Assessment Activity
BSBWOR501A Manage personal work priorities and professional development
Assessment 76 Student ID:
Question # Question

Type: Assignment Name:

Duration/Due:

1 week

Marks

1

10

SKILLS THAT WEREN’T EVEN INVENTED A FEW YEARS AGO ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE NEAR FUTURE By looking at new positions that are emerging in the workplace, supervisors can get some idea of some of the skills they will have to develop in the future. There are three areas that seem to be emerging in a way that will have a major impact on the workplace: information, etiquette and life-work balance. Information is coming at us at an increasing rate. We have now stepped into what is known as the knowledge age, where information (converted to knowledge) is what will provide the competitive edge for organisations. Information and knowledge are fast replacing capital equipment as the key asset for conducting business. Administrative assistants will become information co-ordinators, managing the vast amounts of information to ensure that everyone has access to and is aware of the existence of information that will help them better perform their jobs. The supervisor will also have to manage larger amounts of information, ensuring their staff have access to information that is important to their job. Life-balance is a term appearing in more and more magazines and management books. Many workers have been thrust into the position of caring for ageing parents while also caring for their own young children. Traditional work schedules at times clash with these responsibilities. In addition, many people are demanding that they have a quality of life outside of work, and work schedule flexibility in instances where it will not compromise outputs or productivity are part of that demand. The supervisor of tomorrow will not be able to assume that everyone will be at work 9-5 five days a week. Those whose jobs allow, will often be taking advantage of opportunities for more flexible work schedules and venues. Business etiquette has moved well beyond knowing to choose the cutlery from the outside first at a business lunch. New dilemmas have emerged that are going to see an increase in business etiquette advisers. Is it appropriate to answer a mobile phone call at a video conference meeting? What is proper e-mail etiquette? New technology has brought new questions about etiquette that many supervisors will have to deal with within their teams. As conflicts arise, supervisors will need to have a clear understanding of common etiquette guidelines in these areas. No doubt, many supervisors will have to develop their own!
Friday, 20 May 2011 1/2

Assessment Activity
BSBWOR501A Manage personal work priorities and professional development
Assessment 76
Question # Question

Type: Assignment

Duration/Due:

1 week
Marks

SOURCE: Domeyer, Diane, ‘New positions emerging: how you can prepare for them’. Women in Business, April 2000. Questions 1. How can a supervisor prepare for the three roles mentioned above? 2. What are some of the steps a supervisor can take to ensure that useful information flows freely to those who need it? 3. What are some of the reasons a person needs flexible working hours? How can a supervisor ensure that the privilege is not abused? 4. What are some of the etiquette dilemmas technology has brought?

Friday, 20 May 2011

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