Business and Administration Level 2 & 3.

Unit 201

Principles of Personal Responsibilities and Working in a Business Environment

Level: 2 Credit value: 4 NDAQ number: L/601/7638 Unit aim This unit is about understanding employment rights; health, safety and security; how to work with others and how to manage and improve own work in a business environment. Learning outcomes There are seven learning outcomes to this unit. The learner will be able to: 1. Know the employment rights and responsibilities of the employee and employer 2. Understand the purpose of health, safety and security procedures in a business environment 3. Understand how to communicate effectively with others 4. Understand how to work with and support colleagues 5. Know how to plan own work and be accountable to others 6. Understand the purpose of improving own performance in a business environment and how to do so 7. Understand the types of problems that may occur in a business environment and how to deal with them Guided learning hours It is recommended that 32 hours should be allocated for this unit, although patterns of delivery are likely to vary. Details of the relationship between the unit and relevant national standards (if appropriate) This unit is linked to the Business and Administration NOS BAA231; BAF172. Support of the unit by a sector or other appropriate body (if required) This unit was developed by the Council for Administration. Assessment This unit will be assessed by: an externally set and internally marked assignment.

Level 2 and 3 Certificates in Principles of Business and Administration (4475-02/03)

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Unit 201 Outcome 1

Principles of Personal Responsibilities and Working in a Business Environment Know the employment rights and responsibilities of the employee and employer

Assessment Criteria The learner can: 1. identify the main points of contracts of employment 2. identify the main points of legislation affecting employers and employees 3. identify where to find information on employment rights and responsibilities both internally and externally 4. describe how representative bodies can support the employee 5. identify employer and employee responsibilities for equality and diversity in a business environment 6. explain the benefits of making sure equality and diversity procedures are followed in a business environment. Notes for guidance 1. The main points to be included in a contract of employment are job title, place of work, the duties of the job, the pay, how payments will be made, hours of work, holiday entitlement, sick pay entitlement, any pension scheme arrangements, terms of notice. 2. Equal opportunities legislation, eg: The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and 1986 The Race Relations Act 1976 The Equal Pay Act 1970 The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) Note that the above will gradually be absorbed into the Equality Act 2010. Employment legislation, eg: Employment Rights Act Employment Relations Act Working Time Regulations Employment Act Health and safety legislation, eg: Health and Safety at Work Act Reporting of Injuries, Disease and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) The Management of Health and Safety in a business environment Regulations Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations Display Screen Equipment Regulations The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Data and intellectual property protection : The Data Protection Act The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act

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Level 2 and 3 Certificates in Principles of Business and Administration (4475-02/03)

Company legislation, eg: Companies Act 3. Sources of information: Internal eg line manager, HR/personnel department, union representative, intranet. External eg Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), ACAS, TUC, trade unions, Citizens’ Advice Bureaux, internet, library, government agencies. 4. Representative bodies such as trade unions professional associations health & safety officers. Support in terms of advice information legal assistance financial help. 5. Employer and employee responsibilities for equality and diversity: complying with discrimination legislation equal opportunities/diversity policies Equality and Human Rights Commission´s guidelines. 6. Elements that create 'diversity' are gender, age, background, culture, ethnicity, disability, religion, sexual orientation, personality and work style. Benefits could include: workforce reflects the public community it is dealing with employees feel valued and respected and perform better recognition of the needs and preferences of a wider sector of the public wider pool of skilled talent to choose from lower staff costs/turnover.

Level 2 and 3 Certificates in Principles of Business and Administration (4475-02/03)

15

Unit 201 Outcome 2

Principles of Personal Responsibilities and Working in a Business Environment Understand the purpose of health, safety and security procedures in a business environment

Assessment Criteria The learner can: 1. identify employer and employee responsibilities for health, safety and security in a business environment 2. explain the purpose of following health, safety and security procedures in a business environment 3. identify ways of maintaining a safe and secure environment in a business environment. Notes for guidance 1. Employer and employee responsibilities: complying with health and safety legislation (as in learning outcome 1) risk assessment role and duties of a first-aider or appointed person environmental issues such as heating, lighting, ergonomics, ventilation, décor emergency and evacuation procedures security and confidentiality of data health and safety training. 2. Purpose of procedures covering: the use of safe working methods and equipment the safe use of hazardous substances what to do in the event of an emergency accident reporting / first aid security regarding data, stock and personnel reporting of hazards/risk assessment. 3. Maintaining a safe and secure environment: following the requirements of the health and safety in a business environment act 1974 following specific legislation covering job roles identifying hazards and risks; risks resulting from: a) the use and maintenance of machinery or equipment b) the use of materials or substances c) working practices d) unsafe behaviour e) accidental breakages and spillages f) environmental factors. the responsible persons to whom to report health and safety matters responsibilities and specific workplace policies covering job roles.

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Level 2 and 3 Certificates in Principles of Business and Administration (4475-02/03)

Unit 201 Outcome 3

Principles of Personal Responsibilities and Working in a Business Environment Understand how to communicate effectively with others

Assessment Criteria The learner can: 1. describe different methods of communication 2. explain how to choose the most appropriate method of communicating with others 3. describe ways of actively listening. Notes for guidance 1. Both formally and informally, internal and external: written eg letters, memos, reports face-to-face eg one-to-one, meetings, presentations electronically eg fax, email, telephone non-verbally eg body language, gestures. 2. Method of communication In terms of: formality speed confidentiality cost. 3. Active listening eg: making eye contact using positive body language using encouraging phrases not interrupting questioning and paraphrasing summarising.

Level 2 and 3 Certificates in Principles of Business and Administration (4475-02/03)

17

Unit 201 Outcome 4

Principles of Personal Responsibilities and Working in a Business Environment Understand how to work with and support colleagues

Assessment Criteria The learner can: 1. explain the purpose of agreeing standards for own work with others 2. explain the purpose of taking on new challenges and adapting to change 3. explain the purpose of treating others with honesty and consideration. Notes for guidance 1. Agreeing standards in terms of, eg: deadlines quality of work type/scope of work available resources/support. The candidate should be able to explain the importance of gaining full information in order to complete work efficiently, accurately and to deadline. 2. Benefits that result from taking on new challenges and being adaptable, eg: possible financial reward/promotion opportunity to gain new skills motivational new experiences build confidence may increase employability. 3. How to create and maintain a good working relationship with others eg: communicate support co-operate empathise be loyal. The purpose of good working relationships in terms of eg: meeting deadlines and targets motivation sharing workloads support and advice.

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Level 2 and 3 Certificates in Principles of Business and Administration (4475-02/03)

Unit 201 Outcome 5

Principles of Personal Responsibilities and Working in a Business Environment Know how to plan own work and be accountable to others

Assessment Criteria The learner can: 1. explain the purpose of meeting work standards and deadlines when completing tasks 2. identify ways of planning own work 3. compare ways of keeping other people informed about progress. Notes for guidance 1. The importance of having a flexible approach to work requirements and knowing how to prioritise and plan pieces of work according to their urgency eg using SMART objectives. The candidate should be able to describe circumstances when deadlines cannot be met through, eg: interruptions distractions taking on extra work staff absence technical breakdown unforeseen circumstances such as inclement weather, transport strikes. The candidate should be aware of the impact of not meeting deadlines on: their colleagues their manager/supervisor the organisation as a whole. 2. Techniques to prioritise and plan own workload, eg: diaries schedulers planners organisers/PDAs timesheets to do lists. 3. Ways of progress reporting may be through, eg: regular progress reports one-to-one update meetings progress/team meetings shared project planners. The candidate should be able to state advantages/disadvantages of different ways and when they would be most appropriate to use.

Level 2 and 3 Certificates in Principles of Business and Administration (4475-02/03)

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Unit 201 Outcome 6

Principles of Personal Responsibilities and Working in a Business Environment Understand the purpose of improving own performance in a business environment and how to do so

Assessment Criteria The learner can: 1. explain the purpose of continuously improving own performance in a business environment 2. describe ways of improving own performance in a business environment 3. identify different types of career pathways that are available. Notes for guidance 1. Benefits that result from continuously improving own performance, eg opportunity to improve weaknesses and gain new skills motivational increased ability to embrace changes/challenges possible financial reward/promotion increased employability. 2. Methods of assessing own performance, eg SWOT analysis; how observation and feedback, training needs analyses (TNA), one-to-one meetings/ appraisal and performance reviews can all feed into a Personal Development Plan. The candidate should be able to explain the purpose of using SMART techniques when creating such a plan. The candidate should be able to identify a range of training and development opportunities to assist in improving own performance: coaching mentoring work-shadowing training courses in-house training performance appraisals e-learning. 3. Career paths/progression routes available both inside and outside the organisation and the possible sources of information on these.

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Level 2 and 3 Certificates in Principles of Business and Administration (4475-02/03)

Unit 201 Outcome 7

Principles of Personal Responsibilities and Working in a Business Environment Understand the types of problems that may occur in a business environment and how to deal with them

Assessment Criteria The learner can: 1. identify the types of problems that may occur in a business environment 2. explain ways of dealing with problems that may occur in a business environment 3. explain how and when to refer problems to relevant colleagues. Notes for guidance 1. Problems may be minor, ie that can be solved by making adjustments and with little or no assistance; major, ie those that have resource or financial implications. Types of problems eg: financial resource related equipment/systems failure staff-related unforeseen (weather, industrial action). 2. Possible methods could be, eg: replanning/reprioritising own work gaining the support of others identifying a solution and seeking permission to implement it referring the problem on. 3. Problem should be referred if, eg the solution will cost money or affect many others it will impact seriously on the overall target/deadline there is no apparent solution there is a security, health or safety risk the solution is outside the candidate’s scope of authority. The candidate should be able to identify the limits of their own authority in finding solutions to problems and identify procedures for referring problems and to whom they should be referred.

Level 2 and 3 Certificates in Principles of Business and Administration (4475-02/03)

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