Module Eleven
The
Workplace
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Diversity in the Workplace
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May be generational.
May be influenced by the ability of the
employees.
May be influenced by the personalities of the
employees.
May be influenced by the culture of employees.
May depend on the professional culture.
May depend on the organizational culture.
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The Multigenerational Workforce
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Traditionalists: discipline, law and order
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Boomers: affluent, optimistic, idealistic
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Generation Xers: skeptical, resourceful,
independent
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The Millennials: bold, brazen, sense of entitlement
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The Culture of the Workplace
Role culture: conformity to expectations
 Achievement culture: fosters creativity,
competition
 Power culture: clear authority, high
expectations
 People culture: relationships
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Workplace Communication
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Telephone
 Computer-mediated (CMC)
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 Email
 Multitasking
 Technology Confrontations
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Written
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Negative Workplace Communication 6
 rumours, gossip
 anonymous communication
 untruthful communication
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Rumors and Gossip
A rumour is an unverified story or
statement about the facts of a situation
 Gossip is a type of rumour that focuses on
the private or personal affairs of other
people
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Although they can be harmful, can also be
an important social function
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The Nature of Professional Relationships
The nature of your professional relationships
reflects your work responsibilities, the quality
of your relationships with colleagues, and the
organizational culture in which you work
 The quality and success of your professional
relationships depend on how well you
communicate with your boss, your coworkers, and your customers or clients
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Superior-subordinate Relationships
The superior (supervisor) has formal
authority over the productivity and
behaviour of subordinates (workers)
 Superiors direct activities, authorize
projects, interpret policies, and assess
subordinates performance
 Subordinates provide information about
themselves, about co-workers, and about
the progress of their work as well as “what
needs to be done and how it can be done”
to supervisors
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Superior-subordinate Relationships
Some are formal and distant
 Some are informal, friendly, and nonthreatening without sacrificing respect
and productivity
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Co-worker Relationships
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Interactions among people who have little
or no official authority over one another
but who must work together
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Satisfying co-worker relationships make
the difference between looking forward to
and dreading another day at work
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Customer Relationships
Interactions between someone
communicating on behalf of an
organization and an individual who is
external to the organization
 The success of any business or
organization depends on effective and
ethical communication with customers
and clients
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Customer Relationships
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The customer has several basic needs:
◦ They need to feel welcome
◦ They need enough information to make a
decision or solve a problem regarding a service
or product
◦ They need to be treated with respect – they
have the power to take their business elsewhere
and encourage others to do the same thing
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Professional Communication Challenges
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Ineffective and inappropriate
communication in professional
settings can result in serious
consequences: tension, limited
advancement opportunities, job loss
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Positive Workplace Relationships
Mentoring
 Networking
 Working in teams
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Mentoring Relationships
An experienced individual helps train a
person who is less experienced.
 People who have mentors and participate
in mentoring relationships get more
promotions and higher salaries than those
who do not (Scandura, 1992)
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Networking Relationships
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Using other people to help you solve
your problems, or at least to offer insights
that bear on your problems
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Informal and formal
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Networking (cont)
Begin with people you know
 Develop files of people to contact
 Be active in locating and establishing
networking relationships
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12-18
Effective Communication and
Teamwork
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Communicate!
 Listen actively.
 Don’t blame others.
 Support group members’ ideas.
 Get involved.
 Don’t brag.
 Be positive.
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Six Types of Power
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Legitimate: Increase your credibility in your role.
Referent: Demonstrate qualities admired by those
you wish to influence.
Reward: Make rewards contingent on compliance
and follow-through.
Coercive: Make negative consequences clear. Be
careful.
Expert: Cultivate your own expertise. Connect
appeals to this expertise.
Information/Persuasion: Increase your
communication competence.
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Interpersonal Power
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The ability of one person to influence or
control the behaviour of another person
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Power Principles
Power varies from person to person.
 Power is a part of all interpersonal messages.
 Power follows the principle of less interest.
 Power has a cultural dimension.
 Power is frequently used unfairly.
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Strategies for Dealing with Power Plays
Express your feelings.
 Describe the behaviour to which you
object.
 State a cooperative response you both
can live with comfortably.
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Sexual Harassment
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Behaviour that is
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Sexual in nature
Unreasonable
Severe or pervasive
Unwelcome and offensive
Usually a pattern
• Victims can experience decreased work
performance, anxiety, depression, self-blame,
anger, feelings of helplessness, fear of
further harassment, fear of reporting incident
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Intrapersonal Power:
Self-Esteem
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Attack self-destructive beliefs.
 Seek out positive people.
 Secure affirmation.
 Work on projects that will result in
success.
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Non-assertive, Assertive, and
Aggressive Messages
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Non-assertive people fail to assert their
rights—“You win, I lose.” (Passive)
 Assertive people act in their own best
interests—“I win, you win.”
 Aggressive people think little of others—
“I win, you lose.”
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Principles for Increasing Assertive
Communication
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Analyze assertive communication.
 Rehearse assertive communication.
 Do it! Communicate assertively.
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