ASSIGNMENT OF UNIT 42 EMPLOYABILITY Skills
LO1 Responsibilities and Performance
LO 1: 1.1 Own Responsibilities and Performance Objectives
Responsibilities of a manager, in this case operations manager, are drawn from a range of sources including job description, mission statement, legal duties, and others (Hinkin, 2011). The mission statement conveys the core values and goals of the organisation. It is the duty and responsibility of the employee to uphold the values and goal included in the mission statement. As the name suggests, operations manager is responsible for the routine management of hotel operations. This blanket definition implies that, the operations manager will set policies, track productivity, oversee subordinates, and make decisions about how resources are utilised. The performance objectives of an operations manager, therefore, ought to reflect this multi-faceted nature of the job. In terms of the definition, performance objectives specify the outcomes or end results expected of a work activity. Performance objectives are specific mission-related outcomes that contribute to the success of the organisation or unit within the organisation.
Own performance objectives are derived from a variety of sources including organisation’s aims and goals, professional standards, and appraisals. Performance objectives ought to reflect these standards and goals. The general rule in setting determining own performance objectives is the SMART rule, implying that objectives ought to be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. For example, an objective may lead to a performance result, development, or performance improvement. The SMART principle dictates that the quality of performance be measured against criteria pre-set for the performance management process.
In relation to own set of responsibilities as a manager, one is to recognize and reinforce high performance in employees that will create a high performing team culture, while identifying and encouraging improvement in areas where it is needed. Forming direct and indirect relationships is another very vital responsibility. In this context, the manager ought to create an appropriate schedule to conduct regular performance conversations with the people directly under the manager’s authority. It is critical to deliver positive and constructive feedback on a regular basis through one-on-one meetings. The other important responsibility is to check-in on the employees’ progress on goals, providing coaching and assistance, or revising goals where necessary (Hinkin, 2011). These processes should inform recommendations for improvement through internal processes such as coaching, mentoring, or change of work style. Performance improvement processes may also utilize external methods such as change of environment or training. In summary, other responsibilities include running day-to-day operations of the enterprise, including oversight of employees, ensuring the facility is properly maintained, taking measures to ensure customer satisfaction, and providing oversight of the upkeep of financial and administrative records.
LO 1: 1.2 Evaluating Own Effectiveness
Individual must to assess individual helpfulness through the objectives also aims that stand allocated through the group; consequently toward assess particular must to continue through a methodical technique.
Based on my own analysis, below is the chart that shows my employability strengths and weaknesses.
My Weakness in further details
Communication: Language is not my problem. My weakness is the non-verbal communication part. I often can feel that my body language is not showing what I want others to feel. I also lack in negotiation skills. This is a point of improvement suggested by both my peers and my manager.
As a manager it’s important to provide constructive feedback to all employees. Feedback is an inherent part of continuous improvement. I always feel hesitant in passing a negative feedback to someone.
Self-Management: I have no prior work experience. Hence, at times I lose sight of time and can’t plan my day to day priorities. This means often my seniors have to follow up with me on where I am stuck up and rearranging my priorities. Self-management is about showing initiative, planning, self-motivation, self-reflection and performance. I lack in initiative and planning. Even when I have a good problem solving skill, I don’t have an equal skill in initiating a new opportunity.
Planning and Organizing: Planning and Organizing include:
Time management
Resource allocation to individual tasks
Collecting, Analysing and organising requirements
As is evidenced in my lack of self-management, I can’t help groups in planning resources and tasks to achieve project or organizational goals. This is applied skill that I hope I can pick up in due course of time.
Decision Making – I am weak at making right decision at right time. Often I am guided only by others decisions. This is an impediment towards leadership development. Organizations hire resources who show greater control over their decisions.
LO 1: 1.3 Recommendations for Improvement
Based on my weaknesses pointed out in previous section, I have an action plan prepared as illustrated below:
Non-Verbal communication skill improvement: Though language is not a problem for me, mixing up with people is an issue. So, I need to make friends to start with. I will also try out social networking channels as conversations in social channels are of different kind.
Non-verbal communication can’t be learned by reading training materials. When I have picked up speaking with friends, I will join a training centre that teaches presentation skills. This will enhance my communication while making formal presentation or business proposal.
Constructive Feedback Skill Improvement: Before learning how to give constructive feedback, I will try to pick up how to receive constructive feedback. I receive feedbacks from my friends and family members. But would often get arrogant or otherwise ignore any feedback passed on. These are some simple steps that I will try out first: Trust and Respect the person who is passing the feedback, be calm and quiet while receiving the feedback, think on my personal goals then align the feedback with respect to my goals, scribe the feedback even if it’s of least importance, work on a plan of improvement for any negative feedback. Once I think that I have worked as per plan, I will again ask for feedback. Seeking feedback is always a good thing to do as then the other person knows that I am asking for constructive feedback and am prepared to work on it.
Once I have made myself acquainted with the process of receiving feedback, I will start passing constructive feedback to people who ask for any feedback. Again, when someone is asking for feedback; I will be sure that I have a participative listener. I will do my homework to ensure that my feedback is concise and well understood.
Self-Management – To improve my initiation skill, I will improve my creative thinking first. I plan to create an “Initiative board” where in a month I will work on self-proposed ideas. As a next step I will chalk out the plan of implementation as well.
On an advanced step I will join some business talks/forums where I can speak about my proposal and its plan. Once I receive feedback from different groups, I will be self-motivated to generate more ideas. This way I will inculcate a habit of thinking differently, thinking creatively and thus initiating proposals.
Planning and Organizing – To learn time management, I will use various time management tools like MS Outlook to jot down my daily task, assign a priority to them and planned dates. Once I see that consistently, I am able to meet planned dates for daily tasks, I will plan next to learn how to put a plan for resources and budget.
Decision Making Skill: This is difficult to learn. It’s an acquired leadership skill. However, I think we all make decisions all the time. I am someone who is always guided by others decisions. So, my simple plan is as below:
Make a pros-cons list whenever there is a decision to be taken
Give weightage to all the listed pros and cons
Formulate my own selection rule depending on the situation
Once a decision is taken, don’t change.
Once the decision is taken I will record and evaluate whether it was a good or bad decision. This can act as a frame of reference when there is a similar situation in future.
. P.P.D LO.4.1
LO4: 4.1 Solutions to Problems
There are different approaches to solving problems for conflicting members of a team which are delivering an important project for the business. To solve conflicts:
Members needs are protected
Providing financial incentives
Providing rewards for delivering team objectives
Providing rewards for most cohesive teams
Replacing uncooperative members with more cooperative members
In order to achieve these objectives, it would be necessary to identify and eliminate the causes of conflict. Conflicting members can also be put in different teams so that each member achieves their goal without interruptions. Team cohesion can be enhanced through the provision of various types of incentives. Members cannot afford to lose some forms of incentives and this would encourage them to work hard to become better teams
CHAT TEAM UK
CHAT TEAM UK is a London-based cellular phone investment enterprise. The enterprise has been performance critically for an extensive period of interval. Its profit margin carry on to fall and it has a big turnover of work. Chat Team UK is calls Centre, take phone calls on behalf of a group investment enterprise in instruction to accomplish customer requests. An action such as given that client facility, assume client research or gradually move out a debt management role.
As a commercial expertise, my task is to find the problem in this group and recommend a solution to progress the group. The direction of the group requests to focus on how to motivate their staff member in order to perform better in the future; work member has no care security in their works. Chat Team UK wants to put in place Medium arrangement, which deals through the products and serviceable specialization through sections. Every section has a diverse plan task, which has two-way flow of specialist and responsibility contained by a group.
Problem 1
Work are remunerated low wages,
Worked energetically without pay
There are certain anecdotes between some staffs that particular persons are being over paid.
Resolution 1
Problem 2
The group offer miniature training.
Resolution 2
Relate to Douglas McGregor’s theory X and theory Y:
Theory X, person who dislike work and avoid it, people who are forced to work, person who prefers to be lead and also wants security.
Theory Y, people who put extra energy in work, people who use self-control and self-direction in the act of changing the group purposes, persons who seek responsibility and too tend to use their imagination to resolve the group problems.
It is significant to put training technique in the group in order to improve an worker’s performance in the enterprise. By recognizing training to put in place, the group wants to look into person’s requirement/skills and experiences. In order to attain a good success from the staff member, the group must offer training in order to create it vibrant for the man adherent that what is predictable from them and how to work out on their works.
Problem 3
Advertising are rare and
Hire well qualified applicant outside.
Resolution 3
Relate to Herzberg Motivation Philosophy:
Motivator factors which deals with individuals need for personal growth, such as status, opportunity for advancement, responsibility, gaining recognition, challenging/stimulating work, and sense of personal achievement & personal growth in a job.
Employee are required to be motivated by diagnose the effect and promoting their accomplishment in the group. Chat Team UK must encourage their worker by encouraging their affect (no external consumption, worker get the first consumption for promotion).
Problem 4
Absence of communication between management and staff
Absence of staff meeting.
Resolution 4
Relate to Elton Mayo Theory, said that managers should takes more interest in the workers, treating them as people who have worthwhile opinions and realizing that workers enjoy interacting together.
In Chat Team UK, wants to take benefit of their wall space by showing statement info such as feedback of conference, worker of month, people’s accomplishments and some individual info that they need to share with their co-workers (Birthday and special event), Newssheet and Correspondence update. Chat Team wants to generate a welcoming work atmosphere, enjoyable atmosphere everywhere the workplace and to stimulate co-worker by having a noble communication flow, by generating an occasion activity such as Kids want’s, finding a Charity organization to patron, amusement days. Generate social actions support management and work to get to recognize each other.
Conference necessity is one month for all staffs to recognize the development of the group, but when on a scheme task (conference once a week and day-to-day dialogue) on how the plan is profitable. They must reorder the company to inspire greater use of group at work and bring in workers divisions to encourage better management participation in watching after worker’s benefits.
Problem 5
Absence of task deadlines
Having mistaken.
Resolution 5
Respectable time management is required to the group achievement, by an active time organizer to accomplish any objective.
In this subject I propose a weekly schedule to accomplish and defend the project task actions. They must manage their time by dealing their actions that means defending time timetable they lay-out for the jobs. That’s why training is significant in any group to develop individual understanding of in what way to manage their parts of accountability.
LO2 Interpersonal and Transferable Skills
Learning Objective 2: Be able to develop interpersonal and transferable skills
Solutions to Work-Based Problems
Now this unit of learning actual communication, average of communication, period management and resolution of problems is debated.
LO 2: 2.1 Developing solution on the basis of work place problems
Problem solving container is greatest described by way of detecting somewhat incorrect then take advantage to resolve the problem. By way of each supplementary complex explanation, problem solving is counting procedure of classifying problem, such that excellence guarantees, danger organization. Inventiveness in problem solving is an significant characteristic; initiative means to earnings exploit to resolve the problems. Initiative not continuously means the participation of controller, then to resolve badly-behaved earlier it consequence workplace milieu. Around remain numerous conducts of solving problem in place of work:
Let’s again look for the issue identified in Chat Team UK company.
Issue Identification: CHAT TEAM UK’s new branch in China is performing low on productivity.
Probable Problems:
Team members are not effective
Manager is not effective
Local market base is not suitable
Market promotions are not functional
Government is not supportive
Working conditions are not suitable
Problem Analysis
Team members are not effective – This is one of the contributing factors. Underlying problems behind are:
Team members are not motivated
Low salaried and
Stretched work load
The trainees in the team finds it difficult to adapt to call servicing way of working
Low team collaboration
Insufficient work-based training
Insufficient new comers’ training
Manager is not Effective – The second largest contributor towards low productivity. Underlying problems are:
Leadership style:
Is not collaborative. More authoritative
Does not delegate with respect. He often delegates his rudimentary jobs to senior team members that is not acceptable.
Communication:
Only holds formal meetings. Does not have informal talks among groups.
Individual tasks and roles are not clearly stated. This gives rise to conflict in teams that again disturbs the work environment.
Local Market base is not suitable: The local market is competitive. However, it’s perceived as a strategic planning point of consideration.
Market Promotions are not functional. Can’t be a contributing factor as the production itself is low in this branch and not the profit margin.
Working Conditions are not suitable: To some extent this is a contributing factor as it indirectly demotivates the team members. Some of the factors like strikes and government laws can’t be controlled. However, others conditions like health hazards and business ethics are some points that should be analysed further.
Tools used for Problem Identification and Analysis are: brainstorming, Survey questionnaire and Pareto analysis.
Proposed solutions for each underlying Problems:
Low salary
Yearly minimum salary increment
Incentives for better performance
Perks to be increased along with base salary
Unacceptable working conditions
Recreation area for relaxation
Fixed working hours
Flexible working hours
Avoiding health hazards
Health insurance for all employees
Low team collaboration
Informal team meetings
Occasional team outings
Proper introduction of new members in the team
Insufficient work-based training
Mentors to be assigned for each trainee.
Insufficient new comers’ training
Sufficient classroom training for technical as well as non-technical trainings
Leadership Style:
Bring local managers who can better communicate and set rapport with the team.
Conduct leadership trainings that teaches how to lead a team with collaboration.
Decision on best solutions: All proposed solutions to approach Leadership and teamwork problems are deemed to be implemented except two proposals: Perks along with salary and flexible work times. CHAT TEAM UK feels that salary increment should happen based on performance only and since this is a service oriented company, team members can’t have flexible work times.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Following are the monitoring and evaluation steps to be followed:
Quarterly employee survey to gather data around employee motivation
Annual performance review feedback from managers that suggest performance scorecard for each employee
Nominal survey to collect manager’s change in behaviour
Overall productivity growth of 5% in a year.
LO4 Strategies for Problem Solving
4.1 Evaluating tools and methods for developing solutions to problems
Problem solving remains action of describing a problem; defining the effect of the problem; detecting, arranging and choosing alternatives for a solution; and implementing a solution.
Here remain specific positive plans that determination comfort to solve problems. These strategies are deliberated below:
Logic-Tree Based Problem Solving
This should be the most appropriate way of handling a problem. A problem is broken-down into multiple logical decisions each outlining its outcome. As each step in the logic tree is further broken down, the decision maker branches out into more specific responses to the problem. At last a set of satisfactory responses is picked up by the decision maker.
A very useful tool for resolving complex problems. However, its not suitable during contingency period and is not effective where there is major conflict among groups.
Heuristics
Experiential is a knowledge founded problems solving, knowledge and learning method. It is psychological procedure which strength not workings at all conditions. Problem that ascends in group in incessant procedure by diverse rudiments can be resolved by means of this method. But this method could not answer all forthright problematic circumstances.
When a problem can’t be approached with a step by step resolution algorithm, Heuristics method can be approached with a set of discrete resolution steps that can be tried out. The most common heuristic methods is trial and error. This should be applied only when other solution approaches are not possible. It’s much error prone and can’t be repeated when you have a similar problem approaching in future. However, this method actually enables to keep doing something around resolving the problem rather than sitting on it. Most of the time this method turns out into some logic approach down the path.
Experimental and Mistake
Experimental and mistake technique is a method of resolving problems in which facts remain not the same then those be there not purpose. This be situated another technique and operators use this one once totally supplementary options stand not functioning. Once there remain obtainable replacements, than the situation is not necessary to practise this method to solve difficult
A main benefit of this method stands that it provides a robust intelligence of instruction popular an otherwise disordered condition and make available a mutual structure of orientation since which persons tin can interconnect in the condition. A main disadvantage of this methodology be there that it can proceeds a long time just before finish. Various persons influence discuss, also, that the world remains abundant excessively disordered on behalf of the balanced method to be advantageous.
Fishbone Analysis
Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa, a Japanese quality control statistician, invented the fishbone diagram. It is sometimes referred to as the ‘Ishikawa’, or cause and effect’, diagram. Fishbone analysis provides a structured way to help think through all possible causes of a problem. This helps to carry out a thorough analysis of a situation.
Method of usage:
Identify the problem in as much detail as you can; write it in the head of the fish
Identify the causes, grouping them at the end of each bone on the fish; use root cause analysis to probe for the underlying cause
Decide over which causes you have
Total Control (TC)
Partial Control (PC)
No Control (NC)
If you wish, use another tool to analyse further the areas where you have some or total control
Consider what outcomes are feasible
Generate options for moving towards or achieving the outcomes
Plan to implement them.
This tool helps to understand the causes of a problem. It doesn’t answer what to do. But actually we need to spend 80% of our time in understanding the problem. This tool gives a clear understanding of the problem itself. This is an effective way of categorizing all causes of a problem.
I think as with every process, this one also has its drawbacks like lack of showing interrelationships among all causes and lack of prioritisation options. Some of the things remain with the manager. Once the fishbone diagram is made available, the manager has to decide which options he wants to pursue. Otherwise, this is perhaps the most used RCA method other than “5 whys” method.
