Interpersonal Skills for the Workplace

Curriculum guideline

Effective Date:
Course
Discontinued
No
Course code
CAEP 0203
Descriptive
Interpersonal Skills for the Workplace
Department
Career and Employment Preparation
Faculty
Applied Community Studies
Credits
3.00
Start date
End term
Not Specified
PLAR
No
Semester length
15 weeks
Max class size
12
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Contact hours

Lecture: 3 hours/week

Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Learning activities
  • Lectures
  • Seminars
  • Group activities
  • Audiovisual media  

 

Course description
This course is designed to prepare students with learning difficulties or barriers to education and employment with the skills to enter new working and training situations with increased confidence and to assertively handle employment related interpersonal situations. In particular, students will learn to communicate positively about any accommodations that may be required for their success on the job.
Course content
  1. Effective communication utilizing assertiveness, active listening, paraphrasing, asking questions and awareness of nonverbal communication
  2. Empathetic listening
  3. Giving and receiving positive and constructive feedback
  4. Conflict resolution strategies
  5. Reviewing what forms a first impression and how to create a positive first impression
  6. Purpose of handling customer questions and concern
  7. Attitudes for success
  8. Workplace expectations
  9. Benefits of building positive relationships with others
Learning outcomes

Upon completion of this course, the successful student will be able to:

1.     Recognize and define the elements of communication (sender, message, receiver). 

2.     Identify barriers to communication and use strategies to overcome barriers. 

3.     Ask for clarification and demonstrate techniques (i.e.: paraphrasing, asking questions) to assist communication. 

4.     Display/use effective communication. 

5.     Engage in active listening. 

6.     Differentiate between passive, aggressive and assertive communication. 

7.     Express their need for assistance. 

8.     Respond to instructions or feedback. 

9.     Identify and demonstrate attitudes for success. 

10.   Identify and demonstrate workplace expectations. 

11.   Demonstrate cooperative workplace behaviours. 

12.   Demonstrate appropriate interpersonal skills with supervisors, coworkers and customers. 

13.  Develop strategies for getting along with others eg. co-workers, supervisors, customers and other stakeholders. 

14.   Define conflict and demonstrate conflict resolution strategies.

15.   Give and receive feedback in an effective manner. 

16.   Identify the impact and importance of first impressions. 

17.   Demonstrate positive customer service skills and an understanding of the importance of excellent customer service skills. 

18.   Demonstrate effective customer service communication, including responding to nonverbal communication. 

19.   Identify and demonstrate the use of empathetic listening skills when responding to customer needs. 

20.   Identify and demonstrate treating customers in a respectful manner. 

21.   Identify and demonstrate appropriate responses to customer inquiries. 

22.   Identify and demonstrate ways of dealing with challenging customers.  

23.   Demonstrate respectful interactions in a diverse multi-cultural learning/work environment. 

Means of assessment
Assessment will be in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. An evaluation schedule is presented at the beginning of the course. This is a mastery-graded course.
 
Typical means of evaluation would include a combination of:
  • Assignments
  • Presentations
  • Demonstration of skills
  • Final evaluation
Instructors may use a student’s record of attendance and/or level of active participation as part of the student’s graded performance. Expectations and grade calculations regarding class attendance and participation will be clearly defined in the instructor's course outline/syllabus.
Textbook materials

Relevant material will be provided in handout form throughout the course.

Prerequisites
Equivalencies

None