BSBTWK502

Manage team effectiveness

Learner Guide
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Table of Contents

Unit of Competency.............................................................................................................................4
Application..........................................................................................................................................4
Performance Criteria...........................................................................................................................5
Foundation Skills.................................................................................................................................6
Assessment Requirements..................................................................................................................7
1. Establish team performance plan.....................................................................................................9
1.1– Identify team purpose, roles, and responsibilities according to organisational and task objectives
..............................................................................................................................................................10
What makes an effective team?........................................................................................................10
Identifying roles and responsibilities.................................................................................................11
Tuckman’s team development model...............................................................................................12
Activity 1A.........................................................................................................................................13
1.2 – Develop performance plans with expected outcomes, key performance indicators (KPI’s) and
goals for work team..............................................................................................................................14
What are performance plans?...........................................................................................................14
What is a KPI?....................................................................................................................................15
Activity 1B.........................................................................................................................................17
1.3– Support team members in meeting expected performance outcomes.........................................18
Why do teams require a supportive environment?..........................................................................18
What makes a good manager?..........................................................................................................19
Meeting performance outcomes......................................................................................................20
Activity 1C.........................................................................................................................................21
2. Develop and facilitate team cohesion............................................................................................22
2.1 – Develop strategies for facilitating team member input into planning, decision making and
operational aspects of team tasks.........................................................................................................23
Strategic planning.............................................................................................................................23
Developing a strategy........................................................................................................................23
Facilitating team participation in strategic planning.........................................................................24
Activity 2A.........................................................................................................................................25
2.2 – Develop or modify policies and procedures for promoting team member accountability for
personal work and team tasks..............................................................................................................26
What is team member accountability?.............................................................................................26
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Workplace policies and procedures..................................................................................................27

Activity 2B.........................................................................................................................................28
2.3 – Provide feedback to team members on team effort and contributions.......................................29
Why is feedback important?.............................................................................................................29
Positive feedback..............................................................................................................................30
Activity 2C.........................................................................................................................................32
2.4 – Develop processes for identifying and addressing issues, concerns and problems identified by
team members......................................................................................................................................33
Identifying and addressing issues in the workplace..........................................................................33
Developing processes for dealing with concerns..............................................................................33
Activity 2D.........................................................................................................................................35
3. Facilitate teamwork.......................................................................................................................36
3.1 – Encourage team members to participate in and to take responsibility for team activities..........37
Encouraging participation within your team.....................................................................................37
Playing to your strengths..................................................................................................................37
Activity 3A.........................................................................................................................................40
3.2 – Support the team in identifying and resolving work performance problems...............................41
Identifying problems with performance...........................................................................................41
Resolving performance issues...........................................................................................................42
Activity 3B.........................................................................................................................................44
3.3 – Promote work team collaboration through individual behaviour................................................45
The importance of team collaboration..............................................................................................45
Positive behaviours within the workplace.........................................................................................46
Negative behaviours within the workplace.......................................................................................46
Activity 3C.........................................................................................................................................49
4. Liaise with stakeholders.................................................................................................................50
4.1 – Establish and maintain open communication processes with relevant stakeholders..................51
Establishing communication with stakeholders................................................................................51
Maintaining contact with stakeholders.............................................................................................52
Activity 4A.........................................................................................................................................53
4.2 – Communicate information from line management to the team..................................................54
Communicating information to a team.............................................................................................54
Communication channels..................................................................................................................54
Choosing appropriate communication channels...............................................................................55
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Activity 4B.........................................................................................................................................56
4.3 – Communicate and follow-up unresolved issues, concerns and problems raised by team
members with line management..........................................................................................................57
4.4 – Address unresolved issues, concerns and problems raised by stakeholders................................57
Identifying unresolved issues within the workplace.........................................................................57
Addressing stakeholder concerns.....................................................................................................58
Activity 4C.........................................................................................................................................60
Summative Assessments.......................................................................................................................61
References............................................................................................................................................62
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Unit of Competency
Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to lead teams in the workplace and to actively
engage with the management of the organisation.

The unit applies to individuals working at a managerial level who lead and build a positive culture within
their work teams. At this level, work will normally be carried out using complex and diverse methods
and procedures requiring the exercise of considerable discretion and judgement. It will also involve
using a range of problem solving and decision-making strategies.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of
publication.

Unit Mapping Information

Supersedes and is equivalent to BSBWOR502 Lead and manage team effectiveness.

Supersedes but is not equivalent to:

 BSBMGT520 Plan and manage the flexible workforce

 BSBWRK409 Prepare for and participate in dispute resolution.

Unit Sector
Social Competence – Teamwork and Relationships
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Performance Criteria
Element Performance Criteria
Elements describe the Performance criteria describe the performance needed to
essential outcomes. demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Establish team 1.1 Identify team purpose, roles, and responsibilities according
performance plan to organisational and task objectives
1.2 Develop performance plans with expected outcomes, key
performance indicators (KPIs) and goals for work team
1.3 Support team members in meeting expected performance
outcomes

2. Develop and facilitate 2.1 Develop strategies for facilitating team member input into
team cohesion planning, decision making and operational aspects of team
tasks
2.2 Develop or modify policies and procedures for promoting
team member accountability for personal work and team
tasks
2.3 Provide feedback to team members on team effort and
contributions
2.4 Develop processes for identifying and addressing issues,
concerns and problems identified by team members

3. Facilitate teamwork 3.1 Encourage team members to participate in and to take

responsibility for team activities
3.2 Support the team in identifying and resolving work
performance problems
3.3 Promote work team collaboration through individual
behaviour

4. Liaise with 4.1 Establish and maintain open communication processes with
stakeholders relevant stakeholders
4.2 Communicate information from line management to the
team
4.3 Communicate and follow up unresolved issues, concerns
and problems raised by team members with line
management
4.4 Address unresolved issues, concerns and problems raised by
stakeholders
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Foundation Skills
This section describes language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills incorporated in the
performance criteria that are required for competent performance.

 Reading:

o analyses and interprets textual information from the organisation’s policies, goals and
objectives to establish team goals or to determine corrective action

 Writing:

o prepares workplace documentation that communicates complex information clearly and

effectively

 Oral communication:

o engages in discussions or provides information using appropriate vocabulary and non-verbal

features

o uses listening and questioning techniques to confirm understanding and to engage the
audience

 Enterprise and initiative:

o identifies how own role contributes to broader organisational goals

o modifies or develops policies and procedures to achieve organisational goals

 Teamwork:

o selects and uses appropriate conventions and protocols when communicating with diverse
stakeholders

o uses interpersonal skills to gain trust and confidence of team and provides feedback to
others in forms that can be understood and used

o adapts personal communication style to build positive working relationships and to show
respect for the opinions, values and particular needs of others

 Planning and organising:

o develops, implements and monitors plans and processes to ensure team effectiveness

o monitors and actively supports processes and development activities to ensure the team is
focused on work outcomes

o plans for unexpected outcomes and implements creative responses to overcome

challenges.
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Assessment Requirements
Performance Evidence

The candidate must demonstrate the ability to complete the tasks outlined in the elements,
performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit, including evidence of the ability to:

 Manage the effectiveness of at least one work team.

In the course of the above, the candidate must:

 Provide feedback to encourage, value and reward others

 Model desired behaviour and practices

 Encourage and foster shared understanding of purpose, roles and responsibilities

 Support team to meet expected performance outcomes including providing formal and informal
learning opportunities as needed

 Develop performance plans with key performance indicators (KPIs), outputs and goals for
individuals or the team which incorporate input from stakeholders

 Communicate effectively with a range of stakeholders about team performance plans and team
performance

 Evaluate and take necessary corrective action regarding unresolved issues, concerns and
problems raised by internal or external stakeholders.
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Knowledge Evidence

The candidate must be able to demonstrate knowledge to complete the tasks outlined in the elements,
performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit, including knowledge of:

 Impacts of group dynamics on team performance

 Methods of establishing team activities including communication processes

 Strategies that can support team cohesion, participation and performance

 Strategies for gaining consensus

 Issue resolution strategies.

Assessment Conditions

Skills in this unit must be demonstrated in a workplace or simulated environment where the conditions
are typical of those in a working environment in this industry.

This includes access to:

 Workplace documents relevant to team task objectives.

Assessors of this unit must satisfy the requirements for assessors in applicable vocational education and
training legislation, frameworks and/or standards.

Links

Companion Volume Implementation Guide is found on VETNet

-https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=11ef6853-ceed-4ba7-9d87-4da407e23c10
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1. Establish team performance plan

1.1. Identify team purpose, roles and responsibilities according to organisational and task objectives

1.2. Develop performance plans with expected outcomes, key performance indicators (KPIs) and
goals for work team

1.3. Support team members in meeting expected performance outcomes

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1.1– Identify team purpose, roles, and responsibilities according to

organisational and task objectives
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Identify characteristics that contribute to creating an effective team

 Demonstrate an understanding of the Tuckman development model.

What makes an effective team?

Businesses are never satisfied. They cannot be. Should a business become content with their outcomes
and performance, competitors would seize the opportunity to outperform them, and the business
would start to fail. Businesses are constantly re-evaluating their goals and visions to provide a service
that can compete with the market whilst being economically viable for the stakeholders.

Of course, a strong team needs strong management to guide and organise the team in the most
productive ways possible. Managers need to support their employees whilst building their confidence
so that they are competent in managing themselves and making calculated decisions. Management will
be responsible for ensuring the team is aware of its purpose, and all individuals know what is expected
of them within their roles.

The strongest teams will share the following characteristics:

 Effective communication

 Equal contribution

 Supportive of each other

 Diverse

 Strong leadership

 Strong organisation

 Sense of fun (high morale)

 Shared goals and purpose.

These shared attributes will enable a team to work effectively as a whole whilst
creating a healthy work environment.

Source: Undercover Recruiter - Employer Branding and Talent Acquisition Blog

(theundercoverrecruiter.com)

(Accessed 21/01/21)
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Identifying purpose
In order to be a viable competitor, any business must be run by a skilled and versatile team that
recognises the importance of being competitive and sharing workplace responsibilities. A strong team
will have a shared sense of purpose and be competent within their roles, both independently and
collectively.

To identify your organisation’s purpose, you should collectively consider three points:
 What business are you really in? Who are your customers, and what do they require
from you?

 What is the value that you offer? How do customers or service users benefit from the
services you provide?

 What is the final outcome? Rather than focusing on the product or service process,
look at your purpose from the perspective of the result; what do you strive to achieve?

Once a team has contemplated these points, they should be able to reach similar responses. The team
can then gain a shared sense of purpose that can help them to fully establish and undertake their roles
as individuals, working towards the same outcomes for their organisation.

Diversity within a team

The most effective teams will be diverse in compilation. It is valuable to
employees that the team has a broad range of experiences so that the
team members can learn from each other. Teams should be made up of a
range of ages, sexes, cultures and experience so that they are confident
in addressing whatever obstacles may present themselves.

A diverse team will have variable strengths and weaknesses, meaning

that certain responsibilities and roles will be assigned to those best
equipped to undertake them. Whatever the team's differences, however,
they must all be able to identify the purpose of the team and the
organisation's objectives and vision.

In order to be a viable competitor, any business must be run by a skilled and versatile team that
recognises the importance of being competitive and sharing workplace responsibilities. A strong team
will have a shared sense of purpose and be competent within their roles, both independently and
collectively.

Identifying roles and responsibilities

If you are part of an organisation, no matter your level of authority, you must be confident in your role
and responsibilities. You must consider your organisation’s task objectives while undertaking your role
so that you are focussed on achieving the targets set by your organisation.
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When assigning roles to team members, you may need to consider:

 Experience

 Time management

 People skills

 IT literacy

 Communication skills

 Networking opportunities/connections.

To ensure maximum productivity, individuals should be assigned roles and responsibilities that play to
their strengths. For example, for networking, it will be wise to assign this responsibility to someone who
is experienced in their field and has maybe worked for multiple businesses during their career, meaning
that they have made many contacts over time.

Someone who is very shy and does not communicate well verbally may not be suitable for the role but
may have other strengths such as finances, budgeting or IT. This is why diversity within a team is
essential to overall performance. It will be down to management to delegate roles to appropriate
personnel to achieve a balanced and effective team. Managers may choose to implement a
development model to structure performance within a team.

Tuckman’s team development model

Tuckman’s team development model focuses on the initial team forming process. The model breaks the
process into stages in order to add structure to the team-building process and provide performance
targets. The process compartmentalises the stages that a team pass through to attain shared purpose
and become independent within the individual roles and responsibilities.

1. Forming 2. Storming

 High level of guidance required from  Understanding how decisions will be made
management
 Coaching and power struggles will occur
 Individual purpose and roles are unclear
 Purpose becomes clear
 The process has not yet been established
 Individual relationships and roles still unclear

3. Norming 4. Performing

 Roles and relationships are clarified within
the team
 Commitment to team goals is applied
 Team process begins to materialise
 The team is committed to performing
 There is a strategic focus
 The team starts to run independently with
little input from management

The process then results in a stage sometimes quoted as Adjourning. This stage simply represents
positive completion and recognition of achieving the required outcome.
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Activity 1A
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1.2 – Develop performance plans with expected outcomes, key performance

indicators (KPI’s) and goals for work team
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Identify the purpose of SMART measures

 Suggest relevant KPI’s for monitoring performance.

What are performance plans?

Performance plans offer a method of measuring employee performance within the workplace.
Performance plans can structure an employee’s self-development and give them a focus and
benchmarks to monitor their performance. A performance plan should be individually tailored to an
employee so that it gives relevant and relatable support for their role and targets that are appropriate
and realistic.

An effective performance plan will follow a planning model, such as the perform model:

P otential – recognise the potential of the individual and monitor performance accordingly
E xpertise – consider ability, training, experience and qualities required to undertake the role
R esults – monitor results for individuals, teams and organisations appropriately
F ocus – keep the task in mind and overcome challenges to hit personal targets
O pportunity – achieve, advance and grow by seizing opportunities as they present
R esources – consider the resources required to support personal development
M otivation – make work enjoyable and interesting and offer feedback whenever possible.
Source: How to Motivate Employees | to PERFORM (the-happy-manager.com

(Accessed 21/01/21)

Individual performance must be focused on organisational purpose and goals, or it will run the risk of
being counterproductive. If an employee fails to contribute to these shared goals, then their efforts may
be in vain as they will not be compatible with the input of other employees.

Another common performance monitoring method comes from introducing SMART measures. These
are similar to the PERFORM measures but have slightly different specifications. SMART measures will be
applied to specific aspects of performance to set targets for performance review.
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SMART measures consist of:

S pecific
M easurable
A ttainable
R ealistic
T imebound
The SMART measures ensure that performance tasks are achievable and
realistic for employees and relevant for the role. To ensure that employees keep their efforts focused
and relevant, employers can often choose to utilise SMART measures alongside Key Performance

What is a KPI?
Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) are critical indicators of progress that intend to apply focus for
strategic and operational improvement within the workplace. A KPI will allow for a critical analysis of a
company’s long-term progress by assessing multiple separate factors individually. KPI’s are used for
managing objectives and tracking the progress of both individuals and teams as a whole.

The anatomy of a viable KPI includes:

 A measure: Every KPI need a measure

 A target: Each KPI needs a target that matches the measure and the period of your goal

 A data source: A KPI needs a clearly defined data source so it is clear how each
indicator is being measured or tracked

 Reporting frequency: KPI’s may require different reporting needs, but it is wise to
review these regularly.

Lagging indicators must be considered, as these will give perspective to how performance has
progressed since past efforts. This can give a clear indication of how performance has evolved in the
workplace and give a comparison for employers. KPI’s are vital in target setting as they provide a
measurement method which is essential in gauging personal development, and each KPI must be
relevant and attainable for the individual’s ability within their role.

Examples of KPI’s include:

 Number of new contacts signed

 Net sales

 Orders fulfilled

 Growth in revenue
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 Gross profit margin

 Number of customers retained

 Percentage of market share

 Order fulfilment time

 Number of qualifies leads

 The number of articles published.

Whatever your role and industry, there will be many

benchmarks that can be used as KPI’s. These metrics must be identified and implemented as a way of
monitoring progress and attaining your organisation's goals. Each employee must have performance
plans in place to monitor their performance and support them to achieve performance outcomes.

Source: What is a Key Performance Indicator (KPI)?

(Accessed 21/01/21)
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Activity 1B

1.3–
Support
team
members
in meeting
expected

performance outcomes
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Identify appropriate methods of supporting performance outcomes.

Why do teams require a supportive environment?

A supportive workplace is vital when it comes to installing a positive nature into your organisation.
Every employee should have full access to support to maintain a productive environment and meet
performance outcomes effectively. A well-supported team is likely to be hardworking and well
balanced. Support can be provided to employees via words or actions depending on the needs of the
individual and the circumstances of the issue. To create an environment that is fully supportive of
employee’s needs, support must be demonstrated in a variety of ways.

Demonstrations of support include:

 Trust: Trust is hugely important in building relationships between employers and
employees. Organisations that have a strong trust bond with employees are said to
have a higher level of engagement and productivity

 Morale: To maintain high morale,

employers must understand how to
motivate employees and stimulate the
work environment
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 Wellbeing: It is important to retain humility within the workplace. Making employees

feel valued and looked after will enhance productivity and make the organisation a
desirable workplace

 Relationships: Workplaces must foster the building of strong working relationships

between both colleagues and customers. An organisation with a strong support
network will be more adept at meeting performance outcomes

 Pride: When employees are satisfied and proud of their achievements, it results in low
staff turnover, which can also mean high customer retention. It is important that
employers realise the development of workplace pride begins with them.

Employers and managers have the overall responsibility for creating a healthy, happy and supportive
working environment. The ideology of the workplace must come from the top and be installed into the
rest of the organisation by management.

Source: 5 Different Ways To Truly Support Your Workplace - TalentCulture

(Accessed 21/01/21)

What makes a good manager?

Any good team requires strong and competent management. Managers need to be motivational and
supportive to ensure team members are meeting organisational objectives within their roles. Managers
will need to demonstrate certain characteristics and qualities to be able to manage a group of
professionals effectively.

A good manager will:

 Encourage employees to be their own leaders

 Motivate and inspire

 Know their strengths

 Feedback regularly

 Listen

 Be humble.

Source: 7 Things Great Managers Do to Support Their Employees | BusinessCollective

(Accessed 21/01/21)

By applying these methods to their working Practice, management can build positive relationships with
employees whilst supporting them to meet performance outcomes. This is beneficial for both individual
and the organisation’s development as a whole.

Providing support from within

The support network within an organisation should be available to every employee at any level within
the company. Different departments will provide different aspects of support as and where applicable.
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For example:

(Source: Managing Teams by Robert Heller. Dorling Kindersley, London 1998)

Meeting performance outcomes

Employee performance is vital in achieving positive outcomes for an organisation. Because of this, it is
hugely important that staff receive the necessary amount of support whilst undertaking their roles. An
employee should be aware of what is expected of them and must be prepared for tackling any obstacles
that present within the role.

Being able to accurately measure performance is something that management must be able to do in
order to secure the success of the organisation. Having specified performance plans that are supportive
of the employees needs are a major part in effectively executing this process. Should an employee start
to fall short of their performance expectations, management may need to implement support in specific
areas to rectify this issue. Regular support and performance plans can be vital to implementing the
necessary changes and raise standards within a team.
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Activity 1C
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2. Develop and facilitate team cohesion

2.1. Develop strategies for facilitating team member input into planning, decision making and
operational aspects of team tasks

2.2. Develop or modify policies and procedures for promoting team member accountability for
personal work and team tasks

2.3. Provide feedback to team members on team effort and contributions

2.4. Develop processes for identifying and addressing issues, concerns and problems identified by
team members
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2.1 – Develop strategies for facilitating team member input into planning,
decision making and operational aspects of team tasks
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Demonstrate active participation in objective planning and decision-making processes.

Strategic planning
To harness and power a team effectively, team members should be encouraged to work collaboratively
to develop relevant and achievable strategies. Strategic planning is a central part of business
development. Strategic planning should incorporate regular, formal reviews for all areas of performance
to create and focus on attaining predetermined business objectives.

Employers should engage staff in the planning process by:

 Allowing contribution of staff ideas to future business proposals

 Ensuring staff and have the required skills to implement and deliver the strategy.

To encourage employee participation in planning processes, employers must consider how their ideas
will contribute towards the organisational objectives. Management may wish to review job descriptions
to see if they align with the strategic direction of the business and potentially identify gaps and
reallocations for resources.

Developing a strategy
By encouraging staff participation in the planning process, a comprehensive strategy may be achieved
due to the diversity of perspectives and experience that will be offered by employees. By integrating
employees into the planning and decision-making process, an organisation can appreciate how the plan
will affect different departments and start to visualise how to logistically implement the strategy.
Effective strategies will determine what business looks like and what is required to achieve it.

An effective strategy will:

 Identify clear, concise and achievable objectives

 Recognise the capabilities and resources they will

require to achieve such objectives

 Implement progress measures to monitor the

productivity of the team

 Be comparable to past efforts by considering lagging

indicators.

Source: Improving business performance (cpaaustralia.com.au

(Accessed 21/01/21)
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Inclusion of employee input creates a sense of unity within a team. Valuing employees ideas is good for
morale and also beneficial to employers. Employers may gain a more realistic perspective of the
implications of a strategy from those who will be applying it to their working practice. The operational
aspects of any strategic plan will be undertaken by an organisation’s employees. Using their past
experiences can be crucial in forming strategies that exceed the performance of those previously
developed.

Involving employees in the planning stage will also help to clarify the objections of the task. If
employees have been active in the planning process, they will have a more comprehensive
understanding of the goal and why this has been assigned to them.

Facilitating team participation in strategic planning

There are several ways that management can facilitate opportunities for employees to contribute to
planning processes.

They may consider:

 Supervisions

 Casual conversations

 Team meetings

 Brainstorming sessions

 Q&A sessions.

These formal opportunities are worth considering for gathering employee input; however, management
needs to acknowledge the value of simply being accessible and available to their staff. General feedback
from staff will often be included in the planning process, so this should be facilitated by management
wherever possible.
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Activity 2A
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2.2 – Develop or modify policies and procedures for promoting team member
accountability for personal work and team tasks
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Develop policies for promoting team member accountability.

What is team member accountability?

Accountability is where an individual willingly accepts responsibility for their actions within their role.
Accountability occurs when an individual can recognise the purpose of their role within different
scenarios that present and adapt their practice accordingly without making excuses or passing blame.

Accountability usually incurs quite negative connotations; times when a mistake has been made, or
practice has been substandard. However, there are more positive occasions in which accountability is
still relevant. It also refers to fully understanding the expectations of your role and taking ownership of
how you perform at work.

Accountability is a desirable quality to have as an employee as it:

 Increases trust: Employers will feel more
comfortable knowing their employees are
accountable for their actions. Employees will also
feel a level of trust with each other knowing that
their colleagues will take responsibility for their
actions

 Improves performance: individuals that have a

sense of accountability will tend to behave more
professionally and create a supportive culture
within the team. This, in turn, increases
productivity

 Allows for learning: Employees that are accountable within their roles are more likely
to recognise and address weaknesses. Therefore they will be more open to learning
from experience and mistakes, which will improve their overall working practice and
competence within their roles.

For employees to be fully accountable, it is wise to delegate responsibilities during meetings and briefs
while project planning. Organisations policies and procedures may need to reflect these responsibilities
for employees to understand the organisation’s objectives regarding accountability.
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Workplace policies and procedures

The purpose of workplace policies and procedures is to define and document what is expected from
employees given any aspect of working practice. This ensures that employees are fully aware of what is
expected of them and how they should conduct themselves whilst at work.

Different projects may require new policies that clearly specify the requirement and
procedures for the specific task. Sometimes existing policies will just need to be
adapted for them to be relatable to new projects.

To modify these policies appropriately, you must consider:

 Who will be following this policy and why

 Feedback from employees

 Feedback from customers

 The relatability of the policy to current working practice

 How realistic the conditions of the policy are.

By making policies applicable to the role, employees will be better prepared for how
to present at work. To be fully compliant with policies and procedures, employees must understand
what is expected of them, and this falls to management to ensure that their team is aware of the
expectations of the role.

Should a policy become outdated due to change in practice or legislation, this will need to be amended
so that it is still relevant.
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Activity 2B
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2.3 – Provide feedback to team members on team effort and contributions

By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Identify appropriate methods of sharing negative feedback with a team

 Identify appropriate methods of sharing positive feedback with a team.

Why is feedback important?

The process of providing feedback on working practice is important in many ways. Predominantly; it
gives employees guidance on how to improve performance within their roles. Feedback is also vital in
building relationships between employee and employer. It opens up channels for open and honest
communication which creates an element of trust, should employees be adequately supported.

Having to give negative feedback can be difficult and should always be handled compassionately. Often
receiving negative feedback can be hard to hear and trigger anxieties, so management should bear this
in mind to ensure that feedback is constructive. Having to give negative feedback should be viewed as
an opportunity to improve practice. It is important to reassure the employee that you believe
improvement is possible and offer guidance on how to achieve this.

Proactive feedback should always:

 Be confidential: Try to provide feedback confidentially and face to face where possible.
It would be unprofessional to share information regarding an individual’s performance
with colleagues

 Well-timed: Try to feedback on performance at relevant opportunities. If an employee

has behaved problematically, this needs discussing imminently to prevent a repeat of
this behaviour

 Specific: Try to specify exactly what is wanted from

employees performance. Saying things like “I expected
better”, doesn’t give constructive feedback to work
from to improve performance

 Offer solutions: If you do not offer a solution, the

feedback may be redundant. Employees need to feel
that they are properly supported, and it may require
strong leadership and guidance to ascertain how to
rectify any issues with performance.

Feedback should be given to aid an individual to better themselves and subsequently, the organisation's
outcomes. Feedback should be used as a tool to construct a more effective practice, and it is important
that management work with the individual to clarify exactly what they need to do to bring their
standards up.

To deliver negative feedback compassionately, management should endeavour to make the process as
person-centred as possible.
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They should ask questions such as:

 How do you feel you are performing?

 What do you consider to be your strengths and weaknesses?

 Is there any specific support you think you would benefit from?

 Are you happy at work?

This will demonstrate a level of understanding and support to the employee and constructively address
the issue by looking for suitable solutions.

Positive feedback
Positive feedback is just as important as negative feedback and is sometimes overlooked. Human being
desire praise and feedback should also be used as a way of communicating an individual’s strengths and
successes within their work. Positive feedback makes an individual feel valued while boosting
confidence, which helps them to hone their skills within their role.

Positive feedback will:

 Promote engagement

 Develop performance

 Include facts and figures

 Identify good practice

 Boost morale.

All of these factors contribute to a happier and more productive workforce. By

including facts and figures in positive feedback, it gives employees a clear understanding of how their
performance has effected productivity at work. For example, if you tell an employee that their sales are
7% up in the last month, it gives them a way to measure their progress so that they can visualise the
results of their efforts.

As positive feedback praises good practice, it will help individuals identify their most effective working
processes. This, in turn, aids personal development, making the overall team more competent and
confident within their roles. Management needs to recognise the importance of giving constructive and
well-supported feedback to strengthen their teams and meet objectives efficiently.

Management can also consider rewarding success as a way of feeding back positively to teams. This
can be done by:
 Broadcasting figures

 Publicising results

 Setting up reward schemes

 Team prizes
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 Gamification and competition between colleagues.

This is beneficial to team morale and provides an added performance incentive. It also demonstrates
gratitude from higher management to employees which employees value as it is nice to be appreciated
within your role.

Keeping teams informed

Management will be responsible for feeding back to teams regarding changes within the organisation.
Announcing changes within the organisation should always be done enthusiastically as staff will develop
a positive attitude towards the new. You should always ensure you are well enough informed of the
change before breaking the news as employees may have questions regarding the new plan.
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Activity 2C
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2.4 – Develop processes for identifying and addressing issues, concerns and
problems identified by team members
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Develop a process for team members to report issues or concerns

 Address issues identified by team members appropriately.

Identifying and addressing issues in the workplace

Workplace issues can present themselves in a variety of ways, and early identification is vital in
combatting them effectively. Employees must be comfortable and confident in reporting issues to
relevant personnel. Issues, concerns and problems can become barriers to productivity and must be
rectified accordingly. To be able to deal with such issues promptly, team members must have an
identified process for raising concerns and addressing them.

Issues can arise from a multitude of sources, including:

 Time management

 Employee attitudes/behaviours

 Concerns regarding contacts

 Product/service quality

 Resources

 IT malfunctions

 Competitor performance

 Team performance.

Management must be prepared to offer solutions and problem-solving methods to employees who
identify an issue. Processes must be developed and shared with employees to unify the system for
reporting concerns.

Developing processes for dealing with concerns

Management should be accountable for dealing with employees concerns, so it is wise to have
developed appropriate processes for such an event. The reporting of issues combined with case
management is central to undertaking task management within the organisation. Issues will provide
objective information that will subsequently underpin the construction of policy and procedure
formation within an organisation.
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Processes for identifying issues will feature the following five stages:
 Identification: The first stage of the process will be the initial identification of the issue
or concern. The individual will then identify who to report their concerns to within the
workforce

 Containment: Efforts must then be made to contain the issue; for example, if the issue
was concerning a contact, it would be advisable to cease dealings with that contact
until the issue has been dealt with accordingly

 Consideration: Consider the potential impact of the issue. The concern must then be
analysed by all relevant individuals and possible solutions considered before actions
are taken

 Addressing: A suitable solution should be

agreed on, and the concern must then be
addressed accordingly

 Correction: Actions must be taken by all

relevant personnel to rectify the issue so that
working practice can continue uninterrupted.
This must be communicated within the team
to ensure maximum compliance between
employees and future avoidance of the same
or similar issues.

Defining the process will, in turn, structure the support network for employees whilst enabling
employers to construct a stronger case management strategy. Processes will need to be clear and
appropriate for the individual work setting. Ensure that relevant personnel are available and
approachable for employees to report concerns to avoid disruption to working practice.
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Activity 2D
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3. Facilitate teamwork
3.1. Encourage team members to participate in and to take responsibility for team activities

3.2. Support the team in identifying and resolving work performance problems

3.3. Promote work team collaboration through individual behaviour

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3.1 – Encourage team members to participate in and to take responsibility for

team activities
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Facilitate individual participation in team activities.

Encouraging participation within your team

Teams require motivation and encouragement to become accountable for their own responsibilities at
work. Effective leadership will always strive to motivate their team to participate in activities that work
well for the team and ensures productivity is maintained. A team member should use participation in
activities as an opportunity to enhance skills and take responsibility for various areas of a task.

To encourage active participation, management can:

 Support employees

 Encourage employees strengths

 Offer choices to suit preference

 Create a supportive work environment

 Offer incentives

 Feedback and praise regularly.

Supportive management is the backbone of any successful team.

If a team is overwhelmed, overworked or stressed, they need to be able to rely on management to
provide assistance and solutions to the issues raised. Teams that trust and respect their management
are far more likely to accept responsibility and accountability for work activities. Management needs to
instil a culture of trust to the workplace, both between employers and employees and between
employees alone.

There is no room for animosity, conflict or any other unprofessional behaviours within a team. Not only
is this detrimental to team morale, but it also affects individuals personally and overall productivity.
Employees must be able to trust that they have a supportive network within the workplace; if
employees are distrusting of colleagues, they will be reluctant to want to undertake responsibilities for
team projects and activities.

Playing to your strengths

If an employee initiates that they would like more responsibility for a certain activity, they must be
aware of what they are accountable for. Project managers must clearly define the expectations of their
role within the project or activity and have presented the objectives before assignments are made.
Employees are more likely to actively participate in and take responsibility for activities that they feel
they have the skills to undertake effectively.
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Responsibilities can include:

 Implementing policies and procedures

 Monitoring progress

 Project management

 Liaising with stakeholders.

Opportunities should be offered in various aspects of projects so that employees have options for taking
responsibilities that they will be comfortable with. This helps employees progress professionally but also
ensures productivity is maintained. Management may wish to assign tasks to individuals to establish
their level of skills before undertaking responsibility for part of a project or activity. This way, the
individual's skills can be assessed before they take a more responsible lead, and management will
decide whether they think their skill set is going to be compatible with the role in question.

When assigning tasks to individuals, management

needs to consider the employee’s:
 Accountability

 Confidence

 People skills

 Previous experience

 Productivity levels

 Skillset

 Work ethic.

These skills must be considered to achieve the best outcomes for the organisation. If someone is
incompatible with the task in hand, they should not have responsibility for the project as this would be
counterproductive. Being responsible means being accountable for success and shortcomings alike, so
the individual must be right for the task.

Having extra responsibilities usually means having to communicate with and manage colleagues so the
individual must have the appropriate people skills and authority to be able to undertake this effectively.
Management should identify and encourage suitable individuals to undertake these roles as it could be
problematic within the team should the responsible person not be suitable.

By drawing up common aims and pre-agreeing roles with individuals, a team will be better prepared for
accepting responsibilities. It is the responsibility of the team as a whole to accept responsibility for areas
that they are confident and happy with in order to pull together to meet objectives.
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What is an SMT?
SMT stands for Self-Managed Team, and if you can support and encourage team members to take
responsibility for different areas of various projects, this is essentially what you will end up with.

There are many benefits to employing and creating an SMT, for example:
 Save on management costs

 Raises standards

 Improved customer relations

 Reduced waste

 Increased flexibility within the team.

To effectively lead an SMT, there will need to be full support and understanding from management. All
members of the team will need to be consulted on every aspect of employment, including pay,
performance and personal matters that affect their working performance. Management will also have
to be trusting enough to allow decisions to be made without them on occasion and will have to
surrender a large part of the typical managerial role.

Source: Managing Teams by Robert Heller. Dorling Kindersley, London 1998

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Activity 3A
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
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3.2 – Support the team in identifying and resolving work performance problems
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Identify potential performance issues

 Suggest solutions to work performance issues.

Identifying problems with performance

Identifying problems with performance is paramount when it comes to improving standards within a
team. Team members do not only solve issues, they sometimes create them. Therefore good
management must be equipped with the skills to intervene and rectify these issues where possible.

As we have previously explored, performance plans are a great way of monitoring performance and
therefore need to be current and active for each team members. Employers will want their teams to act
and perform as a unit, but for this to be effective, employees will have to be monitored individually.
When performance plans do highlight issues with performance, this needs to be addressed
appropriately by management.

Performance issues may include:

 Failing to meet deadlines

 Reduced sales

 Conflict or disagreements with colleagues

 Low morale

 Unacceptable conduct or performance.

Group performance issues

If members of a team are presenting with similar issues frequently, then there may be something wrong
with the organisation’s business strategy.

This could be down to:

 Inadequate training

 Poor communication

 Friction between team members

 Unclear objectives

 Low morale.

Low morale can be hugely detrimental to teams outcomes. If the morale of the whole team is low, then
management will have to rethink their strategy to improve overall performance as this will be damaging
to the efforts of the team. Low morale is often due to the dynamic of the team.
 P a g e | 43

At this point, management may have to assess individual employee’s performance and conduct to
address the situation. This will include the process of how the team is structured, the relationships
within the team and who is in it.

Conflict within the team must be addressed head-on. Management needs to be strong and diplomatic
when dealing with a conflict between team members. Management should be keen to rectify issues and
call a truce; when teams are at war, productivity is low, which is bad news for returns. Management
should ensure all sides points are considered and seek an appropriate solution to restore the balance

Individual performance issues

Management will need to communicate their concerns to the individual appropriately. This is
predominantly a listening task as the employee should be given plenty of opportunities to share their
opinions on their performance. Management will then need to ask relevant questions to identify where
the shortfalls are and support them to improve performance.

Management may consider the following when supporting

individuals with performance issues:
 Prior knowledge of the individual

 Prior performance

 Employees relationship with the team

 Potential

 Commitment.

Accepting personal responsibility is paramount in resolving issues.

Committed employees will accept responsibility and be open to feedback regarding performance issues
to improve their working practice. If they genuinely wish to identify the root of the problem, then you
will find employees are keen to cooperate. If the employee is quick to shift the blame and becomes
defensive, then this may be a sign that they are not as committed to the organisation's objectives as
they perhaps should be.

Source: Managing Teams by Robert Heller. Dorling Kindersley, London 1998

Resolving performance issues

Effective management will always endeavour to offer solutions to resolve issues with performance. To
identify viable and realistic solutions, the circumstances of the issues must be considered and those
concerned should be consulted.

Work-related problems should be treated as an opportunity for learning and overall improvement.
Team members should be able to use these issues as a way to improve their performance and gain
experience within their role.

To manage the team effectively and promote solutions, management may consider using a problem-
solving technique to critically analyse the issue. This will help ensure that all necessary steps have been
taken and different outcomes have been considered.
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Below is a problem-solving framework that identifies both negative and positive managerial input:
Positive Negative

What is the situation?

Carefully analyse events leading up to the
Ignore evidence and proceed as before
issue

What is the apparent cause of the problem?

Lay blame indiscriminatly on all team
Spot poor perfromance in area of the team
members

What is the real reason behind this?

Recognise who is responsible Blame all or none of the group without cause

What potential solutions are available?

Offer to retain and support group leader Leave those responsible without support

How will the solution be implemented?

Reveiw leaders training needs on regular
Deem that no further action is required
basis

Has this been successful?

Follow up with review in agreed timescale See staff resign citing lack of support

This process gives a logical step by step process to follow that promotes fair treatment of those
involved. It also gives management benchmarks to measure future progress and identifies both positive
and negative practice.
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Activity 3B
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3.3 – Promote work team collaboration through individual behaviour

By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Promote the importance of team collaboration

 Identify positive and negative behaviours within the workplace.

The importance of team collaboration

Team collaboration is the process of collating employees to
work as a unit. It is vital in obtaining positive outcomes for an
organisation. Being able to collaborate skills enables a team
to work effectively and achieve set objectives. Effective
collaboration will promote a consensus within the team,
creating unanimity and a general agreement on practice and
objectives.

Management will need to promote a collaborative approach

through positive behaviours as the team will look to
managers for cohesion and inspiration. Managers need to
lead by example to instil a positive culture into workplaces
and ensuring team spirit is strong.

Team collaboration can be encouraged in various ways:

 Letting team members know their purpose: Ensure team members are aware of why
they have been assigned certain tasks. Clarify their strengths to employees

 Establish a common purpose: Set specific goals and encourage team members to work
towards them

 Encourage constant communication: teams that communicate better, perform better.

By consistently communicating with employees, they will appreciate the value of
communicating with colleagues

 Ask teams for their advice: Show team members that they are valued whilst installing
the ideology that asking for advice is important

 Take time in responding to queries: Ensure that employees are never afraid to raise
issues or seek feedback. This demonstrates that asking for help is important and valued
by managerial staff

 Having fun: Take time for team building activities and ensure everyone is treated
equally and humanely. Having fun at work is one of the best ways to ensure
productivity and team spirit remains high.

By applying these techniques, you are subtly promoting good behaviours within the workplace. If
employees are approachable and communicative, then they will collaborate with ease. Individual
 P a g e | 47

behaviour is a huge part of the collaboration process, and employees must be aware of how they should
and should not be behaving.

Positive behaviours within the workplace

Positivity between colleagues helps a team to create professional relationships and bonds which in turn
benefits the organisation. Management should apply their interpersonal skills to draw the team closer
together. By developing an accessible working practice, communication will flourish, and the team will
follow management lead.

Employees that collaborate effectively will be:

 Professional

 Approachable

 Communicative

 Creative

 Compassionate

 Openminded

 Hardworking.

These qualities are very desirable from an employability perspective, as they allow for integration into a
team. By applying these qualities to working practice, employees are ensuring that they are able to
collaborate with colleagues to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Negative behaviours within the workplace

As we have covered before, negative behaviours massively impact on productivity, and team morale so
much be dealt with promptly. Negative behaviours will create a toxic environment and create barriers
to collaboration.

Negative behaviours and characteristics include:

 Argumentative

 Stubbornness

 Laziness

 Arrogance

 Critical of others

 Reluctance to engage.

These behaviours create distinct barriers to collaboration and do not allow for a healthy working
environment. Employers will be quick to pull employees up on these traits and aspire to remove them
 P a g e | 48

from the workplace as quickly as possible. Negativity within the workplace can be intimidating both to
employees and employers, and having to rectify these types of situations can be tricky.

Dealing with conflict

When dealing with conflict within the workplace, it is important to identify the root of the problem and
deal with those responsible rather than blanketing the blame on the whole team. If it is one individual
causing the disruption, then they have to be dealt with personally. Management will need to identify
whether the team has become divided as it is unlikely that the team will effectively collaborate until this
is rectified.

Here is a list of Dos and Don’ts for handling negative behaviours within the workplace.

Do's Don'ts
Tell the truth Don't persist
about how you with impossible
view a situation people

Don't lose your

View the temper with
behaviours from any members
the teams of the team
perspective

Don't lose sight

of overall
Maintain a
objectives
positive attitude

Don't cause
Tackle problems further issues
head on rather by ignoring
than delaying tensions within
action the team

Team collaboration is dependent on positive and effective management. Handling individual behaviours
effectively allows for a healthy work environment and strong collaboration within the team. Serious
conflicts should be resolved according to dispute resolution processes that are in place in your
organisation.

Source: Managing Teams by Robert Heller. Dorling Kindersley, London 1998

Dispute-resolution processes may include:

 Documented organisational policies and procedures
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 Industry agreements

 Relevant legislation and regulations, e.g., discrimination legislation.

Any discrimination should be treated very seriously, as should workplace bullying. There is no specific
legislation relating to bullying in the workplace (it is not unlawful unless people are discriminating
against others on the grounds of sex, race, disability or age). However, under workplace health and
safety legislation employers have to reduce the likelihood of bullying as it affects an employee’s state of
physical or mental health.

Source: Your Guide to Dispute Resolution (ag.gov.au)

(Accessed 21/01/21)
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Activity 3C
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4. Liaise with stakeholders

4.1. Establish and maintain open communication processes with relevant stakeholders

4.2. Communicate information from line management to the team

4.3. Communicate and follow-up unresolved issues, concerns and problems raised by team
members with line management

4.4. Address unresolved issues, concerns and problems raised by stakeholders

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4.1 – Establish and maintain open communication processes with relevant

stakeholders
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Suggest realistic and maintainable communication methods with stakeholders.

Establishing communication with stakeholders

Throughout your project, it will be necessary to communicate with the stakeholders regularly. You
should ensure that you have a communication plan in place that assists in keeping the stakeholders up-
to-date with the project. By having a communication plan in place, you and your project team will know
when to communicate with the stakeholders and how to do it effectively. You should aim to keep the
stakeholders well informed and to understand exactly what they desire. In most cases, you should try
and keep the communication process as a two-way exchange; don’t just talk, listen too.

You should aim to gather information from the stakeholders themselves and everyone within your
project team to decide on the most appropriate communication plan for you, your team and your
project. Your project schedule is something that needs communicating with the stakeholders, and you
should choose the most advantageous communication channel available for yourselves to ensure it is
effective.

Ask yourself:
 Who are the stakeholders that you need to communicate with?

 What are the objectives of communication?

 When should communication occur?

 What information should be communicated?

 What is the strategy for communicating?

Along with informal methods of communicating with your stakeholders, i.e., lunch meetings and
hallway conversations, there are also formal ways to communicate with them.

For example:
 Newsletters

 Reports

 Social media

 Email

 Meetings

 Conference calls.
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The method should always be appropriate for the individual stakeholder, and this is something that
should be prearranged between yourselves.

Maintaining contact with stakeholders

Once a communication channel has been agreed, it will be down to the team to feedback to
stakeholders regularly. Stakeholders have an invested interest in the business and require regular,
detailed feedback as to how projects are progressing. Delegating this responsibility to an appropriate
individual can be a smart move as it creates continuity and familiarity between the team and the
stakeholders.

Ask yourself:
 What are the benefits of assigning this task to one individual?

 What skills will the individual require?

 Which team member has the strongest skill set for this task?

 Will one person be able to undertake this task alone?

If an individual is assigned to this role, then they must possess strong communication skills, both written
and verbal. Experience of the role and organisation will be necessary as the stakeholder may well have
questions that require an experienced employee to answer. The individual must be central to the
project and have a clear understanding of the project's objectives.

The circumstances will be different for different organisations, but it is necessary to consider what will
work best for your stakeholders and organisation. Once responsibilities have been assigned, the
responsible person must implement a plan of action for maintaining communications. As the process
has to be accommodating of the stakeholder's needs, this is something that must be discussed with
them.

Effective communication will be:

 Regular

 Accessible

 Accurate and detailed

 Inclusive of facts and figures

 Convenient for the individual stakeholder.

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Activity 4A
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4.2 – Communicate information from line management to the team

By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Demonstrate methods of effective communication

 Identify appropriate communication channels for communicating information.

Communicating information to a team

Effective communication is a central component of any productive team. Management will have to take
responsibility for communicating necessary information to their team to ensure everyone is up to date
with the progress of the project. Similarly, any issues must be communicated adequately so that team
members are aware of the situation as it evolves.

Line management will want to present the team with their feedback and information regularly to guide
the team in the desired direction. When communicating with a team, line management need to
establish appropriate communication channels for information exchange. When establishing this,
management will need to consider the circumstances of their team.

For example:
 Location of employees: Are all team members working from one location? Do some
employees work remotely, or will everyone be available from the same location during
working hours?

 Who the information needs to be shared with: Is it appropriate or necessary for the
full team to receive all information? Can the team be split into sub-teams for
information sharing purposes?

 Confidentiality purposes: Is there a confidential nature to the information that needs

to be shared, if so, how will the effect your choice in communication channel?

Communication channels
There are many methods of communication available for information exchange within the workplace,
and it is down to management to agree one suitable for their team.

Communication channels include:

 Face to face conversation

 Emails

 Phone calls

 Team meetings

 Video conferencing

 Written methods: paper memos, notice boards,

letters etc.
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It is common for many communication channels to exist side by side within the workplace as each
method will have advantages and disadvantages. Verbal communication should be prominent in the
workplace as a communication channel and employers may wish to designate informal areas for staff to
communicate amongst themselves.

Choosing appropriate communication channels

For ease and convenience, email and digital communication channels such as intranets are a reliable
way of communicating information from line management to staff. Emails are also saved for later
reference, which can be handy for retaining details. Confidentiality cannot be assured, however, and
digital communication channels may be a little informal for certain types of information.

Team meetings are a great way of enabling line management to communicate information; they are
personal and interactive which allows for feedback and information exchange between management
and employees. The downside is that they take away from working time and are only really appropriate
for organisations that work from one fixed location. Team meetings are necessary but should be kept to
prearranged times unless absolutely vital.

Video links can be advantageous when sharing information with employees who work remotely. There
is the personal element of being able to see each other and gauge body language and mood. Then there
is the facility to share files and screens which can communicate further information or evidence to
between colleagues. Video links are also cost-effective as they save on travel and other expenses
associated with face-to-face meetings. Video conferences are an increasingly popular method of
communication for international organisations.

Traditional written communication methods still have a place within the workplace. Noticeboards have
been a common method of communication exchange for decades, and many workplaces still implement
these today. Management should be cautious of the types of information that are displayed so publicly,
though. You would not wish for private or sensitive information to be presented like this.

Line management may wish to use a designated

person to relay information back to the team. This
person would have to possess the necessary skills to
liaise between management and employees. It would
then be the designated individual to relay the
information appropriately to their colleagues. This
method makes it easier for line managers to
communicate the information as it needs only be
passed onto one member of staff. This method is
popular in larger organisations where supervisors or
team leaders are already implanted to the workforce.

Source: Managing Teams by Robert Heller. Dorling

Kindersley, London 1998
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Activity 4B

 
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4.3 – Communicate and follow-up unresolved issues, concerns and problems

raised by team members with line management
4.4 – Address unresolved issues, concerns and problems raised by stakeholders
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Identify and communicate unresolved workplace issues to relevant personnel

 Demonstrate how to address issues raised by stakeholders.

Identifying unresolved issues within the workplace

Unresolved issues at work can be detrimental to working practice and therefore overall productivity. By
ignoring workplace issues, management are being negligent of their duties and will cause more
problems in the long term. If issues cannot be resolved within the team, then line management will
have to become involved to seek solutions to the issues.

If team members are concerned or have identified issues within the team, they will likely need to refer
this to line management. Organisations should have policies and procedures in place to unify this
process for employees. It is advisable to familiarise yourself with these policies for your organisation to
be able to report issues appropriately.

Unresolved issues can relate to:

 General support

 Policies and/or procedures

 Line management expectations

 Training

 Work objectives

 Workplace environment/morale

 Designated responsibilities.

Whatever the concern, line management should endeavour to rectify

issues for employees to ensure productivity is maintained, and employee wellbeing is prioritised. If
team members are repeatedly encountering similar unresolved issues, then the workplace strategy will
need to be assessed as to being fit for purpose and recognised faults must be addressed promptly.

Implications of unresolved issues

If line management fails to adequately resolve issues within the workplace, then they pose the risk of
further damaging the team and hindering progress towards meeting objectives. If employees start to
feel like they are not being supported by their line managers, then the organisation can expect to lose
staff. Being poorly supported by line management is a common reason for employees changing jobs and
leaving organisations in search of a more supportive work environment.
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Issues regarding morale or work environment can lead to a toxic culture within the team. Some
organisations employ fair treatment ambassadors or health and wellbeing representatives to support
those affected by these types of workplace. If management does not rectify unsolved issues of this kind,
it will have a serious effect on employee wellbeing and create larger issues further down the line.

Addressing stakeholder concerns

Each stakeholder should have the opportunity to input and raise concerns regarding projects should
they feel the need. If a stakeholder raises concerns regarding a project or team member, this can be a
great opportunity for an organisation to consider a different perspective and potentially raise standards
in an area of practice.

The expectations of each stakeholder and/or client will be different depending on their interest and
level of authority. Clients and investors may have higher standards for the governance of the project
because they are funding it and they may require a more frequent and detailed flow of project
information than an employee, for example, and may also require more authority in decision-making
processes.

Employees may suggest procedures and processes that could be used in the governance of the project
that had not been thought of by management. Trade union representatives may insist on specific
industry standards or regulations as part of the governance plan. All expectations need to be considered
to form a balanced governance plan.

Responding to stakeholder concerns

Stakeholders will expect employers to be able to evidence that they have responded to their concerns
and taken actions to rectify or address them. Once concerns have been communicated, it would be
advisable to document the progress made and relay this to necessary stakeholders using what is known
as a reporting line.

Reporting lines need to be established for the following project reports:

 Project status reports – this report details the progress of
the project, including:

o current status

o details of the recognised issue

o actions being taken to rectify the issue

o next steps necessary to move the project along

 Risk register – self-explanatory, the risk register is an ongoing document that reports
the following:

o potential risks to the life or progress of the project due to identified issue

o the extent of the potential negative impact on the project caused by the issue

o contingency plans to deal with the risks

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 Issue log:

o a document that reports and records risks that have been realised and
unexpected events that have occurred and interrupted the project

o it documents how the incident has been dealt and the impact it has had on the
project

o the accuracy of these reports is important for auditing purposes.

Concerns raised by stakeholders must at least be investigated appropriately. Having a solid reporting
system will be beneficial to the information exchange process and should be a method of clearly
documenting progress made regarding any concerns raised. It is important to maintain stakeholder faith
in the organisation when it comes to addressing concerns so that those with an invested interest in the
project feel that they are valued.
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Activity 4C
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Summative Assessments
At the end of your Learner Workbook, you will find the Summative Assessments.

This includes:

 Skills Activity

 Knowledge Activity

 Performance Activity.

This holistically assesses your understanding and application of the skills, knowledge and performance
requirements for this unit. Once this is completed, you will have finished this unit and be ready to move
onto the next one – well done!
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References

These suggested references are for further reading and do not necessarily represent the contents of
this unit.

Websites
Business collective: 7 Things Great Managers Do to Support Their Employees | BusinessCollective

CPA Australia: Improving business performance (cpaaustralia.com.au)

Gov.au: Your Guide to Dispute Resolution (ag.gov.au)

KPI.org: What is a Key Performance Indicator (KPI)?

Talent culture: 5 Different Ways To Truly Support Your Workplace - TalentCulture

The undercover recruiter: Undercover Recruiter - Employer Branding and Talent Acquisition Blog
(theundercoverrecruiter.com)

Publications
Managing Teams by Robert Heller. Dorling Kindersley, London 1998

All references accessed on and correct as of 21/01/21 unless otherwise stated.