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<=KNEC Diploma in ICT module 1 Communication Skills past paper: November 2017
. Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
Business people always struggle to ensure that their employees are productive. Measuring employee productivity is not easy and a number of applications have been designed to help do it. However, in the absence of the gadgets which can measure productivity, employers turn to monitoring behavioral aspects such as time spend in the office, late arrival to work, early departure from work, or if the staff are having too many conversations when they meet at common places such as washrooms. Nevertheless, these observable behavioral characteristics are no means a measure of productivity.
It is estimated that employees spend an average of five hours per day at their desks. However, this does not mean that they spend the entire five hours being productive. Contrary to what many people believe, a culture may lead to staff burnout and upsurge of sick leaves. A study of 600,000 individuals in Australia, the US and Europe found that people who work for more than 55 hours a week have 33 percent greater risk of suffering from stroke and 13 percent greater risk of suffering from coronary heart disease. The study concludes that employees need to pay more attention to the health risk of long working hours.
Research findings show that more people are stressed today than ever before. A study in the US revealed that 40 per cent of employees feel that their jobs are major cause of stress. The study further showed that 73 per cent of employees regularly experience psychological symptoms caused by stress and that workplace stress costs employers $300 million annually. These statistics call for employers to create health and productive work environments in their organizations.
In order to create a healthy and productive work environment, a number of measures need to be put in place. To begin with, an employer should understand the current situation in the workplace by getting feedback from the staff. An annual staff survey would help the employer to know what employees are experiencing and understand what hinders or help in their performance. The survey would also provide data that would enable the employer to focus on the crucial areas as well as benchmark to measure improvement in the successive years.
In addition, encouraging the staff to be active would help to maintain employee’s physical and mental health. Exercise brings many benefits to employees including stress relief, mood improvement, and energy boost as well as combating diseases. Further, the employer can encourage open and honest conversations as a way of relieving stress. Unhealthy work relationships such as bullying and harassment have been found to be a major source of stress. The employer should therefore aim to create an environment where conflict is dealt with in a health way and problems are addressed as they rise.
Besides, ensuring that employees are clear about their roles and what is expected of them will enable them to focus on what needs to be achieved as opposed to constantly questioning if they are doing the right thing. This is because lack of clarity of roles and responsibilities can be a major stress trigger. Moreover, employees need a sense of purpose and clear direction in order to be productive. Employees should thus be made to understand not only what needs to be done but when it needs to be done. Linking goals to the bigger picture provides a meaningful context to the employee. Furthermore, employers should motivate employees to take personal initiative to minimize work – related stress.
In order to have a productive workforce, therefore, employers need to take various measures. Such measures include restructuring the methods of gauging work done and placing more emphasis on employee wellbeing among others. If such measures are put in place, work-related stress will be reduced to a bare minimum thus saving employers a lot of resources which have hitherto been spent on medical bills.
Adapted from: ‘Business Daily’ Tuesday 14th February, 2017.
a) State the meaning of the following words as used in the passage :(6mks)
(i.) measure;
(ii.) spend;
(iii.) regularly;
(iv.) hinders;
(v.) as they arise;
(vi.) Work done.
b) In about 130 words and according to the passage, explain the ways in which an employer may create a healthy and productive work environment.
Business people always struggle to ensure that their employees are productive. Measuring employee productivity is not easy and a number of applications have been designed to help do it. However, in the absence of the gadgets which can measure productivity, employers turn to monitoring behavioral aspects such as time spend in the office, late arrival to work, early departure from work, or if the staff are having too many conversations when they meet at common places such as washrooms. Nevertheless, these observable behavioral characteristics are no means a measure of productivity.
It is estimated that employees spend an average of five hours per day at their desks. However, this does not mean that they spend the entire five hours being productive. Contrary to what many people believe, a culture may lead to staff burnout and upsurge of sick leaves. A study of 600,000 individuals in Australia, the US and Europe found that people who work for more than 55 hours a week have 33 percent greater risk of suffering from stroke and 13 percent greater risk of suffering from coronary heart disease. The study concludes that employees need to pay more attention to the health risk of long working hours.
Research findings show that more people are stressed today than ever before. A study in the US revealed that 40 per cent of employees feel that their jobs are major cause of stress. The study further showed that 73 per cent of employees regularly experience psychological symptoms caused by stress and that workplace stress costs employers $300 million annually. These statistics call for employers to create health and productive work environments in their organizations.
In order to create a healthy and productive work environment, a number of measures need to be put in place. To begin with, an employer should understand the current situation in the workplace by getting feedback from the staff. An annual staff survey would help the employer to know what employees are experiencing and understand what hinders or help in their performance. The survey would also provide data that would enable the employer to focus on the crucial areas as well as benchmark to measure improvement in the successive years.
In addition, encouraging the staff to be active would help to maintain employee’s physical and mental health. Exercise brings many benefits to employees including stress relief, mood improvement, and energy boost as well as combating diseases. Further, the employer can encourage open and honest conversations as a way of relieving stress. Unhealthy work relationships such as bullying and harassment have been found to be a major source of stress. The employer should therefore aim to create an environment where conflict is dealt with in a health way and problems are addressed as they rise.
Besides, ensuring that employees are clear about their roles and what is expected of them will enable them to focus on what needs to be achieved as opposed to constantly questioning if they are doing the right thing. This is because lack of clarity of roles and responsibilities can be a major stress trigger. Moreover, employees need a sense of purpose and clear direction in order to be productive. Employees should thus be made to understand not only what needs to be done but when it needs to be done. Linking goals to the bigger picture provides a meaningful context to the employee. Furthermore, employers should motivate employees to take personal initiative to minimize work – related stress.
In order to have a productive workforce, therefore, employers need to take various measures. Such measures include restructuring the methods of gauging work done and placing more emphasis on employee wellbeing among others. If such measures are put in place, work-related stress will be reduced to a bare minimum thus saving employers a lot of resources which have hitherto been spent on medical bills.
Adapted from: ‘Business Daily’ Tuesday 14th February, 2017.
a) State the meaning of the following words as used in the passage :(6mks)
(i.) measure;
(ii.) spend;
(iii.) regularly;
(iv.) hinders;
(v.) as they arise;
(vi.) Work done.
b) In about 130 words and according to the passage, explain the ways in which an employer may create a healthy and productive work environment.
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Questions List:
1. List three features of appraisal interviews.
2. List four instances when an apology letter may be written by an organization.
3. State three reasons why organizations may prefer written reports.
4. State three disadvantages of holding meetings in an organization.
5. State three roles of external communication in an organization.
6. State three reasons for selecting communication media carefully.
7. State three factors that determine the appropriate time to make a telephone call.
8. List three reasons why a speaker should maintain eye contact when communicating.
9. List four forms of visual communication which may be used to pass information.
10. State three instances when a sender may prefer to use e-mail to pass information.
11. Jamal Limited has advertised a vacant positions in the company and has invited qualified candidates to send their curriculum vitae. Assume that you qualify and write a curriculum vitae.
12. Outline three ways of capturing the attention of the audience when delivering a speech.
13. Explain four ways in which the chairperson may ensure the success of a meeting.
14. Explain four ways in which the receiver may minimize barriers to oral Communication.
15. The directors of Ukulima Agribusiness Limited have realized that the number of its distributors have terminated their contracts over the last one year. As the Assistant Office Manager, you have been asked to investigate the matter and write a report with recommendations. Assume that you have completed your investigations and write the report.
16. . Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow. Business people always struggle to ensure that their employees are productive. Measuring employee productivity is not easy and a number of applications have been designed to help do it. However, in the absence of the gadgets which can measure productivity, employers turn to monitoring behavioral aspects such as time spend in the offic
1. List three features of appraisal interviews.
2. List four instances when an apology letter may be written by an organization.
3. State three reasons why organizations may prefer written reports.
4. State three disadvantages of holding meetings in an organization.
5. State three roles of external communication in an organization.
6. State three reasons for selecting communication media carefully.
7. State three factors that determine the appropriate time to make a telephone call.
8. List three reasons why a speaker should maintain eye contact when communicating.
9. List four forms of visual communication which may be used to pass information.
10. State three instances when a sender may prefer to use e-mail to pass information.
11. Jamal Limited has advertised a vacant positions in the company and has invited qualified candidates to send their curriculum vitae. Assume that you qualify and write a curriculum vitae.
12. Outline three ways of capturing the attention of the audience when delivering a speech.
13. Explain four ways in which the chairperson may ensure the success of a meeting.
14. Explain four ways in which the receiver may minimize barriers to oral Communication.
15. The directors of Ukulima Agribusiness Limited have realized that the number of its distributors have terminated their contracts over the last one year. As the Assistant Office Manager, you have been asked to investigate the matter and write a report with recommendations. Assume that you have completed your investigations and write the report.
16. . Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow. Business people always struggle to ensure that their employees are productive. Measuring employee productivity is not easy and a number of applications have been designed to help do it. However, in the absence of the gadgets which can measure productivity, employers turn to monitoring behavioral aspects such as time spend in the offic
