LESSON 1:

Effective Communication in Work Environment

Communication skills are necessary for the development of self-advocacy and self-determination for
a lifelong success.

They are how we give and receive information and convey our ideas and opinions with those around
us

Communication comes in many forms:

a. Verbal (sounds, language, and tone of voice)

aural (listening and hearing)

b. Non-verbal (facial expressions, body language, and posture) written (journals, emails, blogs, and
text messages) visual (signs, symbols, and pictures)

It is important to develop a variety of skills for both communicating to others and learning how to
interpret the information received from others.

Knowing our audience and understanding how they need to receive information is equally
important as knowing ourselves.

To an employer, good communication skills are essential.

In fact, employers consistently rank good communication skills at the top of the list for potential
employees.

During an interview, for example, employers are impressed by a job candidate who:

a. Answers questions with more than one-word answers (such as yeah…nah…dunno);

b. Demonstrates that he or she is listening; and,

c. Shares information and ideas (by asking questions for clarification and/or follow-up).

The interview can be an indication to employers of how the candidate or employee will interact
with supervisors, co-workers, and customers or resolve conflicts when they arise.

On the other hand, non-verbal communication is also critical in an interview. Employers expect
good eye contact, good posture, and “active” listening to their interviewees.

Non-verbal Communication

It is the process of sending and receiving wordless messages. Consider the following types of non-
verbal signals and cues we often use to communicate our interest in and to others.

1. Body movements and posture: The way we move and carry ourselves communicates a lot of
information to the world. This type of non-verbal communication considers how our perceptions of
people are affected by the way they sit, walk, stand up, or hold their head. This includes posture,
bearing, stance, and subtle movements.

2. Gestures: This is the way we wave, point, plead, and often use our hands when we are speaking
in an animated way. The meaning of gestures can be very different across cultures and regions. It is
important to be careful with our gestures to avoid misinterpretation.
3. Eye contact: Eye contact is an especially important type of non-verbal communication. The way
we look at someone can communicate many things, including interest, affection, hostility, or
attraction. Eye contact helps maintain the flow of conversation and assesses another person’s
response.

4. Touch (Haptics): Touch communicates a great deal. A firm handshake, timid tap on the shoulder,
warm bear hug, reassuring pat on the back, patronizing pat on the head, and controlling grip on arm
are examples of haptic communication.

5. Space (Chronemics): This non-verbal communication refers to physical space. The need differs
depending on the culture, situation, and closeness of the relationship. We can use physical space to
communicate many different non-verbal messages, including signals of intimacy, aggression,
dominance, or affection

6. Voice (Paralanguage):

We communicate with our voices, even when we are not using words. Non-verbal speech
sounds such as tone, pitch, volume, inflection, rhythm, and rate are important communication
elements.

When we speak, other people “read” our voices in addition to listening to our words. These
non-verbal speech sounds provide subtle but powerful clues into our true feelings and what we
really mean. The tone of voice can indicate sarcasm, anger, affection, or confidence.

LESSON 2

Workplace Documents

A workplace document is any document that provides steps or gives instructions to carry out tasks
that contains technical details. All workplaces use documents to record their business activities.

Some documents need to be completed as part of government acts or regulations, while

others are developed to ensure the efficient delivery of services and products to customers. It is
important to know which workplace documents, records and forms you will be expected to
complete as part of your job.

There are many different types of

workplace documents. Some examples are:

Messages

Memorandum

Business Letters

Minutes from meetings

Agenda

Annual reports

Presentations and

Diagrams
  Messages, memorandum, minutes and agenda are usually workplace documents that are
prepared for internal use.

 That is, these documents are only used and read by people inside your organization.

 Messages come in all sorts of formats. It can be a simple phone message to an email
or a short message left for a work colleague. Whatever the format, it is important to be
sure that people’s names are spelled correctly, that phone numbers or other figures are
written down correctly.

 It is also important to mark on the “message” the time and date as well as who is
leaving the message. Above all, it is vital that you use clear and neat handwriting.

MEMORANDUM Memorandum or memo is a workplace document that sends information to

people in your organization about a work related topic.

Most messages of this type are sent by email, but in some instances, a hard copy of a
memorandum is distributed to staff members.

Guidelines in Writing a Memorandum

Choose a representative phrase that immediately tells the reader what the memo will be about.

2. Use plain paper (not stationery) with one-inch margins around the page.

3. Use a professional font and black color.

4. Begin all the lines of the memo at the left margin, except the MEMO line which can be
centered.

5. Use single-spaced, with two spaces between paragraphs in the body of the memo.

6. If your memo is more than 1 page long, use a subsequent page header that includes who
the Memo is addressed to, the page number, and the date.

7. Sign the Memo next to the FROM line, using initials, first name, or complete name.

8. Don’t add a greeting between the memo heading and body.

9. Use declarative verbs, and simple sentence structure.

10. Be specific and detailed without including unnecessary (i.e. time-wasting or confusing)
information and without insulting reader’s intelligence.

11. Use a more informal tone. Remember, however, that what counts as “formal” or
“informal” is defined in terms of each organization’s culture.

12. Pay attention to the intended audience and context. Be guided with the template below.
Consider Using Formatting:

Use formatting—such as headings and bulleted or numbered lists—to format information

organized in steps (for example, instructions) in the body of the memo. Using this kind of
formatting:

· Breaks information down into manageable chunks,

· This makes it easier and faster for the reader to process.

• End the body of the memo with a concluding paragraph that clearly informs the reader
what action they need to take.

• Finally, end the memo with your (the sender’s) email address and/or phone number for
people to contact with questions.

Agenda and Meeting Minutes

Agenda is a list of topics that are planned to be discussed at a meeting. It is used a guide to the
Chairperson of a meeting, to keep the meeting “on track”.

The minutes of the meeting are the record of the matters that are discussed during a meeting.
They are a “formal” record of what took place in a meeting.

Consider the following questions in writing meeting minutes:

1. When was the meeting?

2. Who attended?

3. Who did not attend? (Include this information if it matters)

4. What topics were discussed?

5. What was decided?

6. What actions were agreed upon?

7. Who is to complete the actions, by when?

8 Were materials distributed at the meeting? If so, are copies or a link available?

9. Is there anything special the reader of the minutes should know or do?

10. Is a follow-up meeting scheduled? If so, when? where? why?

Guidelines in Writing a Meeting Minutes

1. Write minutes soon after the meeting, preferably within 48 hours. That way, those who

attended can be reminded of action items, and those who did not attend will promptly know

what happened.

2. Don't skip writing minutes just because everyone attendedthe meeting and knows what

happened. Meeting notes serve as a record of the meeting long after people forget what

happened.

3. Don't describe all the "he said, she said" details unless those details are very important.

4. Record topics discussed, decisions made, and action items.

5. Don't include any information that will embarrass anyone (for example, "Then John/Jane left
the room in tears").

6. Use positive language rather than describing the discussion as heated or angry, use passionate,

lively, or energetic--all of which are just as true as the negative words.

7. Edit and proof the meeting minutes.

8. Attach any hand-outs or documents electronically, so that all participants and non-participants

have easy access to them.

Include the following information:

Topics

Decisions

Actions Agreed Upon

Person responsible

Deadline

Next Meeting

Date and Time

Location

Agenda items
In conclusion

Memorandum needs to be short and direct, and easy to read and understand.

This means that the first step in writing a memo is thinking carefully about what you want to
say and how to say it clearly and briefly.