Working effectively in a business environment

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Work location

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Registered Training Organisation (RTO)

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Unit release 1 (Aspire Version 1.1) © Aspire Training & Consulting v

Contents

Before you begin vii

Topic 1: Work within organisational requirements 1 1A Identify and read the organisation’s requirements and responsibilities

and seek advice 2

1B Understand employee and employer rights and responsibilities 10 1C Comply with relevant legal responsibilities and organisational goals

and objectives 28

1D Identify roles and responsibilities of colleagues and immediate supervisors 40 1E Inform the right person if standards and values are not upheld 42 1F Contribute to a safe work environment 46 Summary 50 Learning checkpoint 1: Work within organisational requirements 51

Topic 2: Work in a team 65 2A Be courteous and helpful at all times 66 2B Complete allocated tasks 68 2C Seek assistance when difficulties arise 69 2D Ask questions to clarify instructions and responsibilities 73 2E Use a non-discriminatory attitude in all communications with others 76 Summary 79 Learning checkpoint 2: Work in a team 80

Topic 3: Develop effective work habits 85 3A Identify work and personal priorities and achieve a work–life balance 86 3B Apply time-management strategies to work duties 90 3C Dress and behave appropriately for the job role 94 Summary 100 Learning checkpoint 3: Develop effective work habits 101

Final assessment 107 Assessment information and scope 108 Are you ready for assessment? 109 Final assessment overview 110 Assessment plan 111 Final assessment tasks 112 Record of outcome 145

Unit release 1 (Aspire Version 1.1) © Aspire Training & Consulting vii

Before you begin

This learner guide is based on the unit of competency BSBIND201 Work effectively in a business environment, Release 1. Your trainer or training organisation must give you information about this unit of competency as part of your training program. You can access the unit of competency and assessment requirements at: www.training.gov.au.

How to work through this learner guide This learner guide contains a number of features that will assist you in your learning. Your trainer will advise which parts of the learner guide you need to read, and which practice tasks and learning checkpoints you need to complete. The features of this learner guide are detailed in the following table.

Feature of the learner guide

How you can use each feature

Learning content Read each topic in this learner guide. If you come across content that is confusing, make a note and discuss it with your trainer. Your trainer is in the best position to offer assistance. It is very important that you take on some of the responsibility for the learning you will undertake.

Examples and case studies

Examples of completed documents that may be used in a workplace are included in this learner guide. You can use these examples as models to help you complete practice tasks, learning checkpoints and the final assessment. Case studies highlight learning points and provide realistic examples of workplace situations.

Practice tasks Practice tasks give you the opportunity to put your skills and knowledge into action. Your trainer will tell you which practice tasks to complete.

Video clips Where QR codes appear, learners can use smartphones and other devices to access video clips relating to the content. For information about how to download a QR reader app or accessing video on your device, please visit our website: www.aspirelr.com.au/help

Summary Key learning points are provided at the end of each topic.

Learning checkpoints

There is a learning checkpoint at the end of each topic. Your trainer will tell you which learning checkpoints to complete. These checkpoints give you an opportunity to check your progress and apply the skills and knowledge you have learnt.

Final assessment The final assessment provides you with the opportunity to demonstrate all of the learning that you have undertaken for this unit of competency. Your trainer/assessor may ask you to undertake the final assessment tasks.

Unit release 1 (Aspire Version 1.1) © Aspire Training & Consulting 1

Topic 1 Work within organisational requirements

Employees and employers have responsibilities and requirements that must be applied when working in a business environment. Most organisations have a clear set of goals and objectives that govern how they operate and set out what they want to achieve. Working in a way that supports these goals and objectives contributes to the success of the organisation. In all workplaces there are legal and regulatory requirements that are applied to ensure everyone is able to do their job safely, effectively and without discrimination.

Understanding the legal and organisational requirements, employee and employer responsibilities and the direction of the organisation will enable you to work effectively in most business environments.

In this topic you will learn how to: 1A Identify and read the organisation’s requirements and responsibilities and

seek advice 1B Understand employee and employer rights and responsibilities 1C Comply with relevant legal responsibilities and organisational goals and

objectives 1D Identify roles and responsibilities of colleagues and immediate supervisors 1E Inform the right person if standards and values are not upheld 1F Contribute to a safe work environment

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BSBIND201 Work effectively in a business environment

When a person starts a new job, it is important to ensure they have a good understanding of the requirements of the organisation and the responsibilities of their job. In many cases the new employee will attend an induction program or their supervisor or manager will discuss what they need to know about the job and the organisation.

There are specific rules, regulations, policies and procedures that all employers and employees must understand and follow. For example, all organisations and employees must abide by work health and safety (WHS) regulations, which are compulsory in Australia. There are penalties that individuals and organisations can incur for not meeting these regulatory requirements.

There are many ways to find out what your organisation expects of you and what policies and procedures you need to understand and follow.

Induction programs Most employers run an induction or initiation session, or provide an induction kit for new employees to introduce them to the organisation. An induction session can be a formal session where the employee is given detailed information about the organisation and the roles and responsibilities of each department; or it may be conducted informally, with the employee taken around the office and introduced to each worker. Large employers use online training modules as part of their staff induction. The type of induction offered depends on the size and nature of the organisation.

1A Identify and read the organisation’s requirements and responsibilities and seek advice

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Other documents used in the operations of the organisation There are many other documents that are used in the operations of an organisation. These may include the following.

Business plan

A business plan documents the organisation’s short- and long-term objectives and the strategies for achieving them. It sets the direction for the business and keeps the organisation on track once it is up and running. It is also necessary for an organisation to present its business plan when seeking finance. Other documents arising from the business plan include monthly reports and annual reports.

Department plan

Each department or team in an organisation has its own plan to show how it fits in with the overall goals of the organisation. Each employee needs to have their own individual work plan outlining their specific tasks that contribute to the organisation’s bigger goals.

Policies manual

An organisation’s policies and procedures manual outlines all the procedures that employees need to follow so they can do their job effectively. The manual tells staff about their legal obligations as an employee, their employment contract, leave entitlements, travel arrangements, performance and development reviews, professional development processes and meeting procedures.

Charter

A charter sets out the standards of behaviour expected of staff when dealing with people both inside and outside the organisation. These detailed guidelines ensure that staff behaviour is consistent throughout the organisation. For example, there will be procedures to follow for answering the telephone, dealing with customer complaints and following up customer queries.

Quality assurance plan

Many organisations have a policy of continually updating and improving their systems and processes. This may be part of a focus on improving the overall quality of the organisation, or it may be done to meet the accreditation requirements that apply in some industries.

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In some cases, you will not be able to read a certain document because you do not have the right level of authority or security. Some documents are kept confidential and can only be read by managers or supervisors. Others may only be available to people who are members of a particular working group. For example, an incident report related to a health and safety issue may only be available to the WHS representative, the manager and the employee involved in the incident. Limiting access to some documents protects important information and ensures the privacy of employees and employers.