Key Skills Trainer

Tutor Guide - The answers

Appendix A - Answers
- Communications
- Application of number

Back to answers - communications
Reading – Skim read

Check your skills - set A
Question 1:	If you want to know about your employer’s responsibilities for health and safety, is this piece of information useful?
Content:	Graphic: (Part of the Health and Safety Law written on an employees’ handbook: please space out the text neatly on the screen) Your employer must: Assess the risks to your health and safety. Make arrangements for putting the health and safety measures identified into place. Record the findings of the risk assessment and the measures that will be taken. · Plan and write a health and safety policy statement, including the health and safety organization and arrangements made, and bring it to your attention. · Appoint a trustworthy person to assist with health and safety responsibilities, and let you or your safety representative know about this appointment.
Answer:	Yes

Question 2:	You want to know what disciplinary procedure is taken if a customer makes a complaint. Would this information be useful?
Content:	Graphic: (New page of handbook) There will be times when customers complain. But if you know and follow company procedure, you will be able to handle the situation. Customers need to know that complaints are taken seriously and employees need to be consistent in the way they deal with them. What matters most is the way in which the complaint is handled. If you deal with it effectively and efficiently, the customer will probably find it a positive experience and leave with a good impression of the company.
Answer:	No

Question 3:	Skim read this report to decide on the best title for it.
Content:	Graphic: (Short report written on a handout with a box at the top for dragging and dropping a title into.) Generally women are more likely than men to have flexible working patterns. In 1999 about 24% of women in full-time employment in the UK had flexible working patterns compared with about 15% of men. The most common form of flexible working for full-time workers was flexible working hours. For women in part-time employment, however, the most common form of flexible working time was term-time working. Home working was also more common among women than men.
Answer:	Flexible working

Question 4:	How much of this document would you need to read in detail to find out something about your responsibilities as an employee?
Content:	Graphic: (New page of employees’ handbook) Part 1 Equal Opportunities means giving everyone the same chances and treatment. This applies to the way you deal with the general public as well as fellow employees. You should not discriminate on the grounds of gender, religion, disability, ethnic or national origin. Every employee should foster Equal Opportunities. You must read the company’s guidelines and policies in this booklet and keep up to date with legislation. Part 2 Recruitment and selection procedures should incorporate open advertising. Employers should ensure job advertisements have ‘Positive About Disabled People’ symbols and an Equal Opportunities statement. Part-time employees should not lose out on any training that is targeted at full-time employees. Training and development should be available to all employees, and management should make employees aware of training opportunities as well as potentially discriminatory situations.
Answer:	B. Part 1 only.

Check your skills - set B
Question 1:	If you want to know about annual pay increases, is this piece of information useful?
Content:	Graphic: (Part of the Health and Safety Law written on a employees’ handbook:) The Equal Pay Act 1970 gives the individual a right to the same contractual pay and benefits as a person of the opposite sex in the same employment. This applies where the man and woman are doing: - like work - work related as equivalent under a job study - work that is proved to be of equal value Claims are brought in the employment tribunal and can be brought at any time during employment and within six months of leaving a job. If the claim is successful, the claimant will be entitled to: - the same level of pay or benefit as his or her fellow worker - back pay representing the difference in pay with interest (this is subject to a limit) The Act applies to England, Scotland and Wales and covers women and men of any age, including children.
Answer:	No

Question 2:	If you want to know about the evacuation procedure in case of fire, would this information be useful?
Content:	Graphic: (New page of handbook:) All escape routes are protected by fire-resistant doors. These doors should be kept closed and clear at all times in case of fire. There are signs on these doors to remind employees not to wedge them open. In emergencies, these doors may slow the spread of the fire. Regular checks are made by the Safety Officer to ensure the fire safety equipment is in good working order.
Answer:	No

Question 3:	Skim read this report to decide on the best title for it.
Content:	Graphic: (Short report written on a handout with a box at the top for dragging and dropping a title into.) The appearance of new products on the market means that consumers are given a wider choice of what they can spend their money on. The growth of cable, satellite and digital television has played a part in the increase in home entertainment equipment expenditure. People are also spending more on non-essential items such as leisure goods and services. In proportion they are spending less on essential items such as fuel, power and light.
Answer:	Consumer spending

Question 4:	How much of this document would you need to read in detail to find out about your responsibilities as an employee?
Content:	Graphic: (New page of employees’ handbook) Health and Safety at Work Part 1 Making your workplace safe and without risks to health is important to us. This includes ensuring equipment is safe and that safe systems of work are set and followed. We will also ensure articles and substances are moved, stored and used safely and provide adequate welfare facilities and give you the necessary information and training. Part 2 It is important to take care of your own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by what you do or do not do. For this reason you should co-operate at all times with your employer on health and safety matters. Correctly using equipment provided in accordance with training or instructions is essential. It is also vital that you do not interfere with or misuse anything provided for your health, safety and welfare.
Answer:	C. Part 2 only.

Learn
Screen 5:	Click on the key subject word in this piece of writing. The word is repeated several times so remember to click on the word every time it appears.
Content:	Graphic: All words in text live to highlight when clicked on. There will be times when customers make complaints. But if you know and follow company procedure, you will be able to handle the complaints effectively. All complaints should be taken seriously and employees must be consistent in the way they deal with them. You need to remember that the quicker you deal with complaints the happier the customer will be.
Answer:	There will be times when customers make complaints. But if you know and follow company procedure, you will be able to handle the complaints effectively. All complaints should be taken seriously and employees must be consistent in the way they deal with them. You need to remember that the quicker you deal with complaints the happier the customer will be.

Screen 7:	Skim read this text to get an idea of what it is about. Drag and drop the most suitable title for the text into the box.
Content:	Graphic: Generally women are more likely than men to have flexible working patterns. In 1999 about 24% of women in full-time employment in the UK had flexible working patterns compared with about 15% of men. The most common form of flexible working for full-time workers was flexible working hours. For women in part-time employment, however, the most common form of flexible working time was term-time working. Home working was also more common among women than men.
Answer:	Flexible working

Screen 9:	Skim read this document to see which part you would need to read in detail to find out about your responsibilities as an employee. Click on the box next to the answer you think is correct.
Content:	Graphic: Part 1 Equal Opportunities means giving everyone the same chances and treatment. This applies to the way you deal with the general public as well as fellow employees. You should not discriminate on the grounds of gender, religion, disability, ethnic or national origin. Every employee should foster Equal Opportunities. You must read the company’s guidelines and policies in this booklet and keep up-to-date with legislation. Part 2 Recruitment and selection procedures should incorporate open advertising. Employers should ensure job advertisements have ‘Positive About Disabled People’ symbols and an Equal Opportunities statement. Part-time employees should not lose out on any training that is targeted at full-time employees. Training and development should be available to all employees, and management should make employees aware of training opportunities as well as potentially discriminatory situations.
Answer:	B. Part 1 only

Part 2

Health and Safety at Work

Part 1

Part 2