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Communication at Work
Learning Target
At the end of this activity, you will be able to identify casual, professional, and unprofessional communication and apply your understanding to communicating about your needs and rights in the workplace.Pre-ETS Connection: Self-Advocacy and Workplace Readiness
Instructor Resources
Review the Communication at Work Fact Sheet along with any other resources and complete the activity below
Think about...
- How would you describe the way you talk to your family and friends?
- How would you describe the way you talk to your teachers, principal, or boss at work?
- What are some different ways that you can communicate in the workplace?
- What are the consequences of communicating in a casual or unprofessional manner in the workplace?
- When communicating about what you need in the workplace, why do you think it is important to be professional?
Activity Downloads
Lesson Downloads
Instructions
When you enter the workplace, you will be expected to communicate in a professional way. During this activity, you will evaluate different examples of communication in the workplace and identify each example as professional, casual, or unprofessional.
- Read each situation as if you are the job applicant or employee in a workplace
- Read each response option and rate it as Professional, Casual, or Unprofessional
- Click Start Activity below to begin or download the fillable Communication Rating Form
- Answer the reflection questions when you’re finished
- What do you think your boss or coworkers would think if you responded to all of these situations using unprofessional communication?
- What are the benefits of using professional communication in the workplace?
- Select one of the situations on the form and create your own professional response
Review the Communication at Work Fact Sheet along with any other resources and complete the activity below
Instructions
Complete an informational interview about professional communication in the workplace with an employee or manager of a business in your community.
- Schedule an in-person meeting, phone, or video call with an employee or manager of a local business
- Download the Interview Recording Sheet
- Ask the interview questions and record the answers
- Answer the reflection questions as you think about importance of professional communication in the workplace
Reflect
- Why do you think it is important to be professional when communicating in the workplace?
- Why is it important to communicate your needs and ask questions when you are at work?
- What are some differences between the way you ask for help from your friends or family and the way you communicate your needs and ask for help in the workplace?
- When you are talking, writing, or listening in the workplace, how can you make sure that you are being professional?
