Getting Noticed in the Workplace

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  CTE Lesson Plan

• CTE Course Info and Benchmark Notes

  
  

  02.01 Explains how employees might be considered assets or resources to an organization.

• Unit Outline

  
  

  This lesson is designed to be used with the case studny "Getting Noticed in the Workplace" See CPALMS resource ID# 209588.

• Career Connection

  
  

  This lesson supports the career building skills of taking initiatives, working productively and independently and self-motivation that are key skills to have in the workplace. These are also pathways to develop additional skills and learning experiences for career development. Employees will be considered an asset and resource when these key skills are well developed, able to adapt and become long-term employees.

• Learning Objectives

  
  

  Students will be able to:

  • Understand how employee performance and behaviors can impact one’s position in the workplace.
  • Describe employee initiatives to gain experience in the workplace.
  • Use role playing techniques for mock employee evaluations.
  • Explain how employee performance and behaviors can be considered assets to a workplace.

• Prior Knowledge

  
  

  Students should be familiar with/able to:

  • The vocabulary terms of ethics, performance, initiative, marketing
  • Work collaboratively with peers.

• Guiding Questions

  
  
  • What are some positive and negative examples of work ethics?
  • Why would employees take initiative instead of waiting for direction from supervisors?
  • What can employee evaluations be utilized for in the workplace?
  • How does competition among colleagues affect working relationships?

• Procedure

  
  
  1. To introduce the lesson, open with the following questions:
     • What does it mean to do something right even when no one is looking?
     • How can taking initiatives in the workplace possibly lead to other opportunities?
       • Students should respond orally, utilizing appropriate language conventions.
  2. Refer to the case study, “Getting Noticed in the Workplace,” (see CPALMS Resource # 209588). Provide students with a copy of the case study. Open to comments about the case, encourage students to start the conversations. Ensure productive dialogue among the students where critical thinking and debate should be skills they are using.
  3. Then ask focus questions about the case study (have students turn and talk, then share)
     • How does this case reflect positive or negative work ethics?
     • What are strategies seen in this case for successful job performance?
  4. Provide students with a copy of the Employee Evaluation (see attachment).
     • Explain how often most employee evaluations are conducted.
     • Convey that employee evaluation types can vary from industry to business.
  5. Separate students into small groups. Assign each group one of the employees profiled in the case study (multiple groups can be assigned the same employee if necessary). Have each group complete the employee evaluation for their assigned person, acting as the supervisor.
  6. Conduct a "mock evaluation" for each employee.
     • Pair students from different groups (they must be paired with someone from a group who evaluated a different employee). The pairs will role play together as both the employee and employer.
     • In preparation for this mock evaluation, at least 5 talking points should be prepared (positive and negative).
       • Explain that employees are assets to companies and training new employees is costly, evaluations are used as training tools for employee retention (be sure to mention this to students so they can include recommendations for improvement in the evaluation).
       • In addition, integrity, productivity, teamwork, relationships, self-management, and portfolio should be key talking points during the evaluation.
  7. Bring the lesson to a close by the class deciding who should be selected to run the marking campaign based on the presented employee evaluations and how are they an asset to the company.

• Teacher Notes

  
  
  • Note that many states are considered "at will," which means that employers (and employees) have the right to end the employment with or without cause or notice at any time.

• Optional

  
  

  Formative Assessment Ideas:

  • Practice with employee evaluations (as students, be cautious with negativity).
  • Have the students complete an evaluation for themselves using their performance as a student.

  Accommodation Suggestions:

  • Provide a filled in copy of an employee evaluation.

  Extension Ideas:

  • Continue role playing with different scenarios that they encounter as a customer.