Pinciples of Bisuness and Administration free essay sample

You should use this file to complete your Assessment. The first thing you need to do is save a copy of this document, either onto your computer or a disk Then work through your Assessment, remembering to save your work regularly When you’ve finished, print out a copy to keep for reference Then, go to www. vision2learn. com and send your completed Assessment to your tutor via your My Study area – make sure it is clearly marked with your name, the course title and the Unit and Assessment number. Please note that this Assessment document has 8 pages and is made up of 7 Sections. Name: Jason Wright Section 1 – Know the employment rights and responsibilities of the employee and employer 1. Identify four main points that would be included in a contract of employment. If possible, use an example contract to support your answer (feel free to obscure any confidential information). There are many points that should be included in an employment contract. We will write a custom essay sample on Pinciples of Bisuness and Administration or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Four main points that must be included are: 1. Employers name 2. Employee’s name 3. Date the employment is to commence 4. Address that the main employment will take place. An example of a Contract of Employment is attached. 2a) List three key points of legislation that affect employers in a business environment 1. Health and Safety. 2. Pay and Pensions 3. Employment Rights and Responsibilities. 2b) List three key points of legislation that affect employees in a business environment. 1. Health and Safety. 2. Employment Rights and Responsibilities. 3. Data Protection. 3. Identify a range of places where a person can find information on employment rights and responsibilities. You should identify at least two internal and two external sources of information. There are several sources where a person can find information on Employment Rights and Responsibilities. These can be through both internal and external sources. Internal Sources would include Trade union representatives, line managers, staff association representatives and informed colleagues. External sources may include Citizen Advice Bureau (CAB), legal professionals, libraries, Advisory, conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). 4. Describe how representative bodies can support employees A good example of how a representative body can support an employee is through an internal source such as a trade union. These often large organisations represent the interests of their members and can offer assistance through work based representatives. They also have regional and expertise that they can call on. Union representatives have a right to paid time to help employee’s in such areas as Health and Safety, pensions, collective redundancies and collective bargaining to name a few. 5. Briefly describe employer and employee responsibilities for equality and diversity in a business environment. You should give at least two employer responsibilities and two employee responsibilities. If possible, provide relevant equality and diversity procedures from your workplace (or place of study) to support your answer. These documents should be annotated to highlight the relevant sections. Employers have the legal obligation to treat all employees equally, for example, if a male and a female employee are carrying out the same duties within a company then the law states that there should be no discrimination between the two and both parties must be treated equally, pay must be the same and both given the same amount of benefits. This ruling can also be applied to diversity laws. If an employee is from a different ethnic or religious background then the employer must adopt the same posture as before and not discriminate against the employee just because they could be perceived as different from the norm. Every employee has a personal responsibility for their actions and must ensure that they are sensitive to others around them. Employees must remember that all people are different whether that is a difference in their gender or their religious background. Every employee should ensure they treat others how they would be expected to be treated themselves. 6. Briefly explain the benefits of making sure equality and diversity procedures are followed in a business environment. Your answer should include one benefit for the employer, one benefit for the employee and one benefit for the overall organisation. The benefits to an organisation in making sure they follow equality and diversity procedures will mean that the company is falling in line with the Laws of the nation, and ensure that the company will be free from claims against the company. For the employee the benefits would mean a better working environment where each employee understands the differences of those working around them, this in turn will benefit the employer as a happier working environment will produce a happier and more productive workforce. Section 2 – Understand the purpose of health, safety and security procedures in a business environment 1. Identify employer and employee responsibilities for health, safety and security. If possible, provide relevant health, safety and security policies / documents from your workplace (or place of study) to support your answer. These documents should be annotated to highlight the relevant sections. The employer holds overall responsibility for implementing all Health, Safety (Health and Safety at Work Act 1974) and security (Data Protection Act 1998, Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988) legislation and guidelines within the workplace. It is the employer’s responsibility to provide a safe clean working environment for all its employees to work in. Employee’s have the responsibility to follow company guidelines with regards to the laid down legislation. By taking ownership of their own responsibilities they can help promote the health, safety and security of not only themselves but also their colleagues. Carrying out their own risk assessment of tasks and managing the associated risks appropriately. 2. Explain the purpose of following health, safety and security procedures in a business environment. By following laid down health, safety and security procedures in a business environment will help maintain a safe and secure workplace. This will help minimise the risk of accidents and injuries to themselves and others and reducing the risk of losing possible sensitive or personal information. 3. Describe three different ways of maintaining a safe and secure business environment. Three ways of maintaining a safe and secure business environment can be achieves by the following methods: 1. Ensuring that employees use and wear the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when carrying out task that may require it, making sure that the PPE being used is correctly fitted and is fit for the task being carried out. 2. If working in an environment where food is being handled employers must ensure that employees are fully conversant with hygiene procedures and that they are being implemented correctly. 3. When working with IT equipment employees are to ensure that security guidelines are being adhered to i. e. passwords are kept secure and that Security Operating Procedures (SyOPs) are being followed correctly. Section 3 – Understand how to communicate effectively with others 1. Complete the table below with descriptions of different methods of communication. You should include two verbal, two non-verbal and two written methods of communication. Methods of communication Description Verbal communication 1. Person to Person or face to face, this is where two people with engage in conversation with each other and pass information. 2. Telephone conversations, this is where two or more people converse through the medium of telephone communications, similar to face to face apart from you cannot see the person you are talking to. Non-verbal communication 1. Body Language can be used to express emotions and feelings without the use of language. For example facial expressions can tell a person a lot about how another is feeling i. e. if someone is smiling then this normally indicates they are happy 2. Tone of voice, tone of voice along with body language can also determine the way a person is feeling. If someone is shouting they are either conveying a warning or trying to attract attention to themselves or they may be angry. Written communication 1. Email, emails are an electronic method of communicating via computer. It is a sterile way of communicating as you do not get to interact with the sender of the information. 2. Written reports, written reports and are normally completed on paper very similar to email and you will not interact with the author. 2. Using two specific examples, explain how to choose the most appropriate method of communication to meet your needs and the needs of others. When communicating with others consideration should be given to understanding what the other person wants to know and what they need to know. You must try to understand how they would prefer the information to be delivered i. e. verbal communication or written communication. People are different and have different preferences in the way they receive information. 3. Describe at least two ways of actively listening. Two ways of actively listening is to engage with the person you are listening to, look at the speaker and focus on what is being said. Do not interrupt them whilst they are speaking, instead write notes for questions you may have regarding points you feel you may need to clarify. Section 4 – Understand how to work with and support colleagues 1. Explain the purpose of agreeing standards for your own work. Give at least two reasons. By agreeing standards of your own with line managers or supervisors prior to work that is undertaken allows each party to understand what the required standards are and what needs to be achieved and that no ambiguity exists. There are many standards that work can be judged by that are used in the business environment, for example Quality Assurance standards, behavioural standards and wastage standards. If both parties have a good understanding of these standards then work will be produced to a higher quality and without errors. 2. Explain the purpose of taking on new challenges and being able to adapt to change at work. By taking on new challenges it allows us to grow as individuals and avoids becoming stagnated in what we do. Taking on new things helps us push ourselves and gives us the opportunity to try new things. Being able to adapt to change at work can demonstrate to your employer that you are flexible and willing to embrace new things. This can only have a positive effect on you as an individual as your employer will be more likely to trust you with new task and ultimately responsibilities which could result in promotion. 3. Explain the purpose of treating others with honesty and consideration. Treating others with honesty and consideration will earn you peoples trust and respect. If people trust you they are more than likely going to be happier to work with you; and be more honest and open with you with regards to work issues. If others trust you they will share information with you because they will feel you don’t have an agenda and feel like they are part of the team. If you have good team work in the workplace then it will be a happier place to work and in turn become more efficient. Section 5 – Know how to plan own work and be accountable to others 1. Explain the purpose of meeting work standards and deadlines when completing tasks in a business environment. Meeting work standards and deadlines will ensure any work carried out will be to the correct specifications and delivered on time. By constantly hitting deadlines to the correct standards will enhance confidence and reduce possible supervision. It will help to improve the employer employee working relationship because the employer will have more trust in the employee’s abilities and help build teamwork. 2. Describe two different methods that you can use to plan your own work in a business environment. One way you can plan your work is by using a â€Å"things to do† or check off list, these can be a very useful and effective planning tool. By noting down and crossing off different milestones as they’re met can aid in the successful progression of tasks. Another way is having an open or shared diary. This can be used by different personnel to plan different task at different times, and will allow others to see what deadlines they may have to work too. 3. Describe ways of keeping other people informed about progress and compare their effectiveness. What are the benefits and drawbacks of each approach? There a several ways that a business can keep others informed of progress below are some examples: 1. Meetings are a good way of getting all those involved in a project together to discuss how things are progressing, the down sides to this can be, key players not being able to attend and possibly taking a large amount of people away from their place of work all at the same time. 2. Written reports are also a good way of communicating progress to others as the information contained within has less chance of being misinterpreted. Possible drawbacks could be the length of time it takes to prepare the document and unless a comprehensive distribution list is drawn up then some employees could be missed. Section 6 – Understand the purpose of improving own performance in a business environment and how to do so 1. Explain the purpose of continuously improving your performance in a business environment. By continuously improving your performance you are pushing yourself to produce better quality work and ensuring that organisational standards are met, possibly even exceeded. This can be beneficial to the employee and employer equally, if your employer sees that you are striving to be the best you can be you are more likely to stand out from your colleagues when it comes to promotion, in turn if you are producing your best work this can only benefit the business on a whole. 2. Describe at least two ways of improving your performance at work. Where relevant, illustrate your answer with specific examples from your own experience. 1. Attending training courses – by attending training courses I have been able to learn new skills and help my team perform to a better standard. 2. Learning from others – on job training can be a valuable tool when improving your performance. By shadowing a work colleague I was able to quickly learn basic skills from an experienced member of the business which allowed me to start functioning faster than if I had to wait for a training course. 3. Appraisals – By attending regular appraisal individuals can get constructive feedback on performance whether that is good or bad. Areas of weakness can be identified and appropriate remedial plans put in place to address those issues. 3. Briefly describe at least two different types of career pathways that may be available to you. There are several career paths one could take in the business administration sector, possible careers could be as a secretary, administration manager, personal assistant or a team leader. Section 7 – Understand the types of problems that may occur in a business environment and how to deal with them 1. Identify at least two different types of problems that can occur in a business environment. Two types of problems that can occur are as follows: 1. Staff shortages – The business may suffer as a consequence of a key player in a project being absent through illness or holiday. 2. Deadlines – deadlines may not be met due to staff shortages or lack of resources or unrealistic timescales being implemented. 2. Complete the table below by describing at least two specific problems that can occur at work and how they can be dealt with. Problem Dealing with the problem 1. Staff Shortage Having a robust plan in place where a colleague is able to provide cover for the missing employee. Longer term advanced planning could see temporary staff employed to cover for longer periods of absence i. e. maternity leave. 2. Missing deadlines By redeploying members of staff to help reach approaching deadlines. Re-evaluating organisational procedures and standards, setting realistic and achievable deadlines. 3. Complete the table below by listing at least two problems you are able to deal with yourself and two problems you would need to refer to others to deal with (and how you would refer these problems). Problems I can deal with: Problems I would need to refer to others: How are problems referred to others? 1. Simple equipment issues i. e. replacing paper in printers or ink cartridges. 1. Complex equipment issues. Terminal not turning on or booting up. Report it by the appropriate means to the relevant department. 2. Minor changes in organisational procedures. 2. Major changes to organisational procedures. I would refer this issue to my supervisor or line manager. Clarification may need to be sort on major changes to procedures so employees are fully aware of the changes. Unit two: Principles of providing administrative services Assessment You should use this file to complete your Assessment. The first thing you need to do is save a copy of this document, either onto your computer or a disk Then work through your Assessment, remembering to save your work regularly When you’ve finished, print out a copy to keep for reference Then, go to www. vision2learn. com and send your completed Assessment to your tutor via your My Study area – make sure it is clearly marked with your name, the course title and the Unit and Assessment number. Please note that this Assessment document has 9 pages and is made up of 9 Sections. Name: Jason Wright Section 1 – Understand how to make and receive telephone calls 1. Complete the table below with descriptions of at least two different features of a telephone system and how / when they would be used. Feature How / when used 1. Answerphone Normally accessed by pressing the number 1. It enables you to access messages left by others for you. 2. Conference call This enables you to speak to more than one person at the same time. 2. Prepare a brief report advising people on: How to follow organisational procedures when making and receiving telephone calls The purpose of giving a positive image of yourself and your organisation when making and receiving telephone calls. If possible, use specific information from procedures in your own organisation (or one that you are familiar with). When making a call the caller must remember to be polite and introduce themselves to the person who answers. Remember you are representing the company and that first impressions count. You should always try to portray the company in the best possible light and should always act in a professional manner. When receiving a call the person answering must: Attempt to answer the call as soon as possible before it rings off (this call could be the most important of the day) Answer with good morning/afternoon The name of the company Your name And how you may be of assistance If the person they have called for is not there be sure to take the name of the caller their number and any message they may wish to leave. Section 2 – Understand how to handle mail 1. Explain the purpose of correctly receiving, checking and sorting mail and packages (both incoming and outgoing). Receiving, checking and sorting mail and packages is an essential part of any successful business. To run an efficient business a good system for the sorting of incoming and outgoing mail must be employed. If mail is not sorted and distributed correctly throughout the workplace then things can get delayed or worst case, missing. If this happens it can have a detrimental effect on the business and could ultimately end up in the loss of orders or customers. 2. Complete the table below with the following information: At least two examples of internal mail services that are available to organisations At least two examples of external mail services that are available to organisations Internal mail services External mail services 1. Organisation staff 1. Royal Mail 2. Organisation staff in vans 2. DHL 3. Describe two methods that you can use to calculate postage charges for mail and / or packages. You can calculate the postage charge for items either by weight of the size of the item that needs to be posted and how quickly you want it to get there. The bigger the item the more it will cost, the quicker you want it to get to its destination the higher the price. Section 3 – Understand how to use different types of office equipment 1. Describe the main types of equipment found in offices and how they are used. Include examples of at least three different types of office equipment. Printer – used to transfer electronic information and pictures from computers (soft copies) and usually printed onto paper (hard copies) Photocopier – used to produce multiple copies of documents as it cheaper and faster than printing using a laser printer. Scanner – reverse process to a printer. Hard copies are scanned and the image is usually transferred to a computer and turned into soft copy. 2. Explain the purpose of following manufacturer’s instructions when using equipment. By following the manufacturers’ guidelines you will guarantee that the equipment is being used correctly and to its full potential. This will also ensure that manufacturers’ warranties are maintained; and the equipment performs to the standards that it is designed to do. It will also prolong the life of the equipment and ensure a valuable resource is always available for use. 3. Explain the purpose of keeping equipment clean, hygienic and ready for the next user. More often than not office equipment will be shared amongst a number of colleagues. This could range from phones through to such things as headsets. By keeping the items clean will minimise the risk of infection and the spread of germs to othersr0. If equipment is looked after and kept clean it will function better for longer. You should leave equipment in the state that you would want to find it. Section 4 – Understand how to keep waste to a minimum in a business environment 1. Explain why waste should be kept to a minimum in a business environment. Waste should be kept to a minimum because it can have a long-term affect on the business. Businesses can spend a large amount of time and money to dispose of excessive waste and may promote a wasteful culture in employees. Most businesses will seek to keep waste to a minimum as this constitutes good business practice. 2. Identify at least two main causes of waste in a business environment. Not correctly checking a document properly before it is mass produced is one form of waste as all the resources involved will have been used with no end product. Delivering food items too early may result in food going cold and delivering to late may result in the consumer making other arrangements and no longer requiring the food, thus leaving the business with unwanted food products. 3. How can you keep waste to a minimum in a business environment? Describe at least two ways of doing this. Taking the time to read through documents before it is massed produced for errors will help to eradicate any errors that maybe contained within. Delivering food items when required and to the standard expected and not too early or too late will ensure the consumer is happy. Section 5 – Know how to make arrangements for meetings 1. Complete the table below listing at least two different types of meetings and describing the main features of each type of meeting. Type of meeting Main features Information Exchange The main feature is disseminating information to an audience. Can range from an informal meeting to a large conference. Problem solving Used to brainstorm and solve problems. Can be face to face, informal, spur of the moment or regular meetings. Decision Making Meetings where decisions are made. Can range from AGMs, board meetings, regular meetings to spur of the moment meetings. 2. When arranging a meeting: What sources and types of information are typically needed? How should meetings be arranged? When arranging a meeting consideration should be given to the following: Size of venue for the amount of people attending. Will there be anyone there that may have special requirements and access to venue. Suitable amount of chairs and tables for attendees to use. Will there be a need for resources i. e. Projectors, pens, pads, Internet connectivity etc. Will refreshments be required if the meeting is scheduled to be long When arranging a meeting the following points should be followed: 1. Find out about and confirm the meeting brief. 2. Confirm the venue, equipment and catering requirements. 3. Produce the agenda and meeting papers. 4. Invite attendees and send them the agenda. 5. Confirm attendance. 6. Make sure attendees’ needs are met. 7. Make amends to correct any needs for requirements, such as catering. 8. Collate and dispatch papers for the meeting within agreed timescales. 9. Produce spare copies of meeting papers. 10. Arrange the equipment and layout of the room. Section 6 – Understand procedures for organising travel and accommodation arrangements 1. Explain the purpose of confirming instructions and requirements for business travel and accommodation. Confirming instructions will ensure that things run smoothly and all requirements are put in place before a journey is undertaken. 2. Complete the table below with an outline of the main types of business travel and accommodation arrangements that may need to be made and the procedures that should be followed when doing this. Travel and accommodation arrangements Procedures Hire car Book Hire car with hire car company. Ensure hire company knows where to drop off/pick up if appropriate. Taxi Make sure the taxi is booked, ensure they are sure of pick up times, and pick up address and destination. Plane Make sure the ticket is booked and the appropriate level of class is booked. Consideration should be made for travel arrangements to and from airport. Hotel Make sure that a hotel is booked and is adequate for the needs of the individual. Location of hotel should be checked to ensure it suitable. 3. Explain the purpose of keeping records of travel / accommodation arrangements in a business environment. Good record keeping is essential for a business to run efficiently and remain organised. Keep records on financial outlay will help a business to remain in Budget. It will allow them to assess the effectiveness of companies that they use for travel by being able to compare cost and service. Section 7 – Understand diary management procedures 1. Briefly explain the purpose of using a diary system to plan activities at work. Give at least two reasons. Using a diary serves as a good way to keep information all in one place. It is an excellent organisational tool for keeping track of such things as meetings, training days and holidays for example. By using a shared diary others within the organisation can see what an individual ahs planned in the near and distant future. It allows others to book meetings and book holidays and days off. 2. Identify the information needed to maintain a diary system in the workplace. Information is key to keeping a successful diary, if a diary is not populated with useful, valid and up to date information then it will fail. Key information that should be included for instance: Who: Who is the meeting with? What: What is the meeting about? When: When is the meeting? Where: Where is the meeting? Why: Why are you having the meeting? Section 8 – Understand the purpose of delivering effective customer service and how to do so 1. What are the differences between internal and external customers in a business environment? The difference between external and internal customers is thus; external customers are other businesses or organisations that your business will supply or their company works for yours or supplies you. Internal customers are ones that you supply and work for the same employer. 2. Explain why customer service should meet or exceed customer expectations. Include at least three reasons in your answer. Customer service should be meet or exceeded as the customer is the most important part of a business, without customers businesses will fail. Giving good customer service and customer satisfaction will help ensure: Repeat business Customer loyalty Recommendations to others Good publicity Sense of trust Greater job security. Business growth 3. Explain the importance of building positive relationships with customers. Outline two ways in which this can be achieved. It is important to build customer relationships as this will help build trust between the customer and the business. If you have a good relationship with a customer then they are more likely to choose your business over a company that provide the same service. This can be achieved by going that extra mile in your customer service and making the customer feel that they are special to you and you value their custom. By personalising your professional relationship with them, finding out their first name and using it where you think appropriate. Little touches can mean a lot to customers and if you make them feel special then they will want to keep coming back. 4. How do customers demonstrate their own needs and expectations? There are several ways that customers can be encouraged to give feedback on a company’s performance these can come in the form of focus groups, customer feedback forms, verbal feedback and customer complaints. Section 9 – Understand the purpose of reception services and how to follow reception procedures 1. What is the purpose of the receptionist role as the first point of contact in a business environment? The purpose of the receptionist is to be the first point of contact. They are there to Welcome visitors Give an appropriate greeting Handle enquiries Provide relevant information about the organisation Keep a tidy and well organised reception area Keep accurate visitor records Monitor access into and out of the building by visitors Liaise with other departments Handle any visitor problems professionally Do any related administrative duties. 2. Describe how a receptionist can present a positive image of themselves and the organisation and explain why this is important. The role of the receptionist in a business is vitally important. They are often the first person a new customer will see and engage with. If a receptionist acts in a professional manner then it will then it will reflect well on the business as a whole. If a receptionist is well dressed, politely spoken and efficient in the handling of customers then this will give a positive and professional outlook. 3. In relation to your own organisation (or one that you are familiar with), explain what must be done when carrying out entry, departure, security and confidentiality procedures in a reception area. When entering a building the reception area must be placed so each individual entering the building must go through the reception area. Visitors must be signed in and out of the building and asked who they wish to see. This acts not only as a record of who has entered the building but also serves a record of who has visited. If there is a secure area of the building they are required to visit then they may need to be escorted, the receptionist can call a member of the appropriate department to come and act as an escort. The receptionist can also brief any visitors on any health and safety issues or security guidelines that need to be adhered too. Unit three: Principles of managing information and producing documents Assessment You should use this file to complete your Assessment. The first thing you need to do is save a copy of this document, either onto your computer or a disk Then work through your Assessment, remembering to save your work regularly When you’ve finished, print out a copy to keep for refer