Help and guidance for task 1:

 

For this part of the assignment you will need to outline a number of communication skills that you will need in order to communicate effectively with the range of individuals you encounter in the workplace.

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Most times within your workplace you will be communicating with other colleagues and other Health professionals within your organisation, however, there are times when you will need to speak with and provide information to others outside your business including the bereaved. In these situations it is especially important that you use good and effective communications skills:

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1 Listening: Being a good listener is one of the best ways to be a good communicator. Active listening involves paying close attention to what the other person is saying, asking clarifying questions, and rephrasing what the person says to ensure understanding - you can then better understand what the other person is trying to say, and can respond appropriately.

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2 Nonverbal communication: Your body language, eye contact, hand gestures, and tone of voice all affect the message you are trying to convey. A relaxed, open stance (e.g. arms open,), and a friendly tone will make you appear approachable and will encourage others to speak openly with you. Eye contact is also important as well as paying attention to other people's nonverbal signals while you are talking. Often, nonverbal signals convey how a person is really feeling.

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3 Verbal clarity: volume and pace: Good verbal communication means saying just enough – don’t talk too much or too little. Say what you want clearly and directly, whether you're speaking to someone in person, on the phone, or via email. Pacing is critical to add depth and dimension to your voice. Speak in short sentences supported by small breaths. Slow the pace to emphasise certain ideas. Quicken the pace to show excitement or humour. Pause to underscore major points or to give listeners time to absorb a complex idea. Use changes in volume to prevent your voice from slipping into monotonous sameness - lower the volume for an aside, raise the volume gradually as you build toward a point.

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4 Tone and Friendliness: Through a friendly tone, a personal question, or simply a smile, you will encourage your others to engage in open and honest communication with you. It's important to be nice and polite in all your workplace communications. This is important in both face-to-face and written communication.

5 Empathy: Using phrases as simple as "I understand where you are coming from" demonstrate that you have been listening to the other person and respect their opinions.

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6 Respect: People will be more open to communicating with you if you convey respect for them and their ideas. Simple actions like using a person's name, making eye contact, and actively listening when a person speaks will make the person feel appreciated. Avoid distractions and stay focused on the conversation.

 

 

 

You will also need to have a broad understanding of the barriers to communication and ways to overcome these.

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No matter how effective you think you are as a communicator the process of communication has multiple barriers - sometimes the intended message will often be distorted leading to a condition of misunderstanding and failure of communication. Common barriers to communication include:

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1 Age: your age (being older or younger) will determine your vocabulary, understanding,  language used, the experiences that inform your communication, and the expectations you have of the other person. For example a younger person may be less inclined to be assertive when speaking with an older person and an older person may be intimidated by technology and the ways that it changes communication. Functionality of the brain declines with age as well as vision and hearing due to changes in the nervous system - these all affect intellectual abilities, memory ad concentration.

2 The use of jargon: over-complicated, unfamiliar and/or technical terms. Nothing can alienate people as quickly as using insider language, terminology or jargon. Although it may not seem like a problem to you, certain abbreviations or terms might not be known to a newcomer or visitor and can make them feel like an outsider. When you’re speaking in a group, always make sure to communicate in a way that everyone understands.

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3 Religion: thousands of religious differences act as barriers to communication at all levels. Religion is a very complex subject and is a very private practice and every small ritual gets transferred through families. It can become difficult for a person from other religion to understand the subtle differences in the ways people follow these rituals. There are chances that one will end up disrespecting the other if they are not fully aware of the customs of that particular religion.

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4 Language differences: language is needed for any kind of communication, even people with speech impairments communicate with sign language and brail. Communication becomes difficult in situations where people don’t understand each others’ language. The inability to communicate using a language is known as language barrier to communication. Language barriers are the most common communication barriers which cause misunderstandings and misinterpretations between people. If the speaker and receiver do not use same language and words, there is no meaning to the communication.
 
The accents and dialect (use of words) of people belonging to different places differs even if their language is same. Though the languages are technically the same in people using different dialects and accents, the meanings, implications and interpretations of words are different, which may lead to various kinds of conflicts.

5 Ethnicity and prejudices: people may hesitate to interact with others, based on stereotypes and previous judgements.  Different social, cultural, religious, national and ethnic groups form an important component of the impressions we have towards other people. This may lead to false assumptions or stereotyping.  People often hear what they expect to hear rather than what is actually said and jump to incorrect conclusions. Even if you don’t outwardly display prejudice, you may still hold deeply rooted prejudicial beliefs that govern your actions and attitudes. 

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6 Cultural differences: the norms of social interaction vary greatly in different cultures, as do the way in which emotions are expressed. For example, the concept of personal space varies between cultures and between different social settings.

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Help and guidance for task 2:

 

For this task you will need to briefly describe some of the common reactions to grief and bereavement, please use the guidance notes found in the NAFD Manual of Funeral Directing (Chapter 4: Understanding and supporting the bereaved) for further information to help you with this task.

 

 

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Common reactions to bereavement

 

Bereaved people may feel a number of things immediately after a death.  All of them are perfectly normal and an awareness of these can help Funeral Directors to know how to respond – and, where appropriate, how and when to recommend the right professional bereavement care and support.:

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1. Shock
2. Pain
3. Anger
4. Guilt
5. Depression

6. Longing

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One of the hardest things for a bereaved person to face is the way other people react.  They often do not know what to say or how to respond to loss.  Because they don’t know what to say or are worried about saying the wrong thing, people can avoid those who have lost someone.  This is hard, because they may well want to talk about the person who has died.