MGTG539 - Certificate in Personnel Management Human Resources Assessment Part One v2 | The Career Academy NZ

Certificate in Personnel Management & Human Resources - Part One

Read the requirements below and then complete all parts of the assessment. Once completed, save your work as either a Word document or a PDF file. Once you have saved your work click on the Assessment submission link within this topic and upload your completed assessment to your tutor for marking. 

Plagiarism

Please remember that presenting work that is not your own (e.g., content copied directly from the course material or websites) is considered plagiarism and is a violation of your student policy. Plagiarised work will not be marked by your tutors and will result in a re-submission or fail.

Learning Outcomes

In this assignment, you will be assessed on the following learning outcomes: 

• Explain common biases that can result in errors in decision making in the workplace. (Refer to: Human Behaviour) List and give an overview of the main functions of communication. (Refer to: Workplace Communication Skills) 
• Describe the three key skills that a supervisor should possess. (Refer to: Controlling Operations) 
• Explain the importance of the fifth step in the employment lifecycle. (Refer to: Recruitment)

Question 1

Decision making can be heavily influenced by the individual trying to be rational but also through systematic biases and errors that inadvertently affect their judgment. Explain the four decision-making biases outlined in the Human Behaviour course. Provide one example for each explanation. Write 20-50 words for each bias.

Overconfidence bias description plus example: 

Overconfidence bias occurs when individuals overestimate their abilities, knowledge, or predictions. This can lead to poor decisions based on inaccurate self-assessment.

Example: A manager may confidently forecast project completion in two weeks without consulting the team, resulting in missed deadlines. 

Anchoring bias description plus example: 

Anchoring bias happens when people rely too heavily on the first piece of information they receive (the "anchor") when making decisions. 

Example: During salary negotiations, if the initial offer is low, it can anchor expectations, even if a higher salary is justified. 

Confirmation bias description plus example: Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek, interpret, and remember information that supports existing beliefs, while ignoring contradictory evidence. 

Example: A supervisor believes a staff member is underperforming and only notices their mistakes, ignoring their achievements. 

Availability bias description plus example: 

Availability bias occurs when people base decisions on recent or easily recalled information, rather than all relevant facts. 

Example: After hearing about a rare workplace accident, a manager might overestimate the risk and overreact with unnecessary safety measures. 

Question 2

Communications are essential to the operation and successful functioning of any business. List and give an overview of the four main functions of communication in the workplace (from the Workplace Communication Skills course). Write 20-50 words for each. 

• Function of communication #1: Control Communication helps establish formal guidelines and policies, maintaining order and ensuring employees understand expectations, responsibilities, and consequences of non-compliance. 
• Function of communication #2: Motivation Effective communication encourages goal-setting and feedback. It motivates employees by clarifying roles, recognizing achievements, and fostering a sense of purpose.
• Function of communication #3: Emotional expression It allows employees to express feelings, build relationships, and create a supportive environment. Open emotional expression strengthens team morale and trust.