We are all wired differently. We easily get along with some people and find it more challenging to build relationships and get along with others.
In the workplace, however, we don't always get to choose who we work with. As a supervisor and leader, you need to continually build your communication skills. The relationship you establish with your apprentice or trainee can have a huge impact on their motivation to follow your lead, and their desire to continue to work with you to complete their program.
How to recognise: less assertive, less responsive
They seek a lot of data, ask many questions, behave methodically and systematically.
Traits: problem solver, organised, factual, orderly, consistent, persistent, accurate, precise, perfectionist, enjoys instructions, sensitive, logical, cautious, impersonal, scheduled, detailed, conscientious, inquisitive.
How to recognise: more assertive, less responsive
They like their own way, decisive and strong viewpoints.
Traits: goal-driven, takes charge, independent, seeks power, action-oriented, persistent, competitive, judges quickly, purposeful, industrious, serious, controlling, bold, self-reliant, excitable, productive, strong willed, firm.
How to recognise: less assertive, more responsive
They like positive attention, to be helpful and to be regarded warmly.
Traits: enjoys popularity, loyal, sympathetic, adaptable, calm, dry humour, sensitive feelings, tolerant, nurturing, patient, co-operative, good listener, persona, enjoys routine, respectful, relational, non-demanding, thoughtful.
How to recognise: more assertive, more responsive
They get excited.
Traits: enthusiastic, inspirational, fun-loving, spontaneous, intuitive, likes variety, initiator, enjoys change, creative, motivator, optimistic, ambitious, takes risks, friendly, mixes easily, group orientated, promotes, energetic.
Diversity Council Australia defines ‘diversity’ as all the differences between people in how they identify in relation to their social identity. It includes both your personal and professional identity, including:
It is all the things that shapes the way people perceive themselves and the world.
The 2023-2024 lnclusion@Work Index Report by the Diversity Council Australia highlights the many benefits of workplace inclusion including:
The key to creating an inclusive culture is acknowledging that everyone is different and what may be true for one individual, may not be true for another.
Some things to consider when aiming to create an inclusive workplace include:
Australia's Indigenous peoples are made up of two distinct cultural groups: Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
For our purposes, the term Aboriginal also includes Torres Strait Islander peoples. An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander is a person of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who identifies as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and is accepted by the community in which they live. They are the Indigenous People of Australia.
Aboriginal people come from diverse experiences and cultures each with their own cultural journey and connection to country. Not all Aboriginal people have the same understanding of cultural identity or tradition. Some Aboriginal people don't have a strong connection to culture and community due to many factors, including family breakdowns, Stolen Generation, etc.
Following are some practical tips to help your Aboriginal apprentice or trainee feel valued and supported at work. These may not apply to all Aboriginal people as Aboriginality is individual and personal.
Traditional Aboriginal Lore refers to the grieving period following the death of a family member as 'Sorry Business.' It is usually commemorated with large gatherings of families and community and performance of ceremony.
Aboriginal people experience significantly higher death rates than non-Aboriginal people across all ages for all major causes of death. Aboriginal people are eight times more likely to have been to a funeral in the past two years than non-Aboriginal people.
Due to Aboriginal people's extended family relationships, the impact of grief, loss and stress can be overwhelming when losing a family member.
Sorry Business can occur in relation to the death of immediate family members, extended family and people with kinship and community ties.
There is no set time period for Sorry Business. Ceremonies and mourning periods can vary depending upon:
Sorry Business may require your apprentice or trainee to take leave from work to travel long distances to be with family.
While legislation states employees can take compassionate leave when someone in their immediate family or household dies, for Aboriginal apprentices or trainees, this may also apply for those who are not direct relatives.
Aboriginal families extend beyond blood and marriage. This kinship system is a complex social structure that defines Aboriginal people's connection to each other, to spirit and to country.
When Aboriginal people refer to their family, they often mean their extended family. This may include parents, children, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. It's these kinship ties, which determine a person's rights, responsibilities and behaviour.
The health, financial and general care of children and elderly family members is often a shared responsibility. Subsequently, your apprentice or trainee may ask for time off at short notice to meet family obligations.
Get to know your apprentice or trainee's family and encourage them to talk about their family commitments. This will help you build up a direct cultural link and be more understanding of leave requests while finding a balance between their needs and the needs of your business.
Aboriginal people may communicate in different ways to non-Aboriginal people. Prioritising cultural respect will build a positive working relationship with your apprentice or trainee. Here are four things to keep in mind:
Eye contact
For some Aboriginal people, looking someone (other than their intimate peers) straight in the eye may be considered rude, disrespectful, or even aggressive.
While this is not the case for everyone, it's important to be aware of the cultural context so you don't perceive this as being dishonest, rude or showing a lack of interest. Observe your apprentice or trainee's body language and follow their lead.
Silence
In Aboriginal culture, silence is commonplace and should not be confused with a lack of understanding or hearing.
Silence creates space for Aboriginal people to listen to the views of others, think about what is being said, show respect, and then respond. Silence can also mean that an Aboriginal person is reserving their judgement.
'Yes' or 'sorry' responses
Aboriginal people may respond with 'yes' or 'sorry' when asked questions.
Saying 'yes' or 'sorry' has historically kept Aboriginal people out of trouble. It can mean not understanding the question, avoiding conflict or a fear of being wrong.
Aboriginal people particularly those from NSW or Victoria consider a one-word response as a legitimate response or as an answer to a question or inquiry. It is important to follow up on the one-word reply.
Try asking open-ended questions such as, "What do you think about this?" or "How would you do this?"
Shame
Shame refers to the discomfort and humiliation that Aboriginal people may feel when they are singled out or feel awkward.
This is not limited to negative experiences. Some Aboriginal people feel shame if they are publicly praised or made to appear to be better than others, particularly other Aboriginal people.
If you want to publicly praise your apprentice or trainee, approach them individually and ask if it's okay. You can also address work performance issues by holding a private non-confrontational discussion.
The term 'Aborigine(s)' has negative connotations for many Aboriginal people. Instead, say, 'Aboriginal person' or 'Aboriginal people'.
The term 'mob' identifies a group of Aboriginal people associated with a particular place. Mob is generally used by and between Aboriginal people. It may not be appropriate for a non-Aboriginal person to use this term.
Many Aboriginal people from other areas of Australia live in NSW and use their traditional names. These are directly derived from Aboriginal languages.
Some examples:
Aboriginal people in Central Australia and the Northern Territory identify themselves by their individual tribal groups. Check with your apprentice or trainee about this terminology as there are many Aboriginal language groups and the use of some terms can be restrictive.
We've employed Aboriginal staff in all of our regional centres. Our staff can provide tailored support for you and your Aboriginal apprentice or trainee. We can organise workplace cultural competency training and can engage your Aboriginal apprentice or trainee with our new initiative Barranggirra, which will provide end- to end support for Aboriginal apprentices or trainees through culturally appropriate mentoring to ensure successful retention and completion of training and improved post-training employment outcomes. We also provide other initiatives and programs that are committed to improving the vocational outcomes of Aboriginal people.
Employers and business owners across the country are required to appoint the most appropriate person to fit a specific job, in accordance with the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW) and other relevant legislation in states around Australia.
Therefore, as an employer or supervisor responsible for employing apprentices or trainees, you must ensure you are appointing for skills, knowledge and attitude that will fit the position and your business, and not discriminating against those with a disability, or for any other reason.
If you employ an apprentice or trainee with a disability, there are support services and funding available. These can assist you to provide a suitable workspace and work environment to help your apprentice or trainee achieve what is required for the position and be a valuable and productive member of your team.
The Disability Discrimination Act (DOA) 1992 provides a very broad definition of disability to ensure any health condition, disability or impairment is considered.
As defined by the DDA, disability, in relation to a person, means:
The DDA definition of disability also includes a disability that:
People with disabilities can, and do, undertake apprenticeships and traineeships. Apprenticeship and traineeship programs can provide additional training and assistance for people with disabilities.
Assistance is available from the Australian Government in the form of Disabled Australian Apprentices Wage Support (DMWS). DMWS is available to an employer who currently employs an apprentice or trainee with:
Employers are required to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate disabilities and ensure that employees with disabilities are not treated less favourably and have the ability to compete and work equally with those without a disability.
NSW Anti-Discrimination legislation, incorporating Equal Employment Opportunity, covers reasonable adjustments required in the workplace. Adjustments are based on individual need, so it is important to consult with the employee with a disability to identify what adjustments are required for them to complete the essential activities of the job.
Funding may be available through Employment Assistance Fund to make work-related adjustments to cater for the specific needs of the individual worker.
For information on disability support services available within the community please refer to the Resources section.
Remember:
As a supervisor you need to acknowledge that everyone learns differently.
Some of us learn through observation, some through listening, some through hands-on practice and some through a blend of all three. There's no right or wrong learning style, just a style that's right for your learner.
Taking time to discover your apprentice or trainee's learning styles can help you understand their motivators and stressors and how they differ from your own. It will make training easier and more effective for you in the long run.
A common and widely used model of learning style is Fleming's (2007) Visual Auditory Kinaesthetic (VAK) model. According to this model, most people possess a dominant or preferred learning style; however, some people have a mixed and evenly balanced blend of the three styles:
Visual learners - tend to learn through seeing
Auditory learners - tend to learn through listening
Kinaesthetic learners - tend to learn through moving, doing and touching
Tailor your coaching style to meet the learning needs of your apprentice or trainee.
The following are some techniques that you can use to help apprentices or trainees develop, explore and enhance their learning strengths. The more an apprentice or trainee can learn through a combination of all the modalities- visual, auditory and kinaesthetic – the more embedded the learning will be.
Encourage visual learners to:
Encourage auditory learners to:
Encourage kinaesthetic learners to:
In the workplace you may hear the terms on-the-job training, formal training and coaching. Coaching refers to all the things you will do to assist your apprentice or trainee to learn, improve their performance and achieve their goals. On-the-job training or informal training are specific aspects of your coaching role.
The use of all these terms mean that the apprentice or trainee needs to learn the skills and knowledge of their trade or profession, and be able to demonstrate these in different ways, in a variety of situations and contexts. They will need to be able to practically apply what they are learning and provide evidence that they can do the job competently and over time, with less and less supervision.
Therefore, your role in being an effective coach and providing on-the-job training is to assist their learning, help them develop skills and improve their performance on the job.
This will require you to be able to:
As a supervisor, it is important acknowledge that everyone is different and this shapes the way we perceive things, learn, and communicate. Your learner can be a great resource to bring new perspectives and ideas to your workplace.
Best practice is about acknowledging the value of these differences to adding new perspectives to processes and practices and creating an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone feels safe to express themselves and thrive.
Issues could include:
The first thing you should do is talk to your learner.
Remain calm and be clear about what you want. If you have negative feedback, offer it in a constructive way and discuss the improvements you're looking for. Give your learner a chance to respond to criticism. If issues cannot be resolved, you may need to contact Training Services.
Supervisors often come to us when the relationship with their learner has already broken down. At this point it can be too late. Get us involved as soon as possible. Our advice is free and impartial. You can speak to us confidentially about your learner's challenges. We may visit your workplace or arrange a meeting away from work to help resolve your issue.
Our officers have extensive experience advising learners and employers and are skilled in mediation and dispute resolution. Often, we've dealt with the issue you're facing and have a range of solutions to support you or your learner.
If your learner's position has become untenable or they want to leave, you can apply for cancellation of the Training Contract.
You and your learner must mutually consent to this.
A Training Services officer can offer you confidential advice, monitor the issue through site visits or phone calls and provide mediation and dispute resolution services until you reach an agreement.
If an agreement can't be reached, the matter will be referred to the Commissioner for Vocational Training for resolution.
Apprenticeships and traineeships are open to people of any age. We have an aging workforce with a larger number of mature- aged apprentices and trainees, along with the younger generations entering the workforce.
In recent years we have experienced significant changes in technology and the way it is used in the workplace, to market and do business. Apprentices and trainees of different ages may react differently to workplace technology.
To continue to drive and achieve our business goals and remain competitive, it is important that as supervisors we are flexible and adaptable in working with all generations. Understanding their values, motivators and priorities, lends itself to a positive working environment.
Each generation displays characteristics specific to the environmental and social impacts experienced during individual lifetimes and especially in the younger, formative years. These values, characteristics and experiences influence our behaviours both in our private lives and at work and influence our expectations at work.
A 'generation' is a term that describes a group of people that are born about the same time, whilst the Oxford Dictionary defines a 'generation gap' as the variance of opinion between those of different generations. A generation typically represents twenty years.
Builders/Veterans: 1925 - 1945
Baby Boomers: 1946 - 1964
Generation X: 1965 - 1979
Generation Y: 1980 - 1994
Generation Z: 1995 - 2009
Use your people skills to get the best your apprentice or trainee has to offer by:
This will help you build trust and rapport with all generations.
While the two youngest employee groups share some common workplace preferences, research by Randstad reveals distinct differences that will influence their level of engagement, work productivity and employer loyalty.
With just a small investment of time, employers and supervisors can truly impact engagement among their youngest workers by addressing the preferences below.
Gen Y
Research indicates that: Email is a distraction and that money issues could affect their work performance.
Gen Z
Research indicates that: Facebook is seen as a distraction and that depression is an issue that might affect their work performance.
Source: Barclays, University of Liverpool
The younger generations (Y and Z) are more formally educated than any before them. They are continuing to enter a workforce where they, rather than jobs, are in demand.
By 2025 Generation Z are estimated to comprise 30% of the workforce. Due to our ageing population, they are building their careers in an era where the supply of workers is declining. More people are exiting the workforce than entering it, creating an ongoing skills shortage.
Consequently, this skills shortage continues to put pressure on supervisors and employers to understand the needs of their apprentices and trainees to ensure we maximise completion rates and build interactive workplaces that adapt to the needs of the younger generations.
As we look to Gen Z to be the future of our workplaces, it is apparent that they value life/work balance, training focus, enjoyment, empowerment, support, flexibility, involvement, creativity, innovation and a global working atmosphere. They will also be characterised by many jobs, lifelong learning, variety, being above the poverty line and ownership.
We have entered a new era. While employers need to create an environment where young workers are engaged and productive, older generations must be flexible, adaptable, and open to new ideas and methods emerging from younger generations.
