Where could you locate further information regarding your Workplace Rights, Conduct, Standards and Ethical Responsibilities?

There are a number of sources which can be utilized for finding further information related to the ethical responsibilities, standards, code of conduct, and workplace rights. The primary source for finding information is to read through the guidebook which is provided by the organization. Most of the organization provide employees with these guidebooks and information on these aspects is available in these guidebooks. If an organization is not providing these guidebooks to employees, employees can find the law acts and articles which explain their rights. Different governments have different rules and laws which explain the rights of employees and their ethical responsibilities.

    Another source for finding this information is the terms and conditions of an organization. It can also serve to offer the necessary details to employees. In the terms and conditions, there are different sections which offer information about different areas. Thus, terms and conditions of a firm can also be analyzed to find information about responsibilities and rights.

2. Which Legislations, Policies and Procedures should organizations and workers adhere to when ensuring that Bias and Discrimination is eliminated in the Workplace?

      In order to eliminate bias and discrimination from the organization, there are a number of laws and policies where should be adhered to. Some of these policies include Equal Employment Opportunity Laws. There are different policies and laws available in Australia. For instance, there is a law of Equal Pay which explains that employees should be paid equally for similar work under similar conditions and circumstances. It means that discrimination shouldn’t be present among the employees. Although these are universal laws, it is up to the government of a nation to choose which laws should be implemented and which laws should be neglected.

    Therefore, the legislations, rules, and policies against discrimination should be focused upon which are approved by the government under which a firm is operating. For instance, if the government approves that EEO laws should be followed, a firm should follow them and employee awareness about them should be raised.

Source: https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-equal-employment-opportunity-definition-laws-policies.html

3. What are some of the consequences that could occur if Legal and Ethical considerations were breached in the Workplace?

If ethical and legal considerations are breached then some serious actions can be taken against the organization. For instance, EEO laws and enforced by the government of Australia and the organizations which don’t comply with the laws developed by it face some serious consequences. It is possible that the commission might fine the organization which breaks the laws and sometimes.

    Other than just fining the organization, the government can also make it pay the person in case of discrimination. Therefore, there are different penalties which apply in only some specific conditions. It is possible that the penalty can be severe and it also possible that the penalty might not be severe. This depends on the potential of unlawful activity carried out within the workplace.

4. Why is it important to ensure that all communication with clients and others is appropriate and effective at all times?

     Business ethics imply that employees and the staff that converses with clients and manages their works should treat them with integrity. It means that employees should ensure that they are not treating clients in a manner which can harm them or adversely influence them. It is important for the staff and every other employee dealing with customers or clients to treat them with respect and integrity. Customers should be treated in such a manner that they don’t get a bad impression of the organization.

    It is important for the staff to communicate with the clients effectively to make sure that customers understand their conditions, what is being offered to them, and what types of results might be produced by it. Therefore, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that business ethics make the employees treat employees with integrity and keep the communication effective. It can help significantly in acquiring the trust and satisfaction of customers.

Source: http://www.acwa.org.au/resources/ACWA-Practice-guidelines-Feb-2017.pdf

5. List three (3) barriers to communication with a brief description of a possible strategy that could be implemented to improve the communication process?

Following are the three barriers to communication:

Cultural Barrier: One of the most common barriers to communication between two people are cultural issues. When two people from different backgrounds and languages communicate with each other, they are unable to do so because they cannot understand each other’s languages.

Psychological Barrier: These barriers are also common and these occur when the emotional health of a person is not stable. For instance, if a person is not feeling stable, he might not be able to communicate effectively with the other person. These barriers are common for specialists who consult people with psychological issues.

Gender Barrier: The difference in genders can also be a barrier to effective communication between two people. For instance, if a person hesitates to communicate with women, he wouldn’t be capable of effectively communicating with them.

            In order to overcome these barriers, specialized training should be provided to employees which can help them in addressing these barriers in the most effective manner. For instance, real scenarios should be made and employees should be made to consult the client in such a situation. It would help in overcoming these challenges.

Source: http://phicare.com/competencies/communicationbarriers.php

6. Why is it important for workers and managers to identify Legal and Ethical Frameworks then determining the nature and scope of their own legal responsibilities?

            It is important for both employees and managers to determine the ethical and legal frameworks before understanding the scope and nature of their own responsibilities because if they don’t know the frameworks, they might be performing tasks which are considered unethical. And if they are not aware of these ethical and legal frameworks, they might be participating in something which is not even considered legal. That is why it is considered very important for both managers and employees to understand whether they are performing legal and ethical tasks or not.

            For instance, if there is an employee who doesn’t know the ethical and legal frameworks, he might be discriminating against some employees without even knowing about it. In such a case, he might be charged by the employee who is being subjected to discrimination. He could have avoided this situation be understanding and knowing about the ethical and legal frameworks before performing his tasks.

7. List five (5) Legislations, Standards, Policies or Procedures that community and support workers need to apply in the workplace?

Following are the guidelines which should be implemented by support and community workers:

Ethical Practice: A community workers should work according to the code of ethics and principles related to individual worth and right of social inclusion. It is important for the workers to adhere to all the ethical rules and ensure that not even a single rule is broken. All the ethical guidelines should be followed and it should be ensured by the community firm that its employees are following the guidelines as well.

Provision of Supports and Service: It is important for the community workers to base his professional practices and processes on the theory of community tasks and work while considering the principle that communities, groups, families, and individuals have a basic human right of accessing appropriate support and services. It means that workers should ensure to provide everything that is necessary to the people.

Confidentiality: It is important for community workers to comply with and understand all the guidelines and legislation that are associated with the privacy and confidentiality of employers, colleagues, and service users. The confidentiality of important and personal information has to be ensured by the employees.

The Regulatory Framework: Support and community workers normally works within complicated and difficult organizational structures which are governed by statute and legislation. Therefore, it is important for the workers to understand the contradictory frameworks which influence either the service users or service provision.

Workplace: Lastly, the workers should ensure that they treat the workplace with care and respect. They must take responsibility of ensuring a healthy and productive environment.

8. List three (3) Standards that inform a Code of Ethics in a Community Service setting?

Following are the standards which inform a Code of Ethics:

·         Every human being in spite of the gender diversity, age, gender, religion, or race has the right of maximizing his potential in such a manner that the rights of other people are not violated.

·         Social inclusion is considered a human where every person possesses an active role in society and also has the expectation of full economic, educational, and social participation.

·         Every individual is protected legally against discrimination based on disability, race, sex, and age.

In general, these are the standards which inform a code of ethics and it is important to meet these standards.

9. In your own words provide a brief description of the following terms and how you would use this knowledge in the workplace?

Cultural Awareness: It refers to the fact that employees must have sufficient knowledge about different cultures and understand their practices.

Cultural Safety: It refers to the fact that employees should ensure that different cultures are protected and they are not violated at the workplace.

Cultural Competence: Cultural competence is the capability of an individual to effectively communicate with others and understand the differences existing between different cultures.

Culturally Diverse: Cultural diversity means that people from different backgrounds and cultures work with each other towards a mutual objective. And a diverse workforce means that people from different backgrounds are present in it.

Source: https://www.livescience.com/21478-what-is-culture-definition-of-culture.html

10. If you are working with a person who has different cultural practices or beliefs from your own, how will you ensure that your attitude and behaviour is appropriate for the workplace?

       In case I am working with a person who has completely different practices compared to me, I will make sure to research about his beliefs and values before not talking about them at all. Meanwhile, if I am working with an individual who has partially same and partially different values then I will research about the different practices and ensure that I don’t consider them as inferior or bad. And if there is an issue which requires my suggestion and it is associated with a person from a different background, I will make sure to give a general suggestion. Meanwhile, if the suggestion is related to his values then I will refrain from commenting at all.

11. Provide a brief description of how the following features of diversity could impact on your workplace and your ability to provide service according to Industry Standards?

Political: Political features are capable of changing how a specific activity or process is carried out. However, they don’t have a comparatively significant influence on whether the firm can meet the standards or not.

Social: Social factors are considered quite important as they are associated with people. For instance, if customers are not satisfied with a specific process, it will have to be changed and it can help in meeting the industry standards.

Economic: Economic features can change the whole dynamics of an organization. However, they don’t have a significant impact on the firm in meeting the standards.

Cultural: Cultural features also capable of influencing whether a firm can meet the industry standards or not. For instance, if the internal culture of the firm is not effective, it can influence the firm in an adverse manner.

12. In your own words comment on what you understand is contained within “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights’? Briefly explain the difference between human needs and human rights?

            The Universal Declaration of Human Rights identifies the rights which every human in the world deserves. These are the rights which are provided to every person regardless of the country. These rights have to be provided to people in spite of their color and race. Human needs are all those desires which can help people in living a satisfied life. Meanwhile, human rights are the rights which are provided to every single human in the world. All of the human needs are not fulfilled and they are not considered compulsory. However, human rights are provided to every single person.

13. Listed below are some of the key areas of diversity evident in society today. Provide a brief description of your understanding of these terms to ensure your understanding of cultural diversity?

Culture: Culture is actually an umbrella term which comprises norms and social behaviors which are found in societies along with habits and capabilities of people.

Disability: It is actually the inability of a person to perform a specific task due to natural reasons.

Religious Belief: It is actually the belief of a person in historical, spiritual, or mythological aspects of a religion.

Gender: It is actually the characteristics which differentiate a male from a male. It helps in determining whether a person is a male or a female.

Intersex: Intersex people are the humans or individuals who are born with a number of variations or differences in sex characteristics including genitals, sex hormones, gonads, and chromosomes. These are the people who don’t fit the specified definitions of female or male bodies.

Generational: It relates to the characteristics of people living and born at almost or approximately the same time and they are regarded collectively.

Sexual Orientation: It is the sexual orientation of a person in association with the gender to which they are generally attracted.

14. Whilst the internet provides us with a readily available resource, research services provided in your local community that assist in the provision of language and cultural interpreters?

Research services provided in the local community are quite important and helpful in offering different services which are related to the provision of cultural interpreters and language. Community services are normally aimed at improving local understanding of different cultures and also ensures that people belong to one culture are able to understand people of the different cultures and how they perceive different things. By providing these services to people, communities play an important role in eliminating discrimination from societies. With the help of these services, a diverse culture is developed in which different types of people live together.

15. Conduct some research and identify the key issues that impact on Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander people in Australia today when accessing services?

The inefficient health status of Torres Strait and Aboriginal Islander people is quite renowned. There are substantial inequalities which exist between Torres Strait and Aboriginal Islander people and the ones who don't belong to it. This inequality increases significantly when it comes to communicable and chronic diseases, life expectations, mental health, and infant death. People are unable to access health services and due to it, they suffer significant issues. For instance, they are unable to obtain the required services and it has an adverse influence on their health because their issues are not resolved and their condition only deteriorates with time. When they don’t access the services, they cannot maintain the community due to which they are socially and economically impacted. And without the right structure and services to access, people wouldn’t be able to develop in a political manner or develop a political structure.

16. In your own words comment on the cultural impact that changing influences and practices have made in your own community?

 In my community, the services and efforts of different committees have changed in recent years. In the last five years, the changes have resulted in significant improvements. For instance, the most noticeable change is that the efforts have aimed towards increasing the awareness of people about human rights and the place of people belonging to different backgrounds. It has allowed people to think in a more sustainable way towards people of different races and creeds. Now, people in society readily consider other people equal to them and important as well. I believe that the changing influences have been positive and they have resulted in positive outcomes as well. 

   In most of the cases, changes are not considered positive. For instance, a community might not change its perspectives and continue to treat people in a specific discriminatory manner. However, my society has improved due to the changes which have occurred in all the committees and organizations which work for the betterment of society. They have played an important role in ensuring that the perspectives of people towards people belong to different backgrounds are changed in an effective manner.

Write about the historical events that have shaped your life, include the following points:

a. Your environment and background and how this influences your identity

b. How your cultural background has influenced your: - Beliefs - Values - Attitudes

c. How has this background affected your relationships with people from other cultures?

d. Reflect on your own culture, western systems and structures and how these impact on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and their engagement within community services.

A: One of the most important and noticeable habits in me that I can relate to my background is how I tend to help others. My parents have always made me help other regardless of the fact whether it can benefit me or not. My religion also inspires me to help others and that is what I do.

B: As explained above, my culture has a significant influence on my attitude, values, and beliefs. Another example is that, for a long time now, I have been told that regardless of our skills and abilities, we shouldn’t be rude and arrogant. And due to it, I make sure that I am not acting arrogantly.

C: This background has enabled me to develop significant and honest relationships with people from different backgrounds. For instance, my background has taught me that every single person is a human and as humans, we have to help each other. When I am helping others in spite of our differences, it helps me in developing strong relationships with others.

D: I would say that it is not my culture and western systems which cause these people to suffer and face issues. It is actually the stereotypical thinking which adversely affects them and causes them to suffer. It is important for us to change our perceptions and it would automatically become helpful for them.