Employability Skills - Bupa Health Insurance - Essay Example

Employability Skills s: INTRODUCTION Most discussions echoing around on lackof employability skills especially among recent graduates are deafening. This concern should be addressed with high definition quality glasses. Its debatable since some individuals are normally cynical in their perception by vocalizing issues using nutritious words to the ear hence blinding the public. However, if this is keenly filtered through the screen of truth, it will help to determine whether to vindicate their sentiments appropriately or not (Rao, 2010). Bupa Health Insurance is an international company based in the UK driven by the purpose of assisting its clients to live longer, healthier, and happier. The company offers a range of products to clients depending on clients needs. They run care homes, health centers, dental centers, and hospitals, offer personal and company health insurance and provide home health care, workplace health services, health assessments and chronic disease management services including health coaching. The organization employment structure ranges from the top echelon to the bottom depending on employees skills such as professional level. As an erstwhile employee of the institution (saved as a financial adviser), I was tasked with the responsibility of marketing policies of the company to the clients. It is a position that requires certain skills and competencies as well as professionalism to effectively and efficiently deliver in terms of performance ( Bupa, 2015). TASK 1 A. Discuss how you would develop your own responsibilities and performance targets based on your experience of working in an organization. Responsibility and performance at workplace Personal skills in the modern workforce especially in private institutions are considered to be profitable. There are those who subscribe to the school of thought that personal skills are generic hence its passed from one generation to the other. It is further from the truth as scientific proof show that traits can be acquired. As a financial adviser, I developed my responsibilities by grooming appropriately and in an acceptable manner to the eyes of the clients as well as to the codes and ethics of the institution. Besides that, reporting punctually to workstations would give ample time for proper preparation. Punctuality and strict time observation enable a financial adviser(FA) to identify the appropriate client prospecting methods with the sole purpose of meeting the client’s needs and convincing them into consenting on preferred products. In addition to that it enhances the self-respect, good self-management, honesty to the unit manager and team members and ones work. Carrying out duties responsibly boosts confidence in ones work, and that correlates with the performance target (Marker, Wallace, 2010). Being self-driven, dedicated as well as developing positive attitude enhances target achievement. Wade Boggs in his words of wealthy wisdom describes how positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive screaming thoughts, events, and outcomes. He further describes it as a catalyst that sparks extraordinary results. Scoundrels normally have a bad attitude. It is a trait that draws people away as it disjoints team work and spirit which is key to achieving goals set by organization not only in financial institutions, but also other institutions where team input is important (Trought, 2012). Responsible application of basic academic skills i.e. good oral and written communication, and listening skills as well as higher thinking orders such as decision-making and solving problems that arose in the field. It can be concluded with finality that the skills mentioned above impact positively to ones performance geared towards achieving goal set by institutions or organizations (Rao, 2010). The graph below presents the skills ranked in order of the importance attached to them. Source:http://www.brunel.ac.uk/__data/assets/image/0014/103109/Graduate-skills.png TASK 1 B. Using a specific situation you may have encountered, critically examine what you would have recommended for improvement or had taken any action to improve your performance. Growth as the whole human person in all aspect of human life is incomplete without challenges. These challenges emanate from various angles. Some of them are self-inflicted while others crop from prevailing conditions. In the process of discharging duties, employees encounter situations that at times if, not illuminated may present dire consequences on performances. It is, for this reason, crucial that for employees and employers to identify the challenges in unison and address them with the much-deserved weights they bear (Hepworth, 2011). Remuneration is one of the challenges that various organizations have had to contend with so much interest.. Majority of Individuals especially in developing countries have convictions for being underappreciated in terms of payment packages offered. Besides that, it is almost becoming a natural phenomena people debating on poor working conditions; balancing personal life and work more so in the private sector; and career and motherhood among others. Some of the challenges are however situation or institution specific. As an FA as earlier stated, there were numerous and vast encounters. The most outstanding was, having to contend with the failure of the computer system to timely upgrade information. An FA would conduct business and present the business forms for system upgrade. Unfortunately, the system would take too long to process policy documents while clients’ deductions from their bank accounts would reflect that indeed transaction had taken place. For this reason, this would infuriate customs and lower the trust towards the firm. Some would even end up ceasing their ties with the companies. Such situations destroyed the reputation of not only the company but also hardworking FAs. The FAs remunerations were commission based their income at times hence would be greatly affected. However To improve performance we brought up the issue to the attention of the unit manager during weekly weekend meeting. The unit in turn conveyed the information to the administration prompting an impromptu meeting by the stakeholders (Bupa, 2015). Task 2: A. Analyze a work based situation of yours and discuss how you would identify and suggest solution or you had identified and suggested a solution. Globalization and competitive nature of companies, have compelled them to embrace diversity with open arms are as integral as it is imperative. Diversity, in this case, refers to differences such as gender, race, individual personality, cognitive skills, academic or education background, tribe, age, religion, et cetera. Most performing companies and institutions have remained relevant to the competitiveness and profit making by identifying the diversity of their human resource. It motivates and enables employees to pull their ideas indiscriminately. In addition to that there is diversification of service discharge that in most cases helps companies in the global scale. In cases where companies face problems, the diversity offers variety of solution by bringing ideas, experience and talent (Heather, 2011). For compact and togetherness, companies encourage inclusions to enhance the sense of belonging to members or employees.Additionally, this is also achieved by embracing openness by treating ideas and views with equal value and diversifying leadership to reflect the diversity of the company. All these geared towards resonating and connect to market trends to edge competitive organization, maximize employees potential, increase profit margins since economy is increasingly and gradually becoming global. Bupa insurance company would provide a platform, during meetings were irrespective of one’s position.Employees would converge and the air their views and sort for solutions to emerging challenges and give satisfactory recommendations and the prevailing idea would be adopted and implemented.The other imperative factor is identifying success factor for mental health through creation of awareness, through education and training and coming up with appropriate work culture to enhance the company resilience, this is achieved. Mental- ill health is an impediment to growth of an organization (Rao, 2010). TASK 2 B. Identify and evaluate the various approaches and style that you would use to communicate a work based problem to your peers and supervisors using your own experience. In every society, conflicts are bound to happen. Any conflict or problem need effective resolution. When resolved, it expands people awareness at the workplace thus creating better understanding. Discussions and negations during conflict enhance cohesion by renewing their ability to work together as a group. In addition, conflict increases understanding of issues at workplace. However, when unresolved, the consequence can be catastrophic. When resolving conflict in depth understanding of the issue or issues under discussion are of paramount importance. Various styles can be employed such as listening twice as much as you engage others in discussions and negotiations (Heather, 2011). Several theories on conflicts have been developed by various individuals in an attempt to help strategize with the aim of coming up with amicable solution and understanding when problems emerge. In workplace, it is common for individuals to be competitive, and people take hard stands especially those in high positions who at times attached to some unknown interest to their decision. Being collaborative, tolerant and accommodative in discussions normally yield results. It only happens when there is available room for effective communication skills. The most effective way is through giving ample time to individuals airing their views by listening (listen twice as much as you talk technique).Compromising a stand to accommodate everyone’s opinion enhances better working conditions. The above mentioned coupled with keeping members relationship and problem distance as well as validating options and solutions presented in unison result into marking impartial decision. While discharging duties as a financial adviser, a heated debate concerning revisits and migration patterns of individuals in the study area surfaced. Supervisors had different views on how to address the problem. Everybody had to compromise his /her stand to enable prospecting of clients to continue (Heather, 2011). Time management strategies TASK 2 C. Examine the various time management strategies and analyse how you would manage your time and why. Time is a free commodity but priceless, it can’t be owned but can be used; it can’t keep, but can be spent. Once lost it, one can never retrieve it back. At workplace, time management strategies are essential skills. Well organized individuals complete tasks accorded to them appropriately in organized manner and normally meet deadline. By self-examination through questioning the productivity of the task engaged in at the exact time and prioritizing these tasks in order of urgency. Priority can also be given depending on how involving a task is related to others in question. It is also important to exclude yourself from friends or people to avoid disruption while working. This minimizes disruption and enhances concentration while working. Breaks should be created to refresh in order to increase concentration and ensure that the scheduled breaks are not extended or over utilized giving ample time for the main work in force (Heather, 2011). The increase in advancement of technology that have been embraced by people have become the most disruptive in places of work. These disruptions in most cases are through phones (Calls and emails) and other electronic gadgets. Disciplining your schedules by creating time before or after work to respond to issues emanating from these gadgets is one effective way of managing time at workplace. While at workplace, it is advisable to do away with anything that may disrupt attention while working and put together items and resources needed to complete the work. Collecting these items minimizes movements that may result in loss of concentration (Heather, 2011) Another time creating strategy is creating to-do list to enable you accomplish tasks on time. Tackling some tasks by procrastinating then accomplishing them later in whole compact form rather than in segment form at times prove to be effective but not in totality. Procrastinating or postponing unimportant tasks with the aim of completing the main project. Finally, Coming up with routinely actions by accomplishing tasks after task rather than mixing them. This gets things to move faster by that improving efficiency (Wang & King, 2009). Teamwork and its dynamics Task 3: A. Explain the role that you and your colleagues may have played as a team worker in your work based situation and analyze the group dynamics. Wisdom dictates that if you want to go far walk alone running your socks off but if you want to go the furthest possible go as a group. Well, these sentiments have stood the test the test of time. With the ever increasing dynamics in the competitive society, companies and organization have developed adaptive mechanics to cope up with these dynamic. The benefits of diversification of the workplace in institutions as earlier outlined in this paper have helped companies reap extraordinarily. For this reason, it can be deduced with finality that teamwork has become an integral part of growing in institutions. The benefits, of working as a team, are: it glues individual together; enables better understanding of individuals and situations; it brings people of varied talents, experience and opinions. However, despite the obvious and outstanding advantages teamwork also has its limitations. The limitations are that it promotes laziness among lazy people take hard stands on issues (and are unwilling to compromise or are intolerant of other ) then coming up with solution tend to be a hard nut to crack (Markers & Wallace, 2010). In the early stages, while working as a financial adviser with the financial institution named previously in this paper we were clustered into groups. The groups comprised of persons of different gender, age, personality, and cognitive skills, professional and educational background. After training, each group would discuss contents that had been delivered. Through the discussions, the points, that were not delivered to expectation, were revisited by that enhancing better understanding. The first trial field work was also conducted in groups. The outcomes were laid on the table hence financial were able to familiarize themselves in the field and learn from one another on how to tackle various issues that would arise (Bupa, 2015). Task completion TASK 3 B. Identify and discuss alternative ways to complete a task as team and achieve the goals. For productivity and set goals in an organization that embraces teamwork to be realized, task completion within the set deadline is key. This section, therefore, seeks to outline clear guidelines on alternative ways to ensure tasks are completed to achieve the set goals. It is prudent for team members to have respect towards each other which promote cohesion and enables members to understand diversity among them. Respect also enables the members to appreciate each other’s strength and weakness as well as promoting positive interdependence. It enhances, positive interdependence roles assigned appropriately. This holds members accountable and responsible for particular tasks geared toward institutions productivity. Besides interdependence, good communication skills through appropriate use of social skills contribute to a better relationship among team members. Good relationship enables members to express their views openly and conduct their roles transparently (Markers & Wallace, 2010). The above can only be achieved through good leadership. Roles are, for this reason, assigned to facilitate activities and to provide direction on ways forward. Team leadership exerts influence by that making activities run as scheduled. Meeting venue and agenda for discussion should be set in advance. Communication of meeting agendas in time allows individuals to prepare on time which in most cases meetings become productive. Facilitation role should also assigned for better organization. Recording too is an important tool for better organization and productivity. Recording issues discussed allowed members to revisit what previous discussion and the way forward on tackling those issues. Discipline too is key and to enhance discipline within the team rules and regulations should be set, and appropriate repercussions assigned to the rules by that enforcing good conduct among members (Enslen, 2008). In our contemporary society problems are part and parcel in our daily lives. Encountering problems and finding solutions is, for this reason, compulsory and is the key to success besides widening widely and wildly our horizon of perception and reaction. When there is a problem, the human system to greater length experiences impulsive force to tackle the issue or issues at hand. There is a resonance that says challenges make a man. Consciously or unconsciously human beings develop strategies to combat their daily problems in an attempt to do away with them. Solutions or mechanisms employed in attempt to solve these problems have implications. The implications can either be positive or negative (Markers & Wallace, (2010). Problems at workplace, resolution strategies and its implications Task 4: A. Investigate and analyze with appropriate tools and techniques one work-based problem in your work environment and develop strategy to resolving the problem with justification. Now assess the potential impacts of implementing the strategy on the business. At workplace too, it is common for employees and employers to face challenges. In order to survive in this hard economic and competitive society, it is prudent to strategize and identify these problems and preempt the consequences of the actions taken. The section of this paper seeks to investigate, analyze, strategize on finding solutions to the problem at work (while saving as a financial adviser at Bupa insurance as well as assessing the potential impact of implementing the strategy.Heather gives detailed techniques of identifying problems at workplace. These techniques described are: the staff attitude survey and questionnaire; exit staff interview; focus group among other methods. Focus group is a strategy commonly used in research market to enable companies or institution to grasp perception of customers (Gerður, 2000). It involves conducting interviews on service or product on consumers’ perception and reactions to a company’s products or services. On the other hand exit staff interviews especially with a company’s erstwhile employees used to determine if the employees left due to problems that prevailed such as bullying. However, this may not be effective as some former staffs may give inaccurate information with the intention of revenge. The Staff attitude survey and questionnaire are normally used to extract and elicit information on staff attitude and management of the organization (Bupa, 2015: Kirton, 2011). Through discussions among financial advisers, the problem experienced as earlier discussed brought to the attention of the unit managers. The unit managers deliberated on the issue and in turn forwarded the grievances the FAs had stumbled upon to the higher authority. Prospecting exercise came to a halted for a while.All FAs summoned to a meeting where the general manager gave an explanation for the failures of the system to upgrade promptly and promise to work on effective formulae that would deal efficiently with the stalemate. After thorough discussions in the meeting with the unit manager, The financial advisers were instructed to inform their clients on the stalemate.They were also to explain to prospective clients to enhance confidence and trust in the institution of provision of it services.Besides that the local daily newspapers, as well as other marketing media, were screaming with the company’s promises to work on the system. These steps taken were by the company have had an impact on the company, financial advisers as well as clients. The public confidence restored as demonstrated by the rapid but steady increase in the number no customers. It also illustrates that financial advisers have been motivated to prospect for more customers. Additionally the company has added other products to the market an indication, that the system developed, has been effective (Heather, 2011: Bupa, 2015). The graphs below indicate the performance of Bupa Insurance Company. UK Customers Revenues Underlying profit 2013 3.9m £2,573.5m £139.5m 2012 3.9m £2,528.8m £110.9m Percentage growth - 2%↑ 26%↑ Australia and New Zealand Customers Revenues Underlying profit 2013 4.9m £3,791.8m £284.1m 2012 4.1m £3,554.0m £274.6m Percentage growth 19% 7% 3% Source: Bupa Insurance:http://www.hr.duke.edu/jobs/job_descriptions/duhs/select.php?ID=4582 Conclusion It can be deduced with finality, from the discussions and analysis in this paper that employability skills such as :good communication skills; good personal skills as well as professionalism among others have becomes part of strategies used by companies to thrive in the competitive market. For this reason, those seeking line of employment as well as those aiming to be self-employed should know that the ingredients to success are having and possessing the staff with employability skill. Reference list: Masters, A & Harold, R. (2010). personal development for life and work, USA. Bupa Insurance: http://www.hr.duke.edu/jobs/job_descriptions/duhs/select.php?ID=4582 Heather, F. (2011). Managing Conflict in the Workplace Routledge 2park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017, USA Rao, M. S. (2010). Soft skills: Enhancing employability: connecting campus with corporate. New Delhi: I.K. Publishing Hepworth, A. (2011). Studying for your future: Successful study skills, time management, and career development: a guide to personal development planning for university and college students. Lancashire: the Universe of Learning Ltd. Trought, F. (2012). Brilliant employability skills: how to stand out from the crowd in the graduate job market. Harlow, England, Pearson. Gerður G. (2000). Employability skills in non-professional occupations: a four-country comparative research project : carried out with the support of the European Community within the framework of the Leonardo da Vinci programme. Reykjavik, University of Iceland University Press. Wang, V. C. X., & King, K. P. (2009). Building workforce competencies in career and technical education. Charlotte, NC, Information Age Pub. Enslen, P. O. (2008). Developing the employability skills of medical assisting students in a vocational high school. Thesis (Ed.D.)--Wilmington University, 2008. Kirton, B. (2011). Brilliant workplace skills for students & graduates. Harlow, Prentice Hall. Read More