PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

2 days plus exercises for POE if learners are to be assessed.

This course is only applicable to organisations with a performance management system and is targeted at managers and team leaders who conduct performance reviews.

Self Study Guide

A reader-friendly Self Study Guide covers:-

• the concept of performance management;
  
• the role of the Business Focus in setting direction;
• the Danny Langdon model for analysing performance;
• motivation and performance management;
• effective delegating;AND
• the reasons why performance appraisals often fail.

This course covers:-

• how to analyse performance requirements and set standards using best practices;
  
• how to prepare for a performance review including determining and agreeing performance standards, key performance areas and key performance indicators upfront and assessing performance fairly and objectively; and
• how to conduct a  performance review giving recognition where due and constructive criticism of areas where improvement is required.

B&A will incorporate all client documents if a system is already in place. If not B&A will supply templates from the course for to be customised to the client’s requirements. Learners are taught how to use the documentation correctly. An amusing DVD, PowerPoint slides, practical exercises and role plays are used to facilitate learning and develop practical skills.

CHAMPIONING DIVERSITY

1 day or 2 days.

INTRODUCTION

Exacerbated by the crime situation, a decade after democracy, prejudice and stereotyping are still alive and thriving in our workplaces! This manifests itself in a ‘them and us’ attitude, poor productivity, lack of team work and sometimes open conflict. How you react to another person or group depends very much on the assumptions you make about that person or group. If your assumptions are based on misunderstandings and half truths, you will probably form a negative perception of that person or group. This is likely to affect the way that you interact to them and them in turn to you.

Our diversity can be a strength. Why not use it to your advantage by building on the very differences which make us different? First however, you need to get people talking and re-examining their beliefs about others.

B&A have developed a comprehensive, cost effective way to tackle diversity training. Training is most effective when people take ownership of it. The training material is available in English & IsiZulu. In-house training is facilitated by B&A’s experienced facilitators for groups of up to 25 people. In order for the training to be effective the delegates attending must be diverse and representative of your organisation’s diversity. Each workshop begins with a half hour djembe drumming session designed to ‘break the ice’ and get people talking.

This course is highly participative using individual and group exercises to get people talking and exploring their assumptions about others.

This course covers:-

• political conditioning;
• stereotyping and the self-fulfilling prophesy;
• religious differences;
• the impact of urbanization on cultures;
• the Ubuntu African philosophy;
• differences and similarities between African, South African Indian and Christian/Western cultures;
• misunderstandings brought about through body language;
• trauma – how it can affect peoples’ perceptions of other groups;
• biased language – how seemingly innocent terms can give offence;
• age differences – respect;
• disability – problems faced by disabled people;
• leveraging diversity – practical exercise aimed at identifying positive ways to build on differences;
• identifying issues and situations which give rise to conflict – practical exercise; and
• strategies for handling conflict constructively.

EMPLOYMENT EQUITY ACT

1 day EE for EE Committee members and managers or 4 hour briefing for employees

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This programme is targeted at members of Employment Equity/Training Committees as well as team leaders, supervisors, foremen, superintendents and managers who need a basic understanding of the Employment Equity Act.

Learners who require a basic understanding of the EEA:

• understanding the Employment Equity Act (EEA) as it applies to the employer including the purpose and aims of the EEA and its relationship with other labour legislation and the Constitution;
• what constitutes discrimination and the forms of discrimination prohibited by the EEA including direct and indirect discrimination;
• the requirements of medical testing, psychological testing and similar assessment tests as set out in the EEA;
• the meaning of ‘burden of proof’ in disputes pertaining to alleged unfair discrimination is described with examples;
• timeframes for the lodging of disputes pertaining to unfair discrimination; the role of the EE /Training Committee and who should be represented on that committee;
• the process to be followed in implementing employment equity, with specific reference to the organisation’s EE plan, reports and policy and the role of managers;
• barriers that affect disadvantaged people in the organisation;
• Employment Equity plans and the requirements for keeping records, including income differentials, to ensure compliance by employers with the EEA; and
• requirements for winning EE based tenders and the negative impact of ‘window dressing’ and ‘fronting’.

• the requirements of the EEA in terms of interviews for employment and promotion including documents that are required to ensure that interviews are conducted strictly in accordance with anti-discrimination legislation;
• discrimination in the employment context, conditions that automatically indicate unfair discrimination and how managers can inadvertently discriminate unfairly in an interview;
• the Skills Development Act (SDA) and SD Levies Act as they apply to the employer, the role of the SETA’s and the legislated relationship between the SETA’s and the employer;
• requirements placed on employers by the SDA and SDLA with reference to the organisation’s workplace skills plan, the annual training report and the claiming back of levies;
• the process to be followed in contributing to the workplace skills plan;
• the concept of lifelong learning and learnerships;
• the role of the Training Committee with reference to its role in the skills development process;
• how to participate effectively as a member of an EE/Training Committee, including an understanding of the role and duties of a Committee member;
• analysing an Employment Equity Plan and Workplace Skills Plan in terms of workplace requirements and how to review the Employment Equity Report; and
• Workplace Skills Implementation Report to ensure it is fit for purpose.

The course is ‘driven’ by a DVD on the EEA narrated by Jack Devnarain.

COURSE FACILITATION SKILLS

1 day theory and 2 days for coaching/assessment plus exercises for POE.

This course is targeted primarily at facilitators who conduct B&A courses but is also applicable for any facilitator or presenter.

This course is aimed at providing learners with an understanding of learning theory be applied in B&A courses; basic course facilitation skills. If applicable, learners will be given an overview of the modules their employers have purchased and which they will train as part of their latest Workplace Skills Plan. No facilitator is permitted to conduct B&A courses unless he or she has been assessed as competent by a B&A Assessor.

Learners are taught:-

• behaviour modeling theory and the experiential learning model applied in B&A courses;
• the importance of planning and preparation for effective;
• the importance of the facilitator in identifying performance or training barriers.

Learners are required to:-

• demonstrate practical skills including how to facilitate learning using a variety of methodologies including questioning to stimulate discussion and learning;
• guiding discussions and managing group conflict;
• using a data projector, flipcharts and DVD’s effectively;
• developing guidelines for handling various situations by consensus;
• summarising and emphasising learning points;
• conducting role plays, case studies and practical exercises;
• assessing performance; and
• giving learners constructive feedback and how to handle a variety of classroom problems when they each present a module and submit a Portfolio of Evidence for assessment.

INDUCTION PROGRAMME

CUSTOMISATION: This programme has been designed in the format required by the NQF in such a way that it can be customised to the needs of different workplaces. In addition to a DVD, a CD containing all course material is supplied, which can be customised. The material covers key aspects of the contract of employment and labour law that employees must be aware of.

This course material is developed and customised to your business by including:-

• the historical background to your business;
• the main revenue generating operations of your business;
• your disciplinary rules (we provide these if you do not have rules);
• material relative to any trade union agreements that may be in place in your business; and
• policies and procedures that are specific to your business (where required, B&A’s comprehensive set of HR policies & procedures may be used to augment any ‘gaps’ you might have).
• the history of the organisation, the management structure and key income generating activities of the business and expectations of the stakeholders;
  
• common law employment duties;
  
• key labour laws governing employment and conditions pertinent to temporary employment;
  
• key provisions of employees contracts of employment (including applicable Basic Conditions of Employment Act provisions and disciplinary rules);
  
• key provisions of the LRA with regards to organisational rights, the key elements in the organisation’s relationship agreement and the role of shop stewards;
  
• the fairness requirements of the LRA and steps in the employer’s disciplinary procedure;
  
• steps to be followed in the handling of employee grievances, terminations for operational requirements and dispute handling;
  
• key aspects of the Employment Equity Act; and
  
• the employers’ Employment Equity Policy, including who to approach in the event of a discrimination complaint.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT – THE CODE OF GOOD PRACTICE

1 day HR Managers and Disciplinary Enquiry Chairpersons or 4 hour briefing for employees.

This programme is targeted at Management, Human Resources, Occupational Health practitioners, members of Employment Equity Committees, shop stewards, disciplinary initiators and chairpersons.

This course covers:-

• provisions of the Code of Good Practice on the Handling of Sexual Harassment Cases (Amended 2005) and the employer’s sexual harassment policy;
• the requirements of the Labour Relations Act and rules of evidence as they apply to disciplinary enquires and dismissals for sexual harassment; and
• the risks involved in workplace romances/affairs and the principles to be observed when such relationships flounder.

The course is ‘driven’ by a DVD, SEXUAL HARASSMENT: The Code of Good Practice (Amended 2005) which was specifically developed to facilitate the communication of the Code of Good Practice on the Handling of Sexual Harassment cases and the employer’s sexual harassment policy and procedure.

The DVD covers:-

• the content of the Code;
  
• what is sexual harassment? Professional actors enact incidents which constitute various forms of sexual harassment;
  
• the duties and responsibilities of both the employer and employees to create a working environment which is free of sexual harassment;
  
• the reporting of unwelcome sexual conduct; and
  
• procedures for handling sexual harassment cases, both formally and informally and the employer’s obligations when handling sexual harassment complaints.

A simplified version aimed at communicating the Code to employees is also available and may be conducted in English or isiZulu by our facilitators.

SELECTING FOR EXCELLENCE

2 days hours plus exercises for POE if learners are to be assessed.

This course is targeted at Human Resource and Employment Officers, line management, supervisors and members of Employment Equity/Training Committees who are involved in staff recruitment and selection.

Designed around a competency based recruitment process, which fully complies with employment equity regulation, the programme utilises a three part instructional DVD featuring the interview process as undertaken to recruit a cashier. The material also includes sample documentation, which can be used in the recruitment process and retained to protect the employer against allegations of unfair discrimination.

This course covers:-

• Labour Relations and Employment Equity Act requirements in respect of recruitment practices;
• how to plan and prepare for recruitment and selection including analysing the job and preparing a competency based job description, preparing a candidate specification and drafting an effective job advertisement to publicise the position; s
• screening responses and arranging interviews;
• conducting a screening interview to select staff using best practice techniques including putting the applicant at ease, explaining disqualifying factors;
• questioning the applicant on work history and past experience, explaining the job and organisation, answering the applicant’s questions answered, and advising the candidate when further interviews or a response can be expected and how this will be communicated;
• the importance of recording observations about applicants during or immediately after the interview; and
• how to chair or participate as a member in a panel interview to select staff using best practice techniques. This includes:-

1.    Panel interviews in which candidates are put at ease.
2.    Disqualifying factors are explained.
3.    Candidates are questioned on work history and past experience.
4.    Observations about candidates are made and recorded; the job and organisation are explained.
5.    Candidates’ questions answered.
6.    Candidates are advised as to when a final decision can be expected and how this will be communicated.

Making a final staff selection, including conducting reference checks and finalizing documentation is also covered. The course is highly participative and learners are given both the knowledge and skills to conduct interviews and make fair selections.

IR NEGOTIATING - BEYOND THE BASICS

2 days 

This course is targeted at management and union negotiators. It is also available in a different version for conducting commercial negotiations.

The course covers:-

• the use of power;
  
• bargaining conventions;
  
• selecting and structuring a negotiating team;
  
• determining interests;
  
• identifying issues and elements for negotiation;
  
• the expectation test - identifying common ground, areas of potential conflict and determining key principles to be used in arguments;
  
• determining long and short term objectives and a central theme for the negotiation;
  
• determining strategies, setting bargaining limits and negotiating a mandate;
  
• how to conduct negotiations including the opening moves, establishing interests and common ground, handling pressure and disruptive tactics, effective questioning and listening techniques, exploring options through trade-offs, linkages and concessions;
  
• overcoming resistance and using closing techniques; and
  
• the importance of ensuring that the final agreement is clearly understood by both parties and is committed to writing.
  

Three DVDs are used covering the principles of effective negotiating, case preparation and case presentation. Learners are taught how to use a case preparation plan which they apply in role plays based on a commercial negotiation or labour relations wage negotiation or retrenchment. Learners also receive a Ready Reference booklet with this course.