Attributes and Barriers
Attributes valued by Employers
General Attributes
Planning
Planning is important because it gives you steps towards a specific goal and if done effectively can reduce time and money needed to achieve the goal.
Time Management Skills
It is important to manage time so as to balance conflicting demands of time for other things. This can be done by setting clear goals and reviewing your progress.
Numeracy
Numeracy is important as without it, people will not be able to succeed in the workplace as it is a type of skill needed to function everyday life.
Organisation Skills
Organisation is important so you are able to use time wisely, co-ordinate resources and meet deadlines.
Verbal Skills
It is vital for forging relationships with colleagues and suppliers. It can deliver information quickly and clearly and can prevent confusion.
Written Communication Skills
Good writing skills allow you to communicate your message with clarity and ease to a far larger audience.
Team Working
Team Working is important as it can allow achievements to be made that cannot be done alone. The goals made can also be done more efficiently in a team.
Creativity Skills
Creativity is important as you could find new ways with dealing with situations and taking on challenges and using initiative is something employers and bosses.
Specific Skills
Technical Knowledge
It is important to have technical knowledge for an IT job not just so it will save money and time but it will reduce frustration and and feel more confident and comfortable with technology.
Health and Safety
Health and Safety is valued by employers as employees will know hazards and risks and how to control them which will help avoid financial costs of accidents and the distress that accidents cause.
Attitudes
Dependable
There's no question at all that all employers desire employees who will arive to work every day- on time-and ready to work, and who will take responisbility for their actions.
Confidence
Confidence is important because if you don't belive in yourself, then why should your employer? Employees need to be confident in themselves and their abilities.
Leadership
Employers are always looking for people who are able to take charge and manage, maintain a productive climate and coach employees to meet high performance standards.
Motivation
Motivation is also important because employees who are motivated will be able to produce a higher quality of work at a higher level of effiency. It will also keep employees commited to working hard and contributing as much value as possible to the organisation.
Principles of Effective Communication
Change of Tone
A change of tone can be used to highlight a specific point you are trying to get across to people so they are aware of it.
Use of Technology
Technology is used to get the audience more engaged. The technology could be a video or an interactive powerpoint which lets the audience communicate. This shows us that technology is engaging them as they are getting involved.
Question and Answering
This is a way of cummunicating with somebody or a group of people by asking questions to gain information or replying a question with an answer. Questions can be asked about opinons on a subject or to get information on a subject.
Interpersonal Skills
Body Language
Body Language is non verbal communciation which includes gestures, head and hand movements or whole body movements. Body movements can be used to reinforce what a person is saying and also offer information about the emotions or attitudes of a person.
Positive and Negative Language
Postive language is used to tell the listener what can be done, suggest alternative chocies that are available, sounds helpful and encourgaing and stresses positive actions and consequences. Negative language tells the the listener what cannot be done and does not stress positve actions that would be appropiate.
Verbal exchange
This is simply a face to face coverstation. They can be used most effectively by being repsectful and listening to what the other person is saying so that you can respond appropiately.
Communicate in Writing
Use of Emoticons
Emoticons are used to represent emotions and/or facial expressions of the writer due to a lack of human emotion being easily coveyed through text. Emoticons are formed out of keyboard characters and are often made to resemble faces.
Emails
Emails are used for many different purposes such as contacting friends, communicating with professors and teachers, requesting informationg and applying for jobs. Emails are a good way to get your message across when the perosn you are trying to contact is hard to reach personally or via telephone, when you need to send someone documents or some other electronic data or when you need to keep a written accord of the communication.
Spelling and Grammar
Spelling and Grammar are important (especially in business) as the reader will form an impression of you, errors in spelling are likely to give them a negative one. Employers will likely turn you down if your application is riddled in spelling mistakes and bad grammar. It is wise to read through what you have wrote to make sure thare are no mistakes, and if need be, find ways to improve your writing skills such as reading.
Barriers to Effective Communication
Language Barrier (person you are talking to does not understand English) so you can’t really communicate properly.
Sensory problems- Someone might not be able to fully hear you which will disrupt the communication.
Emotional barriers- People might be unable to properly communicate if they have other things on their mind.
Lack of interest- If a message reaches a reader who is not interested may read or listen to the message carelessly which will result in miscommunication.
Lack of knowledge-If a receiver is unable to understand a message with things they don’t understand, communication will break down.
Solutions to reduce the impact of these Barriers
Language Barrier-Imitating actions could work such as eating, drinking, etc.
Sensory problems-Don’t shout, pronounce words clearly and make sure the person can see your lips. If you’re the one with the sensory problems, try using communication aids such as a hearing aid.
Emotional barriers- Try and have full confidence in what you are going to say and your qualifications in saying it and deal with other things that you might have on your mind.
Lack of interest- Maybe if messages are more smaller instead of a big page of words that is boring to read, people might be able to get more interested.
Lack of knowledge- Education on the subject will increase a persons knowledge and therefore their communication.