Critical aspects of competency

Use appropriate communication techniques to develop trust and confidence within a work group.

Utilise work group in participative arrangements to plan and improve workplace effectiveness.

Resolve poor work performance efficiently within organisational requirements.

Monitor and evaluate work group performance with the view to improving and refining arrangements that exist.

Knowledge needed to achieve the performance criteria

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this unit of competency in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts, and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this unit are listed below.

Role and function of workplace teams.

Enterprise communication structure and work procedures.

Staff development/learning opportunities available.

Organisational codes of conduct.

Legislative and regulatory requirements relevant to workplace procedures.

Counselling and disciplinary procedures.

Recruitment practices.

Team dynamics.

Stages of team development.

Causes of stress or conflict in teams.

Strategies for managing or reducing conflict.

Communication methods and communication mediums.

Specific skills needed to achieve the performance criteria

To achieve the performance criteria, some complementary skills are required. These relate to the ability to:

use interpersonal communication skills that assist in establishing and maintaining work group relationships:

conflict management

negotiation

problem-solving

active listening/providing feedback

report writing

use work planning and data analysis

relate to people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

Other units of competency that could be assessed with this unit

Where practical, this unit should be assessed in an integrated fashion with other appropriate units.

This unit could be assessed on its own or in combination with other competencies relevant to the job function.

Resources required to assess this unit

Practical assessment will frequently be in the workplace or a suitable similar environment. Access to such an environment will be required. The candidate and the assessor should have access to the appropriate documentation and resources normally utilised in the workplace. This includes access to the following:

a relevant venue

a work group

relevant organisational documentation

assessment documentation forms and record books.

Gaining evidence to assess this unit

For valid and reliable assessment of this unit, the competency should be demonstrated over a period of time and be observed by the assessor (or assessment team working together to conduct the assessment). The competency is to be demonstrated in a range of situations that may include customer/workplace interruptions and involvement in related activities normally experienced in the workplace.

This unit is essentially skills-based and it is expected that assessment will be largely practical (i.e. workplace-based or by simulation) in nature, supported by questioning to assess underpinning knowledge and effective communication techniques.

Opportunities for practice and self-assessment under the guidance of a person deemed to be competent in the work area should be provided in advance of a formal assessment. Information derived from actual workplace experience should be treated as confidential.

Performance and assessment of this unit must be carried out within the relevant requirements of the legislative and industry framework and as set out in organisational OHS policies and procedures. Assessment requires that the facilitation of workplace teams meets the objectives of the company and industry expectations in the particular organisational requirement.

Key competency levels

There are a number of processes learnt throughout work and daily life that are required in all jobs. They are fundamental processes and generally transferable to other work environments. Some of these work processes are covered by the key competencies listed below. Information provided to each question highlights how these processes are applied in this unit of competency.

The number in brackets indicates the level to which the key competency should be demonstrated.

Refer to Evidence Guide

The range statement links the required knowledge and organisational and technical requirements to the workplace context. It describes any contextual variables that will be used or encountered when applying the competency in work situations. It allows for different work practices and work and knowledge requirements as well as for differences between organisations and workplaces. The following variables may be present for this particular unit.

Communication mediums may include:

company training

face-to-face discussions

instructional materials

regular and one-off meetings

signs and symbols

use of an interpreter where required

written instructions.

Company requirements may include:

code of ethics

dress/uniform codes

legal and organisational policy/guidelines

legislation relevant to the work or service function

OHS policies, procedures and programs

organisational image

personnel practices and guidelines outlining work roles, responsibilities and delegations

quality systems, standards and guidelines

staff appearance and presentation.

Data may be verbal, visual and anecdotal information collected during operations.

Effective communication techniques may include but are not limited to:

active listening techniques

clear, legible writing

maintaining eye contact (for face-to-face interactions)

non-verbal communication e.g. body language, personal presentation (for face-to-face interactions)

speaking clearly and concisely

using appropriate language and tone of voice

using open and/or closed questions

verbal or written responses.

Forms of communication may include:

exchange of reports and information

face-to-face interactions

responding to email

site news sheet

telephone discussions

two-way radio interactions

written information via a communication logbook.

Legislative and regulatory requirements may take into account:

consumer law

discrimination/equal employment opportunity/racial vilification

environmental law

harassment and other laws specific to local government, state and federal legislation

industry codes of conduct

OHS

privacy legislation.

Relevant parties may include external clients and supervisors/line managers.

Work group members may include:

colleagues/team members

people from a range of social, cultural or ethnic backgrounds

supervisors/line managers.

Workplace procedures may include:

assignment instructions

instructions from colleagues/supervisor/manager

personal protective equipment requirements

reporting and documentation requirements

specific customer requirements.

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist