Workplace Communication and Safety Strategies (ESL)

This course is provided by the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT).

Knowing how to communicate effectively in the workplace is essential to becoming an active and contributing member of an organizational team and promoting increased levels of safety in the workplace.  An important part of this course is understanding how your communication affects those around you.

Communicative ability is not only about the individual - it's about the team. This course is intended for those seeking to gain or increase communicative competencies related to Canadian culture and safety in the workplace. Participants will increase their knowledge of communication and digital literacy strategies, as well as develop communicative cultural awareness in the workplace. Participants will also gain an understanding of how their communicative abilities impact others around them in the collective workforce. Building safety-awareness competencies that aim to reduce workplace incidents caused by communication deficiencies will be emphasized throughout this 40-hour course. Upon successful completion of this course, participants will have built confidence in communicating in face-to-face and online interactions in the Canadian workplace.

This course is ideal for individuals for whom English is a second language who are looking to increase their employability by building their knowledge of workplace communication and safety, as well as employers who want to provide their employees an opportunity for additional support.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: 

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to: 

1. Apply communication strategies in workplace settings.

• Apply listening and speaking strategies for everyday workplace conversations to foster trust and collaborative relationships.
• Identify strategies to overcome common communication barriers that impact employee; engagement and performance.
• Apply listening and speaking strategies to interpret verbal directions.
• Apply digital literacy strategies to evaluate and compose essential workplace information – write  an email.
• Interpret information contained in formatted texts. (Forms-Vacation Forms…)
• Complete forms requiring detailed personal information.

2. Compose business correspondence text.

• Write formal emails to enquire/inform.
• Use the appropriate layout of formal emails, including block format with correct greetings and salutations.
• Apply writing strategies for the workplace.
• Compose the text according to purpose, audience, and topic.
• Use formal language and tone to communicate in a digital medium.
• Use knowledge of the following linguistic realizations of the targeted genres: Basic verb tense, and varied sentence structures.

3.  Discuss time management strategies to maximize productivity. 

• Discuss how cultural differences in time perception contribute to workplace miscommunications. 
• Explain punctuality expectations in the workplace.
• Use time-related jargon specific to the notion of time.
• List time management strategies for a time-focused culture.

4.  Apply communication strategies to maintain and promote safety in the workplace.

• Define key terms related to Alberta's Occupational Health and Safety Act.
• Describe the occupational health and safety rights and responsibilities of workers and employers under Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety Act.
• Identify common workplace incidents and discuss how to avoid them.
• Identify personal responsibilities of maintaining safety in the workplace.

COURSE COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS

This course is graded on a pass/fail basis. A minimum grade of 75 percent is required to pass.

Delivery Method: Virtual Session – Remote-Live Delivery 

Course Fee Includes: Access to the course, course materials, and a digital certificate upon completion. 

This course is delivered in partnership with local and provincial construction associations across Canada. You will be participating with a group of industry peers from multiple regions.

Sharing a single registration between two or more individuals is not permitted. Please register each person that will be in attendance.

There are no prerequisites for this course. 

This training is ideal for individuals, including those for whom English is a second language, who want to enhance their workplace communication skills, cultural awareness, and safety competencies. It’s also suitable for employers looking to provide their employees with the tools to improve team dynamics, reduce incidents caused by communication gaps, and build confidence in both in-person and online interactions.

1. Computer or laptop
• This course will involve on-screen interaction with your instructor and classmates, reading/viewing on-screen content (slides or videos), and interacting via typing with questions or responses. For this reason, cellphones may not be adequate. 
• Windows 10 or Mac iOS. 
2. Webcam (Mandatory) – in order to engage and collaborate, participants will be expected to have their webcams on for the duration of the class
3. Microphone (Mandatory)
4. Internet connection- For best results, you will want to ensure you have an internet connection with an upload/download speed of 3-5 Mbps. You can test your internet speed here. The minimum recommended speed is 1.5 Mbps, but anything below 3 Mbps may result in loss of quality or buffering. Ideally hardwired connection versus wireless for stability - connect your computer directly to your router using an ethernet cable, rather than using your home wi-fi.
5. A quiet space with minimal distractions –The microphone will be engaged for interactive sessions. Please plan to be fully engaged in the class and clear your work schedule just as you would for the in-class program.
6. Comfortable chair