8600 -303 Assignment Example

Know how to work in the workplace.

Identify organisational targets relevant to the team.

As a manager, it is essential to identify organisational targets relevant to the team. Organisational targets should be aligned with an organisation’s objectives and vision and specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (Simpson et al., 2020). A manager needs to involve the team in the process of setting targets. This creates a sense of ownership and commitment to achieving the goals. The targets and benefits of achieving them should also be communicated clearly to the team. For example, as a manager at Sonny’s Store restaurant, I aim to increase customer satisfaction ratings by 10% within six months.

Set SMART objectives for the team to achieve the targets.

SMART objectives are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (Latham, 2020). To set specific objectives, understanding what is needed to achieve, and the objectives should focus on the target outcomes. For example, because my target as a manager at Sonny restaurant is to increase customer satisfaction ratings by 10%, the team’s specific objective could be to provide personalised service by training all front-line employees on customer service skills.

According to Ishak, Fong, and Shin (2019), measurable objectives are critical in tracking progress and success. The team should establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure progress towards achieving the targets. Achievable objectives should be challenging but realistic, and the team should have the necessary resources, skills, and support to achieve them. Time-bound objectives provide a clear timeline for achieving the targets. 

Use the technique to plan to achieve the objectives.

According to Kabeyi (2019), Effective planning involves setting priorities, allocating resources, and identifying the actions required to achieve the objectives. By using effective planning techniques such as Gantt chart, planning tools quality checks and standards, the team can plan effectively to achieve the organisational targets. 

A Gantt chart is a bar chart that displays a project schedule. It is an effective tool that helps managers to plan, schedule and monitor their progress towards achieving organisational objectives. By breaking down organisational objectives into smaller tasks and assigning a timeline to each task, managers can create a visual representation of the entire project. For example, to increase customer satisfaction ratings by 10%, as a manager at Sonny restaurant, I will conduct a customer satisfaction survey through a feedback form and online survey. Once I have the results, I will analyse the data to identify areas where customers are not satisfied, such as slow service and poor quality of food. Based on this analysis, I will develop a plan to address these issues, such as hiring additional employees and improving the quality of ingredients. I will then implement the plan and monitor the results to ensure that customer satisfaction ratings have increased by the targeted 10% within 6 months.

Explain how to monitor and control a planned activity.

Monitoring and controlling a planned activity is essential in ensuring the team stays on track to achieve the objectives (Biswas & Akroyd, 2022). Monitoring and controlling a planned activity include establishing key performance indicators, identifying variances and performance review. Managers Identify the KPIs to help the team to measure progress towards achieving the objectives. These could be customer satisfaction ratings, sales figures, and productivity levels.

Identifying Variances is an essential way to monitor and control a planned activity. Managers Monitor the actual results against the planned results to identify any variances. For example, as a manager at Sonny restaurant, we planned to achieve a 10% increase in customer service rating. If we achieve a 7% increase, the Variance should be identified, and corrective actions should be taken.

Know how to allocate work to team members.

Identify resources required to complete a planned activity.

Identifying the necessary resources to complete a planned activity is crucial in ensuring the team has everything it needs to achieve its objectives (Bohórquez et al., 2022). Managers require human resources, financial resources, materials and equipment, and time to complete the planned activity.

For example, as a manager at Sonny restaurant, we have a team’s objective to increase sales by 10%. The resources required include additional employees to handle the increased workload, a marketing budget to promote our service, and software to track sales data. The team also require additional training to improve sales skills and customer service. The budget should cover the cost of hiring staff, marketing campaigns, software, and training costs.

Explain how to allocate work to team members. 

Allocating work to team members is a critical part of achieving the objectives of a planned activity. By identifying the skills and strengths of team members, communicating clear expectations, setting deadlines, monitoring progress, and providing feedback, the team can ensure that each task is completed effectively and efficiently (Morrison-Smith and Ruiz, 2020). As a manager at Sonny restaurant, it is essential to allocate work effectively to ensure that team members work efficiently towards increasing customer satisfaction. 

For example, as a manager at Sonny restaurant, my objective is to improve customer satisfaction. Therefore, I might allocate the task of collecting customer feedback to a team member who is exceptionally skilled in communication and relationship-building. An exceptionally detail-oriented team member could be responsible for analysing the data collected from customer feedback to identify areas for improvement. By allocating tasks based on individual strengths and ensuring clear communication, the team can work effectively towards improving customer satisfaction. 

Explain how to assess and support team performance in achieving objectives.

According to Cho et al. (2019), assessing and supporting team performance is crucial in achieving the objectives of a planned activity. The team can work effectively towards achieving the desired results by establishing clear performance expectations, providing regular feedback, monitoring progress, providing training and development opportunities, and rewarding good performance.

For example, as a Sony restaurant manager, I aim to increase customer satisfaction. The team’s performance is assessed by tracking customer feedback and ratings. As a manager, I provide regular feedback on customer service quality and identify improvement areas. Training and development opportunities are provided to help team members improve their customer service skills. Recognition and rewards should be given to team members who demonstrate excellent customer service skills and contribute significantly to achieving the objective (Chaudhary, 2020).

Understand how to improve a team’s performance in delivering the plan. 

Identify a possible cause of Variance from a planned activity.

According to Pellerin and Perrier (2019), Variance from a planned activity occurs when actual performance deviates from the expected performance. Resource constraints and Unforeseen events can cause variances. Resource constraints occur when there are insufficient resources to complete a planned activity. This can include insufficient financial resources, employee shortages, and insufficient time. For example, as a Sonny’s store restaurant manager, I planned the employees to be trained in good customer service within two months. However, the trainers I had hired for the training were delayed due to another project at the restaurant.

Identify actions to overcome causes of Variance.

When a planned activity experiences Variance, it is vital to take corrective actions to get the activity back on track and achieve the objectives. To overcome the variances, managers can allocate additional resources and develop a contingency plan (Srinivas, 2019). If resource constraints cause Variance, additional resources can be allocated to complete the activity. 

Developing contingency plans to address unforeseen events can help mitigate the impact of Variance. For example, as a manager at Sonny restaurant, I had planned an outdoor event, but the weather could have been better; the restaurant should have had a backup indoor location or rescheduled the event for later.

Explain how to involve team members in identifying ways to improve performance to meet objectives. 

By soliciting input and feedback from team members, leaders can gain valuable insights and ideas for improving performance. This can be achieved through conducting surveys to gather anonymous feedback from team members and holding team meetings where team members are encouraged to share their feedback and opinions.

For example, as a manager at Sonny Stores restaurant, I regularly call for team meetings where we share opinions, experiences and feedback. I also conduct surveys to gather feedback from guests who visit the restaurant. According to Fullan and Kirtman (2019), creating opportunities for feedback and collaboration helps managers tap into team members’ expertise and ideas to drive improvements in performance and achieve the desired outcomes.

References: 

Biswas, N., and Akroyd, C. (2022). Management control systems and the strategic management of innovation. Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management.

Bohórquez, E., Caiche, W., Benavides, V., and Benavides, A. (2022). Motivation and Job Performance: Human Capital as a Key Factor for Organizational Success. In I+ D for Smart Cities and Industry: Proceedings of RITAM 2021 (pp. 291-302). Cham: Springer International Publishing.

Chaudhary, R. (2020). Green human resource management and employee green behavior: an empirical analysis. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 27(2), 630-641.

Cho, M., Bonn, A., Giunipero, L., and Divers, J. (2019). Restaurant purchasing skills and the impacts upon strategic purchasing and performance: The roles of supplier integration. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 78, 293-303.

Fullan, M., and Kirtman, L. (2019). Coherent school leadership: Forging clarity from complexity. ASCD.

Ishak, Z., Fong, L., and Shin, C. (2019). SMART KPI management system framework. In 2019 IEEE 9th International Conference on System Engineering and Technology (ICSET) (pp. 172-177). IEEE.

Kabeyi, M. (2019). Organisational strategic planning, implementation and evaluation with analysis of challenges and benefits. International Journal of Applied Research and Studies, 5(6), 27-32.

Latham, G. (2020). Goal setting: A five-step approach to behavior change. In Organisational collaboration (pp. 10-20). Routledge.

Morrison-Smith, S., and Ruiz, J. (2020). Challenges and barriers in virtual teams: a literature review. SN Applied Sciences, 2, 1-33.

Pellerin, R., and Perrier, N. (2019). A review of methods, techniques and tools for project planning and control. International Journal of Production Research, 57(7), 2160-2178.

Simpson, J., Kumar, P., Kemp, A., Awate, K., and Manning, K. (2020). 2.2 Vision, Mission, and Goals. Strategic Management.

Srinivas, K. (2019). Process of risk management. In Perspectives on Risk, Assessment and Management Paradigms. IntechOpen.

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