SUPERVISORY COMMUNICATION IN THE WORKPLACE

Purpose
Staff at all levels of the organisation have a responsibility to ensure that the
workplace is comfortable, non-threatening and open to opinion.
The following should not happen, and the Leadership Team will welcome any
concerns or complaints and investigate any breaches.
All staff who supervise or take on coordination and supervisory responsibility as
negotiated will adhere to the following mandatory directions:

• If they are hearing or observing someone doing something that they might
  think is not right, they will not confront in an accusatory or authoritarian
  manner. They will gently and calmly ask questions. Whatever the answers
  are, they may call time to think about them, check protocols or call someone
  who can confirm what should be happening before they respond
• If what is happening has immediate health and safety risks, they will quietly
  ask the person to check this with them – “Let’s have a look at the protocols” –
  “Let me make a call and check with someone who can confirm”
• Staff with supervisory responsibilities in their roles will:
  o Never act in an authoritarian manner
  o Always be calm, dignified and friendly
  o Never use aggressive gestures like pointing or thumping a table
  o Never raise their voices in conversation
  o Treat everyone equally and be mindful of staff privacy in workplace
  conversations
  o Accept a person’s right to make a complaint about a member of the
  management team without fear of retribution and misuse of authority
  o Will answer staff questions promptly or seek the answers and relay
  them back quickly

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