employee and the employer.

In addition, employees must comply with all government legislation including OH&S. Some positions may have more specific work requirements. These may be as simple as clothing such as blacks for stage crew or may involve particular training, qualifications or experience. 

Workload
This is the amount of work assigned to a person or a group to be completed in a particular timeframe.

Workplace conduct
All employees and employers should demonstrate acceptable work ethics, including punctuality. Any form of bullying, physical or verbal abuse should not be tolerated and is best reported in the first instance to a supervisor.

Workplace policies and procedures
These assist in maintaining safe, harmonious and productive work environments. Policies often reflect the organisation’s strategic plan, attitudes and goals. Procedures provide management guidelines for the employers and employees, including how to manage specific events or incidents. Some examples include:

• OH&S and Risk Assessment
• industry codes of practice, which provide practical guidance on how to achieve standards required under the OH&S Safety Act 2000
• training and development of staff
• asset management
• stock requisition
• induction and orientation program
• child protection
• employment of casual staff.

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